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Burghardt GM, Pellis SM, Schank JC, Smaldino PE, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Palagi E. Animal play and evolution: Seven timely research issues about enigmatic phenomena. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 160:105617. [PMID: 38458553 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105617] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The nature of play in animals has been long debated, but progress is being made in characterizing play and its variants, documenting its distribution across vertebrate and invertebrate taxa, describing its mechanisms and development, and proposing testable theories about its origins, evolution, and adaptive functions. To achieve a deeper understanding of the functions and evolution of play, integrative and conceptual advances are needed in neuroscience, computer modeling, phylogenetics, experimental techniques, behavior development, and inter- and intra-specific variation. The special issue contains papers documenting many of these advances. Here, we describe seven timely areas where further research is needed to understand this still enigmatic class of phenomena more fully. Growing empirical and theoretical evidence reveals that play has been crucial in the evolution of behavior and psychology but has been underestimated, if not ignored, in both empirical and theoretical areas of evolutionary biology and neuroscience. Play research has important ramifications for understanding the evolution of cognition, emotion, and culture, and research on animals can be both informative and transformative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon M Burghardt
- Departments of Psychology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - Sergio M Pellis
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jeffrey C Schank
- Department of Psychology and Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Paul E Smaldino
- Department of Cognitive and Information Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA, and Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, USA
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Unit of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Pisa and Natural History Museum, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Bijlsma A, Birza EE, Pimentel TC, Maranus JPM, van Gaans MJJM, Lozeman-van T Klooster JG, Baars AJM, Achterberg EJM, Lesscher HMB, Wierenga CJ, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Opportunities for risk-taking during play alters cognitive performance and prefrontal inhibitory signalling in rats of both sexes. Eur J Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 38511534 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16313] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Social play behaviour is a rewarding activity that can entail risks, thus allowing young individuals to test the limits of their capacities and to train their cognitive and emotional adaptability to challenges. Here, we tested in rats how opportunities for risk-taking during play affect the development of cognitive and emotional capacities and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) function, a brain structure important for risk-based decision making. Male and female rats were housed socially or social play-deprived (SPD) between postnatal day (P)21 and P42. During this period, half of both groups were daily exposed to a high-risk play environment. Around P85, all rats were tested for cognitive performance and emotional behaviour after which inhibitory currents were recorded in layer 5 pyramidal neurons in mPFC slices. We show that playing in a high-risk environment altered cognitive flexibility in both sexes and improved behavioural inhibition in males. High-risk play altered anxiety-like behaviour in the elevated plus maze in males and in the open field in females, respectively. SPD affected cognitive flexibility in both sexes and decreased anxiety-like behaviour in the elevated plus maze in females. We found that synaptic inhibitory currents in the mPFC were increased in male, but not female, rats after high-risk play, while SPD lowered prefrontal cortex (PFC) synaptic inhibition in both sexes. Together, our data show that exposure to risks during play affects the development of cognition, emotional behaviour and inhibition in the mPFC. Furthermore, our study suggests that the opportunity to take risks during play cannot substitute for social play behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ate Bijlsma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Evelien E Birza
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tara C Pimentel
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Janneke P M Maranus
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke J J M van Gaans
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - José G Lozeman-van T Klooster
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie J M Baars
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi M B Lesscher
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Corette J Wierenga
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute and Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Achterberg EJM, Biemans B, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Neurexin1α knockout in rats causes aberrant social behaviour: relevance for autism and schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06559-z. [PMID: 38418646 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06559-z] [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: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Genetic and environmental factors cause neuropsychiatric disorders through complex interactions that are far from understood. Loss-of-function mutations in synaptic proteins like neurexin1α have been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), both characterised by problems in social behaviour. Childhood social play behaviour is thought to facilitate social development, and lack of social play may precipitate or exacerbate ASD and SCZ. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that an environmental insult acts on top of genetic vulnerability to precipitate psychiatric-like phenotypes. To that aim, social behaviour in neurexin1α knockout rats was assessed, with or without deprivation of juvenile social play. We also tested drugs prescribed in ASD or SCZ to assess the relevance of this dual-hit model for these disorders. RESULTS Neurexin1α knockout rats showed an aberrant social phenotype, with high amounts of social play, increased motivation to play, age-inappropriate sexual mounting, and an increase in general activity. Play deprivation subtly altered later social behaviour, but did not affect the phenotype of neurexin1α knockout rats. Risperidone and methylphenidate decreased play behaviour in both wild-type and knockout rats. Amphetamine-induced hyperactivity was exaggerated in neurexin1α knockout rats. CONCLUSION Deletion of the neurexin1α gene in rats causes exaggerated social play, which is not modified by social play deprivation. This phenotype therefore resembles disinhibited behaviour rather than the social withdrawal seen in ASD and SCZ. The neurexin1α knockout rat could be a model for inappropriate or disinhibited social behaviour seen in childhood mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Barbara Biemans
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Huijgens PT, Heijkoop R, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Lesscher HMB, Snoeren EMS. CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis modulate pace of natural reward seeking depending on internal state. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06561-5. [PMID: 38396196 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06561-5] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to investigate the underlying neurobiological mechanisms that regulate natural reward seeking behaviors, specifically in the context of sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration. The role of CaMKIIa+ neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) was explored using chemogenetic silencing and -stimulation. Additionally, the study examined how these effects interacted with the internal state of the animals. Through detailed behavioral analysis, it was demonstrated that CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST play a significant role in the regulation of both sexual behavior and sucrose self-administration. Although the behavioral outcome measures differed between the two behaviors, the regulatory role of the CaMKIIa+ neurons in the BNST was found to converge on the modulation of the pacing of engagement in these behaviors in male rats. Moreover, our study confirmed that the internal physiological state of the animal affects how the BNST modulates these behaviors. These findings suggest that different types of natural rewards may recruit a similar brain circuitry to regulate the display of motivated behaviors. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the neural mechanisms underlying natural reward seeking and sheds light on the interconnected nature of reward-related behaviors in male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patty T Huijgens
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Roy Heijkoop
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi M B Lesscher
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eelke M S Snoeren
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
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Achterberg EJM, Vanderschuren LJMJ. The neurobiology of social play behaviour: Past, present and future. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105319. [PMID: 37454882 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105319] [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] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Social play behaviour is a highly energetic and rewarding activity that is of great importance for the development of brain and behaviour. Social play is abundant during the juvenile and early adolescent phases of life, and it occurs in most mammalian species, as well as in certain birds and reptiles. To date, the majority of research into the neural mechanisms of social play behaviour has been performed in male rats. In the present review we summarize studies on the neurobiology of social play behaviour in rats, including work on pharmacological and genetic models for autism spectrum disorders, early life manipulations and environmental factors that influence play in rats. We describe several recent developments that expand the field, and highlight outstanding questions that may guide future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Dept. of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Dept. of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Bijlsma A, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Wierenga CJ. Social play behavior shapes the development of prefrontal inhibition in a region-specific manner. Cereb Cortex 2023:bhad212. [PMID: 37317037 PMCID: PMC10393492 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad212] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Experience-dependent organization of neuronal connectivity is critical for brain development. We recently demonstrated the importance of social play behavior for the developmental fine-tuning of inhibitory synapses in the medial prefrontal cortex in rats. When these effects of play experience occur and if this happens uniformly throughout the prefrontal cortex is currently unclear. Here we report important temporal and regional heterogeneity in the impact of social play on the development of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the medial prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. We recorded in layer 5 pyramidal neurons from juvenile (postnatal day (P)21), adolescent (P42), and adult (P85) rats after social play deprivation (between P21 and P42). The development of these prefrontal cortex subregions followed different trajectories. On P21, inhibitory and excitatory synaptic input was higher in the orbitofrontal cortex than in the medial prefrontal cortex. Social play deprivation did not affect excitatory currents, but reduced inhibitory transmission in both medial prefrontal cortex and orbitofrontal cortex. Intriguingly, the reduction occurred in the medial prefrontal cortex during social play deprivation, whereas the reduction in the orbitofrontal cortex only became manifested after social play deprivation. These data reveal a complex interaction between social play experience and the specific developmental trajectories of prefrontal subregions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ate Bijlsma
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Corette J Wierenga
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Flores-Dourojeanni JP, van den Munkhof MH, Luijendijk MCM, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Adan RAH. Inhibition of ventral tegmental area projections to the nucleus accumbens shell increases premature responding in the five-choice serial reaction time task in rats. Brain Struct Funct 2023; 228:787-798. [PMID: 36843155 PMCID: PMC10147763 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-023-02618-x] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/28/2023]
Abstract
Exaggerated impulsivity and attentional impairments are hallmarks of certain disorders of behavioural control such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia and addiction. Pharmacological studies have implicated elevated dopamine (DA) levels in the nucleus accumbens shell (NAcbS) in impulsive actions. The NAcbS receives its DA input from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and we have previously shown that optogenetic activation of VTA-NAcbS projections impaired impulse control and attention in the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) in rats. To better understand the role of VTA-NAcbS projections in impulsivity and attention, the present study sought to inhibit this projection using optogenetics. We demonstrate that inhibiting VTA-NAcbS efferents during the last seconds of the inter-trial interval (i.e. immediately before presentation of the instructive cue) induces exaggerated impulsive action, in the absence of changes in attentional or motivational parameters in the 5-CSRTT. Together with our earlier observations, this suggests that impulse control in the 5-CSRTT is tightly controlled by VTA-NAcbS activity, with deviations in both directions resulting in increased impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacques P Flores-Dourojeanni
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Population Health Sciences, Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584, CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen H van den Munkhof
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mieneke C M Luijendijk
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584, CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A H Adan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3508, GA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. .,Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 405 30, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Bijlsma A, Omrani A, Spoelder M, Verharen JPH, Bauer L, Cornelis C, de Zwart B, van Dorland R, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Wierenga CJ. Social Play Behavior Is Critical for the Development of Prefrontal Inhibitory Synapses and Cognitive Flexibility in Rats. J Neurosci 2022; 42:8716-8728. [PMID: 36253083 PMCID: PMC9671579 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0524-22.2022] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory driven activity during early life is critical for setting up the proper connectivity of the sensory cortices. We ask here whether social play behavior, a particular form of social interaction that is highly abundant during postweaning development, is equally important for setting up connections in the developing prefrontal cortex (PFC). Young male rats were deprived from social play with peers during the period in life when social play behavior normally peaks [postnatal day 21-42] (SPD rats), followed by resocialization until adulthood. We recorded synaptic currents in layer 5 cells in slices from medial PFC of adult SPD and control rats and observed that inhibitory synaptic currents were reduced in SPD slices, while excitatory synaptic currents were unaffected. This was associated with a decrease in perisomatic inhibitory synapses from parvalbumin-positive GABAergic cells. In parallel experiments, adult SPD rats achieved more reversals in a probabilistic reversal learning (PRL) task, which depends on the integrity of the PFC, by using a more simplified cognitive strategy than controls. Interestingly, we observed that one daily hour of play during SPD partially rescued the behavioral performance in the PRL, but did not prevent the decrease in PFC inhibitory synaptic inputs. Our data demonstrate the importance of unrestricted social play for the development of inhibitory synapses in the PFC and cognitive skills in adulthood and show that specific synaptic alterations in the PFC can result in a complex behavioral outcome.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study addressed the question whether social play behavior in juvenile rats contributes to functional development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We found that rats that had been deprived from juvenile social play (social play deprivation - SPD) showed a reduction in inhibitory synapses in the PFC and a simplified strategy to solve a complex behavioral task in adulthood. Providing one daily hour of play during SPD partially rescued the cognitive skills in these rats, but did not prevent the reduction in PFC inhibitory synapses. Our results demonstrate a key role for unrestricted juvenile social play in PFC development and emphasize the complex relation between PFC circuit connectivity and cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ate Bijlsma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Azar Omrani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marcia Spoelder
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen P H Verharen
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lisa Bauer
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cosette Cornelis
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Beleke de Zwart
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - René van Dorland
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Corette J Wierenga
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Smeets JAS, Minnaard AM, Ramakers GMJ, Adan RAH, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Lesscher HMB. On the interrelation between alcohol addiction-like behaviors in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:1115-1128. [PMID: 35020046 PMCID: PMC8986720 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06059-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex, heterogeneous disorder that only occurs in a minority of alcohol users. Various behavioral constructs, including excessive intake, habit formation, motivation for alcohol and resistance to punishment have been implicated in AUD, but their interrelatedness is unclear. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was therefore to explore the relation between these AUD-associated behavioral constructs in rats. We hypothesised that a subpopulation of animals could be identified that, based on these measures, display consistent AUD-like behavior. METHODS Lister Hooded rats (n = 47) were characterised for alcohol consumption, habit formation, motivation for alcohol and quinine-adulterated alcohol consumption. The interrelation between these measures was evaluated through correlation and cluster analyses. In addition, addiction severity scores were computed using different combinations of the behavioral measures, to assess the consistency of the AUD-like subpopulation. RESULTS We found that the data was uniformly distributed, as there was no significant tendency of the behavioral measures to cluster in the dataset. On the basis of multiple ranked addiction severity scores, five animals (~ 11%) were classified as displaying AUD-like behavior. The composition of the remaining subpopulation of animals with the highest addiction severity score (9 rats; ~ 19%) varied, depending on the combination of measures included. CONCLUSION Consistent AUD-like behavior was detected in a small proportion of alcohol drinking rats. Alcohol consumption, habit formation, motivation for alcohol and punishment resistance contribute in varying degrees to the AUD-like phenotype across the population. These findings emphasise the importance of considering the heterogeneity of AUD-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna A. S. Smeets
- Department of Population Health Sciences, unit Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - A. Maryse Minnaard
- Department of Population Health Sciences, unit Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Geert M. J. Ramakers
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A. H. Adan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, unit Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi M. B. Lesscher
- Department of Population Health Sciences, unit Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Swinford-Jackson SE, O'Brien CP, Kenny PJ, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Unterwald EM, Pierce RC. The Persistent Challenge of Developing Addiction Pharmacotherapies. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2021; 11:a040311. [PMID: 32601131 PMCID: PMC8559539 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a040311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
There are currently effective Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapies for alcohol, nicotine, and opioid use disorders. This article will review the development of eight compounds used in the treatment of drug addiction with an emphasis on pharmacological mechanisms and the utility of preclinical animal models of addiction in therapeutic development. In contrast to these successes, animal research has identified a number of promising medications for the treatment of psychostimulant use disorder, none of which have proven to be clinically effective. A specific example of an apparently promising pharmacotherapeutic for cocaine that failed clinically will be examined to determine whether this truly represents a challenge to the predictive validity of current models of cocaine addiction. In addition, the development of promising cocaine use disorder therapeutics derived from animal research will be reviewed, with some discussion regarding how preclinical studies might be modified to better inform clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Swinford-Jackson
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Charles P O'Brien
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Paul J Kenny
- Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, USA
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen M Unterwald
- Center for Substance Abuse Research and Department of Pharmacology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140, USA
| | - R Christopher Pierce
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
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11
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Heilig M, MacKillop J, Martinez D, Rehm J, Leggio L, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Response to "Addiction is a social disease: just as tenable as calling it a brain disease". Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1713-1714. [PMID: 34108632 PMCID: PMC8189702 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01037-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Heilig
- Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - James MacKillop
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University and St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Diana Martinez
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jürgen Rehm
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research & Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health and Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto (UofT), Toronto, ON, Canada
- Klinische Psychologie & Psychotherapie, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- Department of International Health Projects, Institute for Leadership and Health Management, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, Translational Addiction Medicine Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore and Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Unit Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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12
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Homberg JR, Adan RAH, Alenina N, Asiminas A, Bader M, Beckers T, Begg DP, Blokland A, Burger ME, van Dijk G, Eisel ULM, Elgersma Y, Englitz B, Fernandez-Ruiz A, Fitzsimons CP, van Dam AM, Gass P, Grandjean J, Havekes R, Henckens MJAG, Herden C, Hut RA, Jarrett W, Jeffrey K, Jezova D, Kalsbeek A, Kamermans M, Kas MJ, Kasri NN, Kiliaan AJ, Kolk SM, Korosi A, Korte SM, Kozicz T, Kushner SA, Leech K, Lesch KP, Lesscher H, Lucassen PJ, Luthi A, Ma L, Mallien AS, Meerlo P, Mejias JF, Meye FJ, Mitchell AS, Mul JD, Olcese U, González AO, Olivier JDA, Pasqualetti M, Pennartz CMA, Popik P, Prickaerts J, de la Prida LM, Ribeiro S, Roozendaal B, Rossato JI, Salari AA, Schoemaker RG, Smit AB, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Takeuchi T, van der Veen R, Smidt MP, Vyazovskiy VV, Wiesmann M, Wierenga CJ, Williams B, Willuhn I, Wöhr M, Wolvekamp M, van der Zee EA, Genzel L. The continued need for animals to advance brain research. Neuron 2021; 109:2374-2379. [PMID: 34352213 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Policymakers aim to move toward animal-free alternatives for scientific research and have introduced very strict regulations for animal research. We argue that, for neuroscience research, until viable and translational alternatives become available and the value of these alternatives has been proven, the use of animals should not be compromised.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Roger A H Adan
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Natalia Alenina
- The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Antonis Asiminas
- Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, UK; Center for Translational Neuromedicine, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Bader
- The Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Tom Beckers
- KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute and Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Denovan P Begg
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | | | - Gertjan van Dijk
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ulrich L M Eisel
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ype Elgersma
- Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Carlos P Fitzsimons
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anne-Marie van Dam
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam University Medical Center, Free University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Peter Gass
- Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim Faculty, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Robbert Havekes
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Christiane Herden
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Gießen, Gießen, Germany; Center of Mind Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Philipps-University of Marburg and Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Marburg, Germany
| | - Roelof A Hut
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Kate Jeffrey
- Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University College London, London WC1H 0AP, UK
| | - Daniela Jezova
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology, Biomedical Research Center, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Andries Kalsbeek
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Kamermans
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Martien J Kas
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Aniko Korosi
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - S Mechiel Korte
- Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Kirk Leech
- European Animal Research Association, London, UK
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Center of Mental Health, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Department of Neuropsychology and Psychiatry, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Heidi Lesscher
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Paul J Lucassen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anita Luthi
- Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Liya Ma
- Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Anne S Mallien
- Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim Faculty, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Peter Meerlo
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jorge F Mejias
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Frank J Meye
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Joram D Mul
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Umberto Olcese
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jocelien D A Olivier
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Cyriel M A Pennartz
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Piotr Popik
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków 31-343, Poland
| | | | - Liset M de la Prida
- Instituto Cajal, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sidarta Ribeiro
- Brain Institute, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | - Janine I Rossato
- Department of Physiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Ali-Akbar Salari
- Salari Institute of Cognitive and Behavioral Disorders (SICBD), Karaj, Alborz, Iran
| | - Regien G Schoemaker
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Tomonori Takeuchi
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Rixt van der Veen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marten P Smidt
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Corette J Wierenga
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ingo Willuhn
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (NIN), Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Markus Wöhr
- Center of Mind Brain and Behavior (CMBB), Philipps-University of Marburg and Justus-Liebig-University Gießen, Marburg, Germany; Philipps-University of Marburg, Faculty of Psychology, Experimental and Biological Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Marburg, Germany; KU Leuven, Leuven Brain Institute and Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Eddy A van der Zee
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lisa Genzel
- Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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Abstract
To more effectively manage substance use disorders, it is imperative to understand the neural, genetic, and psychological underpinnings of addictive behavior. To contribute to this understanding, considerable efforts have been made to develop translational animal models that capture key behavioral characteristics of addiction on the basis of DSM5 criteria of substance use disorders. In this review, we summarize empirical evidence for the occurrence of addiction-like behavior in animals. These symptoms include escalation of drug use, neurocognitive deficits, resistance to extinction, exaggerated motivation for drugs, increased reinstatement of drug seeking after extinction, preference for drugs over nondrug rewards, and resistance to punishment. The occurrence of addiction-like behavior in laboratory animals has opened the opportunity to investigate the neural, genetic, and psychological background of key aspects of addiction, which may ultimately contribute to the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Serge H Ahmed
- Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux Neurocampus, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, CNRS UMR 5293, F-33000 Bordeaux, France
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14
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Genzel L, Adan R, Berns A, van den Beucken JJJP, Blokland A, Boddeke EHWGM, Bogers WM, Bontrop R, Bulthuis R, Bousema T, Clevers H, Coenen TCJJ, van Dam AM, Deen PMT, van Dijk KW, Eggen BJL, Elgersma Y, Erdogan I, Englitz B, Fentener van Vlissingen JM, la Fleur S, Fouchier R, Fitzsimons CP, Frieling W, Haagmans B, Heesters BA, Henckens MJAG, Herfst S, Hol E, van den Hove D, de Jonge MI, Jonkers J, Joosten LAB, Kalsbeek A, Kamermans M, Kampinga HH, Kas MJ, Keijer J, Kersten S, Kiliaan AJ, Kooij TWA, Kooijman S, Koopman WJH, Korosi A, Krugers HJ, Kuiken T, Kushner SA, Langermans JAM, Lesscher HMB, Lucassen PJ, Lutgens E, Netea MG, Noldus LPJJ, van der Meer JWM, Meye FJ, Mul JD, van Oers K, Olivier JDA, Pasterkamp RJ, Philippens IHCHM, Prickaerts J, Pollux BJA, Rensen PCN, van Rheenen J, van Rij RP, Ritsma L, Rockx BHG, Roozendaal B, van Schothorst EM, Stittelaar K, Stockhofe N, Swaab DF, de Swart RL, Vanderschuren LJMJ, de Vries TJ, de Vrij F, van Wezel R, Wierenga CJ, Wiesmann M, Willuhn I, de Zeeuw CI, Homberg JR. How the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the necessity of animal research. Curr Biol 2020; 30:4328. [PMID: 33142090 PMCID: PMC7605800 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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15
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Genzel L, Adan R, Berns A, van den Beucken JJJP, Blokland A, Boddeke EHWGM, Bogers WM, Bontrop R, Bulthuis R, Bousema T, Clevers H, Coenen TCJJ, van Dam AM, Deen PMT, van Dijk KW, Eggen BJL, Elgersma Y, Erdogan I, Englitz B, Fentener van Vlissingen JM, la Fleur S, Fouchier R, Fitzsimons CP, Frieling W, Haagmans B, Heesters BA, Henckens MJAG, Herfst S, Hol E, van den Hove D, de Jonge MI, Jonkers J, Joosten LAB, Kalsbeek A, Kamermans M, Kampinga HH, Kas MJ, Keijer JA, Kersten S, Kiliaan AJ, Kooij TWA, Kooijman S, Koopman WJH, Korosi A, Krugers HJ, Kuiken T, Kushner SA, Langermans JAM, Lesscher HMB, Lucassen PJ, Lutgens E, Netea MG, Noldus LPJJ, van der Meer JWM, Meye FJ, Mul JD, van Oers K, Olivier JDA, Pasterkamp RJ, Philippens IHCHM, Prickaerts J, Pollux BJA, Rensen PCN, van Rheenen J, van Rij RP, Ritsma L, Rockx BHG, Roozendaal B, van Schothorst EM, Stittelaar K, Stockhofe N, Swaab DF, de Swart RL, Vanderschuren LJMJ, de Vries TJ, de Vrij F, van Wezel R, Wierenga CJ, Wiesmann M, Willuhn I, de Zeeuw CI, Homberg JR. How the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the necessity of animal research. Curr Biol 2020; 30:R1014-R1018. [PMID: 32961149 PMCID: PMC7416712 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.08.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Recently, a petition was offered to the European Commission calling for an immediate ban on animal testing. Although a Europe-wide moratorium on the use of animals in science is not yet possible, there has been a push by the non-scientific community and politicians for a rapid transition to animal-free innovations. Although there are benefits for both animal welfare and researchers, advances on alternative methods have not progressed enough to be able to replace animal research in the foreseeable future. This trend has led first and foremost to a substantial increase in the administrative burden and hurdles required to make timely advances in research and treatments for human and animal diseases. The current COVID-19 pandemic clearly highlights how much we actually rely on animal research. COVID-19 affects several organs and systems, and the various animal-free alternatives currently available do not come close to this complexity. In this Essay, we therefore argue that the use of animals is essential for the advancement of human and veterinary health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Genzel
- Radboud University, 6525 XZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Roger Adan
- University Medical Center, Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anton Berns
- Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Arjan Blokland
- Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Erik H W G M Boddeke
- University of Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willy M Bogers
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald Bontrop
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - R Bulthuis
- Metris BV, 2132 NG Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
| | - Teun Bousema
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Clevers
- University Medical Center, 3584 CX Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Anne-Marie van Dam
- Amsterdam UMC, location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - K W van Dijk
- Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Bart J L Eggen
- University of Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ype Elgersma
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Izel Erdogan
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Susanne la Fleur
- Amsterdam UMC, location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ron Fouchier
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Carlos P Fitzsimons
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Bart Haagmans
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Balthasar A Heesters
- Amsterdam UMC, location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sander Herfst
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elly Hol
- University Medical Center, Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Marien I de Jonge
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jos Jonkers
- Netherlands Cancer Institute, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Oncode Institute, 3521 AL Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Leo A B Joosten
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Andries Kalsbeek
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Kamermans
- Amsterdam UMC, location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harm H Kampinga
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martien J Kas
- University of Groningen, 9712 CP Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - J Aap Keijer
- Wageningen University, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Kersten
- Wageningen University, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Amanda J Kiliaan
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Taco W A Kooij
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Sander Kooijman
- Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Aniko Korosi
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Harm J Krugers
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Thijs Kuiken
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Steven A Kushner
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan A M Langermans
- Biomedical Primate Research Centre, 2288 GJ Rijswijk, The Netherlands; Utrecht University, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Paul J Lucassen
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Esther Lutgens
- Amsterdam UMC, location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mihai G Netea
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Life and Medical Sciences Institute, University of Bonn, 53115 Bonn, Germany
| | | | | | - Frank J Meye
- University Medical Center, Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Joram D Mul
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, 1098 XH Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Wageningen University, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands; Netherlands Institute of Ecology(NIOO-KNAW), 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - R Jeroen Pasterkamp
- University Medical Center, Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jos Prickaerts
- Maastricht University, 6211 LK Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - B J A Pollux
- Wageningen University, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Ronald P van Rij
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Laila Ritsma
- Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Barry H G Rockx
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Benno Roozendaal
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - K Stittelaar
- Viroclinics Xplore, 5374 RE Schaijk, The Netherlands
| | - Norbert Stockhofe
- Wageningen University, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands; Wageningen Bioveterinary Research, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rik L de Swart
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Taco J de Vries
- Amsterdam UMC, location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Femke de Vrij
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Ingo Willuhn
- Amsterdam UMC, location VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Chris I de Zeeuw
- Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GD Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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Meléndez DM, Nordquist RE, Vanderschuren LJMJ, van der Staay FJ. Spatial memory deficits after vincristine-induced lesions to the dorsal hippocampus. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0231941. [PMID: 32315349 PMCID: PMC7173870 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0231941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Vincristine is a commonly used cytostatic drug for the treatment of leukemia, neuroblastoma and lung cancer, which is known to have neurotoxic properties. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of vincristine, injected directly into the dorsal hippocampus, in spatial memory using the spatial cone field discrimination task. Long Evans rats were trained in the cone field, and after reaching training criterion received bilateral vincristine infusions into the dorsal hippocampus. Vincristine-treated animals presented unilateral or bilateral hippocampal lesions. Animals with bilateral lesions showed lower spatial working and reference memory performance than control animals, but task motivation was unaffected by the lesions. Working and reference memory of animals with unilateral lesions did not differ from animals with bilateral lesions and control animals. In sum, intrahippocampal injection of vincristine caused profound tissue damage in the dorsal hippocampus, associated with substantial cognitive deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela M. Meléndez
- Division of Farm Animal Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, Behaviour and Welfare Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rebecca E. Nordquist
- Division of Farm Animal Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, Behaviour and Welfare Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Franz-Josef van der Staay
- Division of Farm Animal Health, Department of Population Health Sciences, Behaviour and Welfare Group, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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17
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Abstract
Neuropharmacological interventions in preclinical translational models of impulsivity have tremendously contributed to a better understanding of the neurochemistry and neural basis of impulsive behaviour. In this regard, much progress has been made over the last years, also due to the introduction of novel techniques in behavioural neuroscience such as optogenetics and chemogenetics. In this chapter, we will provide an update of how the behavioural pharmacology field has progressed and built upon existing data since an earlier review we wrote in 2008. To this aim, we will first give a brief background on preclinical translational models of impulsivity. Next, recent interesting evidence of monoaminergic modulation of impulsivity will be highlighted with a focus on the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline. Finally, we will close the chapter by discussing some novel directions and drug leads in the neuropharmacological modulation of impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommy Pattij
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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18
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Verharen JPH, Luijendijk MCM, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Adan RAH. Dopaminergic contributions to behavioral control under threat of punishment in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:1769-1782. [PMID: 32221695 PMCID: PMC7239833 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05497-w] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Excessive intake of rewards, such as food and drugs, often has explicit negative consequences, including the development of obesity and addiction, respectively. Thus, choosing not to pursue reward is the result of a cost/benefit decision, proper execution of which requires inhibition of behavior. An extensive body of preclinical and clinical evidence implicates dopamine in certain forms of inhibition of behavior, but it is not fully known how it contributes to behavioral inhibition under threat of explicit punishment. OBJECTIVES To assess the involvement of midbrain dopamine neurons and their corticostriatal output regions, the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex, in control over behavior under threat of explicit (foot shock) punishment in rats. METHODS We used a recently developed behavioral inhibition task, which assesses the ability of rats to exert behavioral restraint at the mere sight of food reward, under threat of foot shock punishment. Using in vivo fiber photometry, chemogenetics, c-Fos immunohistochemistry, and behavioral pharmacology, we investigated how dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area, as well as its output areas, the ventral striatum and prefrontal cortex, contribute to behavior in this task. RESULTS Using this multidisciplinary approach, we found little evidence for a direct involvement of ascending midbrain dopamine neurons in inhibitory control over behavior under threat of punishment. For example, photometry recordings suggested that VTA DA neurons do not directly govern control over behavior in the task, as no differences were observed in neuronal population activity during successful versus unsuccessful behavioral control. In addition, chemogenetic and pharmacological manipulations of the mesocorticolimbic DA system had little or no effect on the animals' ability to exert inhibitory control over behavior. Rather, the dopamine system appeared to have a role in the motivational components of reward pursuit. CONCLUSIONS Together, our data provide insight into the mesocorticolimbic mechanisms behind motivated behaviors by showing a modulatory role of dopamine in the expression of cost/benefit decisions. In contrast to our expectations, dopamine did not appear to directly mediate the type of behavioral control that is tested in our task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen P. H. Verharen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands ,Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands ,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Mieneke C. M. Luijendijk
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A. H. Adan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands ,Institute of Physiology and Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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19
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Verharen JPH, Adan RAH, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Differential contributions of striatal dopamine D1 and D2 receptors to component processes of value-based decision making. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:2195-2204. [PMID: 31254972 PMCID: PMC6897916 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0454-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [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: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine has been implicated in value-based learning and decision making by signaling reward prediction errors and facilitating cognitive flexibility, incentive motivation, and voluntary movement. Dopamine receptors can roughly be divided into the D1 and D2 subtypes, and it has been hypothesized that these two types of receptors have an opposite function in facilitating reward-related and aversion-related behaviors, respectively. Here, we tested the contribution of striatal dopamine D1 and D2 receptors to processes underlying value-based learning and decision making in rats, employing a probabilistic reversal learning paradigm. Using computational trial-by-trial analysis of task behavior after systemic or intracranial treatment with dopamine D1 and D2 receptor agonists and antagonists, we show that negative feedback learning can be modulated through D2 receptor signaling and positive feedback learning through D1 receptor signaling in the ventral striatum. Furthermore, stimulation of D2 receptors in the ventral or dorsolateral (but not dorsomedial) striatum promoted explorative choice behavior, suggesting an additional function of dopamine in these areas in value-based decision making. Finally, treatment with most dopaminergic drugs affected response latencies and number of trials completed, which was also seen after infusion of D2, but not D1 receptor-acting drugs into the striatum. Together, our data support the idea that dopamine D1 and D2 receptors have complementary functions in learning on the basis of emotionally valenced feedback, and provide evidence that dopamine facilitates value-based and motivated behaviors through distinct striatal regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen P. H. Verharen
- 0000000090126352grid.7692.aDepartment of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands ,0000000120346234grid.5477.1Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Roger A. H. Adan
- 0000000090126352grid.7692.aDepartment of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- 0000000120346234grid.5477.1Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands
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20
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Schiavi S, Manduca A, Segatto M, Campolongo P, Pallottini V, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Trezza V. Unidirectional opioid-cannabinoid cross-tolerance in the modulation of social play behavior in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:2557-2568. [PMID: 30903212 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05226-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The endocannabinoid and the endogenous opioid systems interact in the modulation of social play behavior, a highly rewarding social activity abundantly expressed in young mammals. Prolonged exposure to opioid or cannabinoid receptor agonists induces cross-tolerance or cross-sensitization to their acute behavioral effects. OBJECTIVES AND METHODS Behavioral and biochemical experiments were performed to investigate whether cross-tolerance or cross-sensitization occurs to the play-enhancing effects of cannabinoid and opioid drugs on social play behavior, and the possible brain substrate involved. RESULTS The play-enhancing effects induced by systemic administration of JZL184, which inhibits the hydrolysis of the endocannabinoid 2-AG, were suppressed in animals repeatedly pretreated with the opioid receptor agonist morphine. Conversely, acute morphine administration increased social play in rats pretreated with vehicle or with either JZL184 or the cannabinoid agonist WIN55,212-2. Acute administration of JZL184 increased the activation of both CB1 receptors and their effector Akt in the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex, brain regions important for the expression of social play. These effects were absent in animals pretreated with morphine. Furthermore, only animals repeatedly treated with morphine and acutely administered with JZL184 showed reduced activation of CB1 receptors and Akt in the amygdala. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrates a dynamic opioid-cannabinoid interaction in the modulation of social play behavior, occurring in limbic brain areas strongly implicated in social play behavior. A better understanding of opioid-cannabinoid interactions in social play contributes to clarify neurobiological aspects of social behavior at young age, which may provide new therapeutic targets for social dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Schiavi
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonia Manduca
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Segatto
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Campolongo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Pallottini
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy.
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21
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Abstract
Processing rewarding and aversive signals lies at the core of many adaptive behaviors, including value-based decision making. The brain circuits processing these signals are widespread and include the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and striatum, and their dopaminergic innervation. In this review, we integrate historic findings on the behavioral and neural mechanisms of value-based decision making with recent, groundbreaking work in this area. On the basis of this integrated view, we discuss a neuroeconomic framework of value-based decision making, use this to explain the motivation to pursue rewards and how motivation relates to the costs and benefits associated with different courses of action. As such, we consider substance addiction and overeating as states of altered value-based decision making, in which the expectation of reward chronically outweighs the costs associated with substance use and food consumption, respectively. Together, this review aims to provide a concise and accessible overview of important literature on the neural mechanisms of behavioral adaptation to reward and aversion and how these mediate motivated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen P H Verharen
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Roger A H Adan
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Institute of Physiology and Neuroscience, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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22
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Verharen JPH, de Jong JW, Roelofs TJM, Huffels CFM, van Zessen R, Luijendijk MCM, Hamelink R, Willuhn I, den Ouden HEM, van der Plasse G, Adan RAH, Vanderschuren LJMJ. A neuronal mechanism underlying decision-making deficits during hyperdopaminergic states. Nat Commun 2018; 9:731. [PMID: 29467419 PMCID: PMC5821846 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03087-1] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyperdopaminergic states in mental disorders are associated with disruptive deficits in decision making. However, the precise contribution of topographically distinct mesencephalic dopamine pathways to decision-making processes remains elusive. Here we show, using a multidisciplinary approach, how hyperactivity of ascending projections from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) contributes to impaired flexible decision making in rats. Activation of the VTA-nucleus accumbens pathway leads to insensitivity to loss and punishment due to impaired processing of negative reward prediction errors. In contrast, activation of the VTA-prefrontal cortex pathway promotes risky decision making without affecting the ability to choose the economically most beneficial option. Together, these findings show how malfunction of ascending VTA projections affects value-based decision making, suggesting a potential mechanism through which increased forebrain dopamine signaling leads to aberrant behavior, as is seen in substance abuse, mania, and after dopamine replacement therapy in Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeroen P H Verharen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes W de Jong
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, 132 Barker Hall, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Theresia J M Roelofs
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Christiaan F M Huffels
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ruud van Zessen
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mieneke C M Luijendijk
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ralph Hamelink
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ingo Willuhn
- Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hanneke E M den Ouden
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, 6525 HR, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Geoffrey van der Plasse
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A H Adan
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3584 CG, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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23
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Boekhoudt L, Wijbrans EC, Man JHK, Luijendijk MCM, de Jong JW, van der Plasse G, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Adan RAH. Enhancing excitability of dopamine neurons promotes motivational behaviour through increased action initiation. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 28:171-184. [PMID: 29153928 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [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: 02/24/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Motivational deficits are a key symptom in multiple psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder, schizophrenia and addiction. A likely neural substrate for these motivational deficits is the brain dopamine (DA) system. In particular, DA signalling in the nucleus accumbens, which originates from DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), has been identified as a crucial substrate for effort-related and activational aspects of motivation. Unravelling how VTA DA neuronal activity relates to motivational behaviours is required to understand how motivational deficits in psychiatry can be specifically targeted. In this study, we therefore used designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) in TH:Cre rats, in order to determine the effects of chemogenetic DA neuron activation on different aspects of motivational behaviour. We found that chemogenetic activation of DA neurons in the VTA, but not substantia nigra, significantly increased responding for sucrose under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. More specifically, high effort exertion was characterized by increased initiations of reward-seeking actions. This effect was dependent on effort requirements and instrumental contingencies, but was not affected by sucrose pre-feeding. Together, these findings indicate that VTA DA neuronal activation drives motivational behaviour by facilitating action initiation. With this study, we show that enhancing excitability of VTA DA neurons is a viable strategy to improve motivational behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linde Boekhoudt
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3585 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen C Wijbrans
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3585 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jodie H K Man
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3585 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mieneke C M Luijendijk
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3585 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes W de Jong
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3585 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Geoffrey van der Plasse
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3585 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A H Adan
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Universiteitsweg 100, 3585 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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24
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Labots M, Cousijn J, Jolink LA, Kenemans JL, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Lesscher HMB. Age-Related Differences in Alcohol Intake and Control Over Alcohol Seeking in Rats. Front Psychiatry 2018; 9:419. [PMID: 30233434 PMCID: PMC6129585 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by excessive and persistent alcohol use, despite adverse consequences. AUD often originates during adolescence, as do other substance use disorders. However, despite periods of excessive alcohol intake, many adolescents reduce their alcohol use by early adulthood. Brain development, social context, personality traits, and genetic makeup are thought to play an important role in these age-dependent fluctuations in alcohol use. However, studies that directly investigate age-related differences in the effects of alcohol exposure on brain and behavior are sparse. Therefore, to better understand the relationship between adolescent alcohol consumption and AUD-like behavior, this study compared the degree of control over alcohol seeking in rats that differed in terms of age of onset of alcohol drinking and in their level of alcohol consumption. We hypothesized that control over alcohol seeking is more prominent in adolescent-onset rats than in adult-onset rats, and that control over alcohol seeking is related to the consumed amount of alcohol. To test this hypothesis, alcohol seeking in the presence of a conditioned aversive stimulus was assessed after 2 months of intermittent alcohol access (IAA) in rats that consumed alcohol from postnatal day 42 (adolescence) or day 77 (adulthood). The rats were subdivided into low (LD), medium (MD), or high (HD) alcohol drinking rats, in order to assess the impact of the extent of alcohol intake on control over alcohol seeking. The adolescent-onset animals consumed slightly, but significantly less alcohol compared to the adult-onset rats. In adult-onset rats, we found that conditioned suppression of alcohol seeking, i.e., reduction of alcohol seeking by presentation of a conditioned aversive stimulus, was most pronounced in LD. By contrast, in the adolescent-onset rats, MD and HD showed increased alcohol seeking compared to LD, which was suppressed by conditioned aversive stimuli. Taken together, these findings reveal a complex relationship between the age of onset and level of alcohol intake with control over alcohol seeking, whereby adolescent rats consume less alcohol than adults. In adult rats, control over alcohol seeking is negatively related to preceding levels of alcohol intake. By contrast, adolescent rats appear to retain control over alcohol seeking, even after a history of high levels of alcohol intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maaike Labots
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Janna Cousijn
- ADAPT-Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Amsterdam Brain and Cognition (ABC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Linda A Jolink
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - J Leon Kenemans
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Research Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Heidi M B Lesscher
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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25
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Gao P, Groenewegen HJ, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Voorn P. Heterogeneous neuronal activity in the lateral habenula after short- and long-term cocaine self-administration in rats. Eur J Neurosci 2017; 47:83-94. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Gao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences; VU University Medical Center; de Boelelaan 1108 1081 HZ Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Henk J. Groenewegen
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences; VU University Medical Center; de Boelelaan 1108 1081 HZ Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam; Amsterdam The Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- Division of Behavioural Neuroscience; Department of Animals in Science and Society; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Utrecht University; Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Pieter Voorn
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences; VU University Medical Center; de Boelelaan 1108 1081 HZ Amsterdam The Netherlands
- Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam; Amsterdam The Netherlands
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26
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van Tilborg E, Achterberg EJM, van Kammen CM, van der Toorn A, Groenendaal F, Dijkhuizen RM, Heijnen CJ, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Benders MNJL, Nijboer CHA. Combined fetal inflammation and postnatal hypoxia causes myelin deficits and autism-like behavior in a rat model of diffuse white matter injury. Glia 2017; 66:78-93. [PMID: 28925578 PMCID: PMC5724703 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [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: 06/22/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Diffuse white matter injury (WMI) is a serious problem in extremely preterm infants, and is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome, including cognitive impairments and an increased risk of autism-spectrum disorders. Important risk factors include fetal or perinatal inflammatory insults and fluctuating cerebral oxygenation. However, the exact mechanisms underlying diffuse WMI are not fully understood and no treatment options are currently available. The use of clinically relevant animal models is crucial to advance knowledge on the pathophysiology of diffuse WMI, allowing the definition of novel therapeutic targets. In the present study, we developed a multiple-hit animal model of diffuse WMI by combining fetal inflammation and postnatal hypoxia in rats. We characterized the effects on white matter development and functional outcome by immunohistochemistry, MRI and behavioral paradigms. Combined fetal inflammation and postnatal hypoxia resulted in delayed cortical myelination, microglia activation and astrogliosis at P18, together with long-term changes in oligodendrocyte maturation as observed in 10 week old animals. Furthermore, rats with WMI showed impaired motor performance, increased anxiety and signs of autism-like behavior, i.e. reduced social play behavior and increased repetitive grooming. In conclusion, the combination of fetal inflammation and postnatal hypoxia in rats induces a pattern of brain injury and functional impairments that closely resembles the clinical situation of diffuse WMI. This animal model provides the opportunity to elucidate pathophysiological mechanisms underlying WMI, and can be used to develop novel treatment options for diffuse WMI in preterm infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik van Tilborg
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Developmental Origins of Disease, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584EA, The Netherlands
| | - E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584CM, The Netherlands
| | - Caren M van Kammen
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Developmental Origins of Disease, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584EA, The Netherlands
| | - Annette van der Toorn
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CJ, The Netherlands
| | - Floris Groenendaal
- Department of Neonatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584EA, The Netherlands
| | - Rick M Dijkhuizen
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CJ, The Netherlands
| | - Cobi J Heijnen
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunology, Department of Symptom Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 77030
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584CM, The Netherlands
| | - Manon N J L Benders
- Department of Neonatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584EA, The Netherlands
| | - Cora H A Nijboer
- Laboratory of Neuroimmunology and Developmental Origins of Disease, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, 3584EA, The Netherlands
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27
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Lesscher HMB, Bailey A, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Genetic Variability in Adenosine Deaminase-Like Contributes to Variation in Alcohol Preference in Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1271-1279. [PMID: 28449374 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A substantial part of the risk for alcohol use disorder is determined by genetic factors. We previously used chromosome substitution (CSS) mice, to identify a quantitative trait loci (QTL) for alcohol preference on mouse chromosome 2. The aim of this study was to identify candidate genes within this QTL that confer the risk for alcohol preference. METHODS In order to delineate the neurobiological underpinnings of alcohol consumption, we expanded on the QTL approach to identify candidate genes for high alcohol preference in mice. We narrowed down a QTL for alcohol preference on mouse chromosome 2, that we previously identified using CSS mice, to 4 candidate genes in silico. Expression levels of these candidate genes in prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens-brain regions implicated in reward and addiction-were subsequently compared for the CSS-2 and the C57BL/6J host strain. RESULTS We observed increased expression of adenosine deaminase-like (Adal) in all 3 regions in CSS-2 mice. Moreover, we found that the adenosine deaminase inhibitor EHNA reduced the difference in alcohol preference between CSS-2 and C57BL/6J mice. CONCLUSIONS This study identifies Adal as a genetically protective factor against alcohol consumption in mice, in which elevated Adal levels contribute to low alcohol preference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi M B Lesscher
- Division of Behavioural Neuroscience , Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Alexis Bailey
- Institute of Medical and Biomedical Education , St George's University of London, London, UK
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Division of Behavioural Neuroscience , Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Gao P, de Munck JC, Limpens JHW, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Voorn P. A neuronal activation correlate in striatum and prefrontal cortex of prolonged cocaine intake. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:3453-3475. [PMID: 28393262 PMCID: PMC5676843 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1412-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [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: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Maladaptive changes in the involvement of striatal and frontal cortical regions in drug use are thought to underlie the progression to habitual drug use and loss of cognitive control over drug intake that occur with accumulating drug experience. The present experiments focus on changes in neuronal activity in these regions associated with short-term (10 days) and long-term (60 days) self-administration of cocaine. Quantitative in situ hybridization for the immediate early gene Mkp1 was combined with statistical parametric mapping to assess the distribution of neuronal activity. We hypothesized that neuronal activity in striatum would increase in its dorsal part and that activity in frontal cortex would decrease with prolonged cocaine self-administration experience. Expression of Mkp1 was profoundly increased after cocaine self-administration, and the magnitude of this effect was greater after short-term compared to long-term self-administration. Increased neuronal activity was seen in both dorsal and ventral sectors of the striatum after 10 days exposure to cocaine. However, enhanced activity was restricted to dorsomedial and dorsocentral striatum after 60 days cocaine self-administration. In virtually all medial prefrontal and most orbitofrontal areas, increased expression of Mkp1 was observed after 10 days of cocaine taking, whereas after 60 days, enhanced expression was restricted to caudal parts of medial prefrontal and caudomedial parts of orbitofrontal cortex. Our data reveal functional changes in cellular activity in striatum and frontal cortex with increasing cocaine self-administration experience. These changes might reflect the neural processes that underlie the descent from recreational drug taking to compulsive cocaine use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Gao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan C de Munck
- Department of Physics and Medical Technology, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jules H W Limpens
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter Voorn
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Gao P, Limpens JHW, Spijker S, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Voorn P. Stable immediate early gene expression patterns in medial prefrontal cortex and striatum after long-term cocaine self-administration. Addict Biol 2017; 22:354-368. [PMID: 26598422 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2015] [Revised: 09/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The transition from casual to compulsive drug use is thought to occur as a consequence of repeated drug taking leading to neuroadaptive changes in brain circuitry involved in emotion and cognition. At the basis of such neuroadaptations lie changes in the expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) implicated in transcriptional regulation, synaptic plasticity and intracellular signalling. However, little is known about how IEG expression patterns change during long-term drug self-administration. The present study, therefore, compares the effects of 10 and 60-day self-administration of cocaine and sucrose on the expression of 17 IEGs in brain regions implicated in addictive behaviour, i.e. dorsal striatum, ventral striatum and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Increased expression after cocaine self-administration was found for 6 IEGs in dorsal and ventral striatum (c-fos, Mkp1, Fosb/ΔFosb, Egr2, Egr4, and Arc) and 10 IEGs in mPFC (same 6 IEGs as in striatum, plus Bdnf, Homer1, Sgk1 and Rgs2). Five of these 10 IEGs (Egr2, Fosb/ΔFosb, Bdnf, Homer1 and Jun) and Trkb in mPFC were responsive to long-term sucrose self-administration. Importantly, no major differences were found between IEG expression patterns after 10 or 60 days of cocaine self-administration, except Fosb/ΔFosb in dorsal striatum and Egr2 in mPFC, whereas the amount of cocaine obtained per session was comparable for short-term and long-term self-administration. These steady changes in IEG expression are, therefore, associated with stable self-administration behaviour rather than the total amount of cocaine consumed. Thus, sustained impulses to IEG regulation during prolonged cocaine self-administration may evoke neuroplastic changes underlying compulsive drug use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Gao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Jules H. W. Limpens
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience; University Medical Center Utrecht; Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Sabine Spijker
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam; VU University Amsterdam; Amsterdam the Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience; University Medical Center Utrecht; Utrecht the Netherlands
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Utrecht University; Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Pieter Voorn
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam; VU University Medical Center; Amsterdam the Netherlands
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Spoelder M, Flores Dourojeanni JP, de Git KCG, Baars AM, Lesscher HMB, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Individual differences in voluntary alcohol intake in rats: relationship with impulsivity, decision making and Pavlovian conditioned approach. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:2177-2196. [PMID: 28417164 PMCID: PMC5486936 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4617-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been associated with suboptimal decision making, exaggerated impulsivity, and aberrant responses to reward-paired cues, but the relationship between AUD and these behaviors is incompletely understood. OBJECTIVES This study aims to assess decision making, impulsivity, and Pavlovian-conditioned approach in rats that voluntarily consume low (LD) or high (HD) amounts of alcohol. METHODS LD and HD were tested in the rat gambling task (rGT) or the delayed reward task (DRT). Next, the effect of alcohol (0-1.0 g/kg) was tested in these tasks. Pavlovian-conditioned approach (PCA) was assessed both prior to and after intermittent alcohol access (IAA). Principal component analyses were performed to identify relationships between the most important behavioral parameters. RESULTS HD showed more optimal decision making in the rGT. In the DRT, HD transiently showed reduced impulsive choice. In both LD and HD, alcohol treatment increased optimal decision making in the rGT and increased impulsive choice in the DRT. PCA prior to and after IAA was comparable for LD and HD. When PCA was tested after IAA only, HD showed a more sign-tracking behavior. The principal component analyses indicated dimensional relationships between alcohol intake, impulsivity, and sign-tracking behavior in the PCA task after IAA. CONCLUSIONS HD showed a more efficient performance in the rGT and DRT. Moreover, alcohol consumption enhanced approach behavior to reward-predictive cues, but sign-tracking did not predict the level of alcohol consumption. Taken together, these findings suggest that high levels of voluntary alcohol intake are associated with enhanced cue- and reward-driven behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Spoelder
- 0000000120346234grid.5477.1Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584CM Utrecht, The Netherlands ,0000 0004 0444 9382grid.10417.33Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Jacques P. Flores Dourojeanni
- 0000000120346234grid.5477.1Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584CM Utrecht, The Netherlands ,0000000090126352grid.7692.aDepartment of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kathy C. G. de Git
- 0000000120346234grid.5477.1Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584CM Utrecht, The Netherlands ,0000000090126352grid.7692.aDepartment of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie M. Baars
- 0000000120346234grid.5477.1Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi M. B. Lesscher
- 0000000120346234grid.5477.1Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- 0000000120346234grid.5477.1Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Manduca A, Lassalle O, Sepers M, Campolongo P, Cuomo V, Marsicano G, Kieffer B, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Trezza V, Manzoni OJJ. Interacting Cannabinoid and Opioid Receptors in the Nucleus Accumbens Core Control Adolescent Social Play. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:211. [PMID: 27899885 PMCID: PMC5110529 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [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: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 10/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Social play behavior is a highly rewarding, developmentally important form of social interaction in young mammals. However, its neurobiological underpinnings remain incompletely understood. Previous work has suggested that opioid and endocannabinoid neurotransmission interact in the modulation of social play. Therefore, we combined behavioral, pharmacological, electrophysiological, and genetic approaches to elucidate the role of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in social play, and how cannabinoid and opioid neurotransmission interact to control social behavior in adolescent rodents. Systemic administration of the 2-AG hydrolysis inhibitor JZL184 or the opioid receptor agonist morphine increased social play behavior in adolescent rats. These effects were blocked by systemic pretreatment with either CB1 cannabinoid receptor (CB1R) or mu-opioid receptor (MOR) antagonists. The social play-enhancing effects of systemic morphine or JZL184 treatment were also prevented by direct infusion of the CB1R antagonist SR141716 and the MOR antagonist naloxone into the nucleus accumbens core (NAcC). Searching for synaptic correlates of these effects in adolescent NAcC excitatory synapses, we observed that CB1R antagonism blocked the effect of the MOR agonist DAMGO and, conversely, that naloxone reduced the effect of a cannabinoid agonist. These results were recapitulated in mice, and completely abolished in CB1R and MOR knockout mice, suggesting that the functional interaction between CB1R and MOR in the NAcC in the modulation of social behavior is widespread in rodents. The data shed new light on the mechanism by which endocannabinoid lipids and opioid peptides interact to orchestrate rodent socioemotional behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Manduca
- Institut National De La Santé Et De La Recherche Médicale U901Marseille, France; Université de la Méditerranée UMR S901 Aix-Marseille 2Marseille, France; INMEDMarseille, France
| | - Olivier Lassalle
- Institut National De La Santé Et De La Recherche Médicale U901Marseille, France; Université de la Méditerranée UMR S901 Aix-Marseille 2Marseille, France; INMEDMarseille, France
| | - Marja Sepers
- Institut National De La Santé Et De La Recherche Médicale U901Marseille, France; Université de la Méditerranée UMR S901 Aix-Marseille 2Marseille, France; INMEDMarseille, France
| | - Patrizia Campolongo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Cuomo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Marsicano
- NeuroCentre Magendie, Endocannabinoids and Neuroadaptation, Institut National De La Santé Et De La Recherche Médicale U862Bordeaux, France; NeuroCentre Magendie U862, University of BordeauxBordeaux, France
| | - Brigitte Kieffer
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale/Université de Strasbourg Illkirch, France
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, Department of Science, University Roma Tre Rome, Italy
| | - Olivier J J Manzoni
- Institut National De La Santé Et De La Recherche Médicale U901Marseille, France; Université de la Méditerranée UMR S901 Aix-Marseille 2Marseille, France; INMEDMarseille, France
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Spoelder M, Hesseling P, Styles M, Baars AM, Lozeman-van 't Klooster JG, Lesscher HMB, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Dopaminergic neurotransmission in ventral and dorsal striatum differentially modulates alcohol reinforcement. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 45:147-158. [PMID: 27521051 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2016] [Revised: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Dopaminergic neurotransmission in the striatum has been widely implicated in the reinforcing properties of substances of abuse. However, the striatum is functionally heterogeneous, and previous work has mostly focused on psychostimulant drugs. Therefore, we investigated how dopamine within striatal subregions modulates alcohol-directed behaviour in rats. We assessed the effects of infusion of the dopamine receptor antagonist alpha-flupenthixol into the shell and core of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and the dorsolateral striatum (DLS) on responding for alcohol under fixed ratio 1 (FR1) and progressive ratio (PR) schedules of reinforcement. Bilateral infusion of alpha-flupenthixol into the NAcc shell reduced responding for alcohol under both the FR1 (15 μg/side) and the PR schedule (3.75-15 μg/side) of reinforcement. Infusion of alpha-flupenthixol into the NAcc core (7.5-15 μg/side) also decreased responding for alcohol under both schedules. By contrast, alpha-flupenthixol infusion into the DLS did not affect FR1 responding, but reduced responding under the PR schedule (15 μg/side). The decreases in responding were related to earlier termination of responding during the session, whereas the onset and rate of responding remained largely unaffected. Together, these data suggest that dopamine in the NAcc shell is involved in the incentive motivation for alcohol, whereas DLS dopamine comes into play when obtaining alcohol requires high levels of effort. In contrast, NAcc core dopamine appears to play a more general role in alcohol reinforcement. In conclusion, dopaminergic neurotransmission acts in concert in subregions of the striatum to modulate different aspects of alcohol-directed behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Spoelder
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Hesseling
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Matthew Styles
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie M Baars
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - José G Lozeman-van 't Klooster
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi M B Lesscher
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Vanderschuren LJMJ, Achterberg EJM, Trezza V. The neurobiology of social play and its rewarding value in rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 70:86-105. [PMID: 27587003 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.07.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.6] [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: 06/18/2016] [Revised: 07/18/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the young of many mammalian species, including humans, a vigorous and highly rewarding social activity is abundantly expressed, known as social play behaviour. Social play is thought to be important for the development of social, cognitive and emotional processes and their neural underpinnings, and it is disrupted in pediatric psychiatric disorders. Here, we summarize recent progress in our understanding of the brain mechanisms of social play behaviour, with a focus on its rewarding properties. Opioid, endocannabinoid, dopamine and noradrenaline systems play a prominent role in the modulation of social play. Of these, dopamine is particularly important for the motivational properties of social play. The nucleus accumbens has been identified as a key site for opioid and dopamine modulation of social play. Endocannabinoid influences on social play rely on the basolateral amygdala, whereas noradrenaline modulates social play through the basolateral amygdala, habenula and prefrontal cortex. In sum, social play behaviour is the result of coordinated activity in a network of corticolimbic structures, and its monoamine, opioid and endocannabinoid innervation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
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Achterberg EJM, van Swieten MMH, Driel NV, Trezza V, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Dissociating the role of endocannabinoids in the pleasurable and motivational properties of social play behaviour in rats. Pharmacol Res 2016; 110:151-158. [PMID: 27154553 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 03/18/2016] [Revised: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Social play behaviour is a vigorous form of social interaction, abundant during the juvenile and adolescent phases of life in many mammalian species, including humans. Social play is highly rewarding and it is important for social and cognitive development. Being a rewarding activity, social play can be dissociated in its pleasurable and motivational components. We have previously shown that endocannabinoids modulate the expression of social play behaviour in rats. In the present study, we investigated whether endocannabinoids modulate the motivational and pleasurable properties of social play behaviour, using operant and place conditioning paradigms, respectively. Treatment with the anandamide hydrolysis inhibitor URB597 did not affect operant responding or social play-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) when administered at a dose (0.1mg/kg) known to increase the expression of social play behaviour, while it modestly reduced operant responding at a higher dose (0.2mg/kg). The cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptor antagonist rimonabant reduced operant responding when administered at a dose (1mg/kg) known to decrease the expression of social play behaviour, although this effect may be secondary to concurrent drug-induced stereotypic behaviours (i.e., grooming and scratching). These data demonstrate that enhancing endocannabinoid levels does not differentially affect the motivational and pleasurable aspects of social play behaviour, whereas CB1 receptor blockade reduces the motivational aspects of social play behaviour, possibly due to response competition. Thus, endocannabinoids likely drive the expression of social play behaviour as a whole, without differentially affecting its motivational or pleasurable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Netherlands
| | - Maaike M H van Swieten
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Netherlands
| | - Nina V Driel
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Netherlands
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Netherlands.
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Achterberg EJM, van Kerkhof LWM, Servadio M, van Swieten MMH, Houwing DJ, Aalderink M, Driel NV, Trezza V, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Contrasting Roles of Dopamine and Noradrenaline in the Motivational Properties of Social Play Behavior in Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:858-68. [PMID: 26174597 PMCID: PMC4707831 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [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: 04/10/2015] [Revised: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Social play behavior, abundant in the young of most mammalian species, is thought to be important for social and cognitive development. Social play is highly rewarding, and as such, the expression of social play depends on its pleasurable and motivational properties. Since the motivational properties of social play have only sporadically been investigated, we developed a setup in which rats responded for social play under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement. Dopaminergic neurotransmission plays a key role in incentive motivational processes, and both dopamine and noradrenaline have been implicated in the modulation of social play behavior. Therefore, we investigated the role of dopamine and noradrenaline in the motivation for social play. Treatment with the psychostimulant drugs methylphenidate and cocaine increased responding for social play, but suppressed its expression during reinforced play periods. The dopamine reuptake inhibitor GBR-12909 increased responding for social play, but did not affect its expression, whereas the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine decreased responding for social play as well as its expression. The effects of methylphenidate and cocaine on responding for social play, but not their play-suppressant effects, were blocked by pretreatment with the dopamine receptor antagonist α-flupenthixol. In contrast, pretreatment with the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist RX821002 prevented the play-suppressant effect of methylphenidate, but left its effect on responding for social play unaltered. In sum, the present study introduces a novel method to study the incentive motivational properties of social play behavior in rats. Using this paradigm, we demonstrate dissociable roles for dopamine and noradrenaline in social play behavior: dopamine stimulates the motivation for social play, whereas noradrenaline negatively modulates the motivation for social play behavior and its expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Linda W M van Kerkhof
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michela Servadio
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike M H van Swieten
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Danielle J Houwing
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mandy Aalderink
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nina V Driel
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University ‘Roma Tre', Rome, Italy
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands, Tel: +31 30 2535239, Fax: +31 30 2537997, E-mail:
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Spoelder M, Hesseling P, Baars AM, Lozeman-van ‘t Klooster JG, Rotte MD, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Lesscher HMB. Individual Variation in Alcohol Intake Predicts Reinforcement, Motivation, and Compulsive Alcohol Use in Rats. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 39:2427-37. [DOI: 10.1111/acer.12891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Spoelder
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Animals in Science and Society; Division of Behavioural Neuroscience; Utrecht University; Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Peter Hesseling
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Animals in Science and Society; Division of Behavioural Neuroscience; Utrecht University; Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Annemarie M. Baars
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Animals in Science and Society; Division of Behavioural Neuroscience; Utrecht University; Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - José G. Lozeman-van ‘t Klooster
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Animals in Science and Society; Division of Behavioural Neuroscience; Utrecht University; Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Marthe D. Rotte
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Animals in Science and Society; Division of Behavioural Neuroscience; Utrecht University; Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Animals in Science and Society; Division of Behavioural Neuroscience; Utrecht University; Utrecht the Netherlands
- Department of Translational Neuroscience (LJMJV); Brain Center Rudolf Magnus; University Medical Center Utrecht; Utrecht the Netherlands
| | - Heidi M. B. Lesscher
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine; Department of Animals in Science and Society; Division of Behavioural Neuroscience; Utrecht University; Utrecht the Netherlands
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Spoelder M, Tsutsui KT, Lesscher HMB, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Clark JJ. Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Amplifies the Incentive Value of Reward-Predictive Cues Through Potentiation of Phasic Dopamine Signaling. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:2873-85. [PMID: 25971592 PMCID: PMC4864623 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [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: 02/12/2015] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent alcohol use remains a major public health concern due in part to well-established findings implicating the age of onset in alcohol use in the development of alcohol use disorders and persistent decision-making deficits in adults. We have previously demonstrated that moderate adolescent alcohol consumption in rats promotes suboptimal decision making and an associated perturbation in mesolimbic dopamine transmission in adulthood. Dopamine-dependent incentive learning processes are an integral component of value-based decision making and a fundamental element to many theoretical accounts of addiction. Thus we tested the hypothesis that adolescent alcohol use selectively alters incentive learning processes through perturbation of mesolimbic dopamine systems. To assess incentive learning, behavioral and neurochemical measurements were made during the acquisition, maintenance, extinction, and reacquisition of a Pavlovian conditioned approach procedure in adult rats with a history of adolescent alcohol consumption. We show that moderate adolescent alcohol consumption potentiates stimulus-evoked phasic dopamine transmission, measured in vivo by fast-scan cyclic voltammetry, in adulthood and biases individuals toward a dopamine-dependent incentive learning strategy. Moreover, we demonstrate that animals exposed to alcohol in adolescence are more sensitive to an unexpected variation in reward outcomes. This pattern of phasic dopamine signaling and the associated bias in learning may provide a mechanism for the well-documented vulnerability of individuals with early-life alcohol use for alcohol use disorders in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Spoelder
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kimberly T Tsutsui
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Heidi M B Lesscher
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeremy J Clark
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Box 356560, 1959 NW Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA, Tel: +1 206 992 0472, Fax: +1 206 543 9520, E-mail:
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Zeeb FD, Baarendse PJJ, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Winstanley CA. Inactivation of the prelimbic or infralimbic cortex impairs decision-making in the rat gambling task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:4481-91. [PMID: 26387517 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4075-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [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: 04/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Studies employing the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) demonstrated that areas of the frontal cortex, including the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), are involved in the decision-making process. However, the precise role of these regions in maintaining optimal choice is not clear. OBJECTIVES We used the rat gambling task (rGT), a rodent analogue of the IGT, to determine whether inactivation of or altered dopamine signalling within discrete cortical sub-regions disrupts decision-making. METHODS Following training on the rGT, animals were implanted with guide cannulae aimed at the prelimbic (PrL) or infralimbic (IL) cortices, the OFC, or the ACC. Prior to testing, rats received an infusion of saline or a combination of baclofen and muscimol (0.125 μg of each/side) to inactivate the region and an infusion of a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist (0, 0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 μg/side). RESULTS Rats tended to increase their choice of a disadvantageous option and decrease their choice of the optimal option following inactivation of either the IL or PrL cortex. In contrast, OFC or ACC inactivation did not affect decision-making. Infusion of a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist into any sub-region did not alter choice preference. CONCLUSIONS Online activity of the IL or PrL cortex is important for maintaining an optimal decision-making strategy, but optimal performance on the rGT does not require frontal cortex dopamine D2 receptor activation. Additionally, these results demonstrate that the roles of different cortical regions in cost-benefit decision-making may be dissociated using the rGT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona D Zeeb
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Section of Biopsychology, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - P J J Baarendse
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - L J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Catharine A Winstanley
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2215 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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Manduca A, Morena M, Campolongo P, Servadio M, Palmery M, Trabace L, Hill MN, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Cuomo V, Trezza V. Distinct roles of the endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol in social behavior and emotionality at different developmental ages in rats. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 25:1362-74. [PMID: 25914159 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [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: 11/30/2014] [Revised: 02/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
To date, our understanding of the relative contribution and potential overlapping roles of the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the regulation of brain function and behavior is still limited. To address this issue, we investigated the effects of systemic administration of JZL195, that simultaneously increases AEA and 2-AG signaling by inhibiting their hydrolysis, in the regulation of socio-emotional behavior in adolescent and adult rats. JZL195, administered at the dose of 0.01mg/kg, increased social play behavior, that is the most characteristic social activity displayed by adolescent rats, and increased social interaction in adult animals. At both ages, these behavioral effects were antagonized by the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR141716A and were associated with increased brain levels of 2-AG, but not AEA. Conversely, at the dose of 1mg/kg, JZL195 decreased general social exploration in adolescent rats without affecting social play behavior, and induced anxiogenic-like effects in the elevated plus-maze test both in adolescent and adult animals. These effects, mediated by activation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors, were paralleled by simultaneous increase in AEA and 2-AG levels in adolescent rats, and by an increase of only 2-AG levels in adult animals. These findings provide the first evidence for a role of 2-AG in social behavior, highlight the different contributions of AEA and 2-AG in the modulation of emotionality at different developmental ages and suggest that pharmacological inhibition of AEA and 2-AG hydrolysis is a useful approach to investigate the role of these endocannabinoids in neurobehavioral processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Manduca
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Morena
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Patrizia Campolongo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Servadio
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
| | - Maura Palmery
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigia Trabace
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vincenzo Cuomo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy.
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40
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de Jong JW, Roelofs TJM, Mol FMU, Hillen AEJ, Meijboom KE, Luijendijk MCM, van der Eerden HAM, Garner KM, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Adan RAH. Reducing Ventral Tegmental Dopamine D2 Receptor Expression Selectively Boosts Incentive Motivation. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:2085-95. [PMID: 25735756 PMCID: PMC4613606 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Revised: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Altered mesolimbic dopamine signaling has been widely implicated in addictive behavior. For the most part, this work has focused on dopamine within the striatum, but there is emerging evidence for a role of the auto-inhibitory, somatodendritic dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) in addiction. Thus, decreased midbrain D2R expression has been implicated in addiction in humans. Moreover, knockout of the gene encoding the D2R receptor (Drd2) in dopamine neurons has been shown to enhance the locomotor response to cocaine in mice. Therefore, we here tested the hypothesis that decreasing D2R expression in the VTA of adult rats, using shRNA knockdown, promotes addiction-like behavior in rats responding for cocaine or palatable food. Rats with decreased VTA D2R expression showed markedly increased motivation for both sucrose and cocaine under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement, but the acquisition or maintenance of cocaine self-administration were not affected. They also displayed enhanced cocaine-induced locomotor activity, but no change in basal locomotion. This robust increase in incentive motivation was behaviorally specific, as we did not observe any differences in fixed ratio responding, extinction responding, reinstatement or conditioned suppression of cocaine, and sucrose seeking. We conclude that VTA D2R knockdown results in increased incentive motivation, but does not directly promote other aspects of addiction-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes W de Jong
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Theresia J M Roelofs
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Frédérique M U Mol
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anne E J Hillen
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Katharina E Meijboom
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mieneke C M Luijendijk
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Harrie A M van der Eerden
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Keith M Garner
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A H Adan
- Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Department Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, STR.4.205, Universiteitweg 100, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands, Tel: +887568517, E-mail:
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Achterberg EJM, van Kerkhof LWM, Damsteegt R, Trezza V, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Methylphenidate and atomoxetine inhibit social play behavior through prefrontal and subcortical limbic mechanisms in rats. J Neurosci 2015; 35:161-9. [PMID: 25568111 PMCID: PMC4287139 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2945-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [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: 07/18/2014] [Revised: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Positive social interactions during the juvenile and adolescent phases of life, in the form of social play behavior, are important for social and cognitive development. However, the neural mechanisms of social play behavior remain incompletely understood. We have previously shown that methylphenidate and atomoxetine, drugs widely used for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), suppress social play in rats through a noradrenergic mechanism of action. Here, we aimed to identify the neural substrates of the play-suppressant effects of these drugs. Methylphenidate is thought to exert its effects on cognition and emotion through limbic corticostriatal systems. Therefore, methylphenidate was infused into prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortical regions as well as into several subcortical limbic areas implicated in social play. Infusion of methylphenidate into the anterior cingulate cortex, infralimbic cortex, basolateral amygdala, and habenula inhibited social play, but not social exploratory behavior or locomotor activity. Consistent with a noradrenergic mechanism of action of methylphenidate, infusion of the noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine into these same regions also reduced social play. Methylphenidate administration into the prelimbic, medial/ventral orbitofrontal, and ventrolateral orbitofrontal cortex, mediodorsal thalamus, or nucleus accumbens shell was ineffective. Our data show that the inhibitory effects of methylphenidate and atomoxetine on social play are mediated through a distributed network of prefrontal and limbic subcortical regions implicated in cognitive control and emotional processes. These findings increase our understanding of the neural underpinnings of this developmentally important social behavior, as well as the mechanism of action of two widely used treatments for ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Linda W M van Kerkhof
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands, and
| | - Ruth Damsteegt
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands, and
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre," 00146 Rome, Italy
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands, Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands, and
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42
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Spoelder M, Lesscher HMB, Hesseling P, Baars AM, Lozeman-van t Klooster JG, Mijnsbergen R, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Altered performance in a rat gambling task after acute and repeated alcohol exposure. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015. [PMID: 26220611 PMCID: PMC4561076 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4020-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE A bidirectional relationship between alcohol use disorder (AUD) and deficits in impulse control and decision making has been suggested. However, the mechanisms by which neurocognitive impairments predispose to, or result from AUD remain incompletely understood. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to gain more insight in the effects of alcohol exposure on decision making and impulse control. We used two modified versions of the rat gambling task (rGT) that differ in the net gain and the punishment magnitude associated with the different response options. METHODS In experiment 1, we assessed the effects of acute alcohol treatment (0-0.8 g/kg) on rGT performance. In experiment 2, we determined the effects of alcohol on rGT acquisition (15 sessions, 0.6 g/kg). Next, these animals were challenged with alcohol (0-1.0 g/kg) prior to rGT sessions. RESULTS Acute alcohol treatment suppressed baseline performance in both rGT versions but only modestly altered decision making. Treatment with alcohol during acquisition increased risky choices in the rGT version that involved larger punishment and blunted the reduction in win-shift behavior during acquisition in both rGT versions. Moreover, rats treated with alcohol during acquisition showed an increase in premature and perseverative responding upon subsequent alcohol challenges (0-1.0 g/kg) and were less sensitive to the behavioral suppressant effects of alcohol. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that repeated alcohol exposure alters decision making during rGT acquisition and reduces the ability to adjust choice behavior on the basis of feedback. In addition, repeated alcohol exposure unmasks its behavioral disinhibitory effects in the rGT. Impaired responsiveness to choice feedback and behavioral disinhibition may contribute to the development of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcia Spoelder
- />Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Heidi M. B. Lesscher
- />Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Hesseling
- />Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie M. Baars
- />Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - José G. Lozeman-van t Klooster
- />Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rob Mijnsbergen
- />Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- />Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands , />Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Manduca A, Servadio M, Campolongo P, Palmery M, Trabace L, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Cuomo V, Trezza V. Strain- and context-dependent effects of the anandamide hydrolysis inhibitor URB597 on social behavior in rats. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2014; 24:1337-48. [PMID: 24933531 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2014.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [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: 02/24/2014] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Genetic and environmental factors play an important role in the cannabinoid modulation of motivation and emotion. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to test whether anandamide modulation of social behavior is strain- and context-dependent. We tested the effects of the anandamide hydrolysis inhibitor URB597 on social behavior and 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) in adolescent and adult Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats tested in different emotionally arousing conditions (familiarity/unfamiliarity to the test cage, low/high light). Under all experimental conditions, adolescent and adult Sprague-Dawley rats displayed higher levels of social behavior and emitted more 50-kHz USVs than Wistar rats. URB597 enhanced social play behavior in adolescent Wistar rats under all experimental conditions. However, URB597 only increased social interaction in adult Wistar rats under unfamiliar/high light conditions. URB597 did not affect adolescent social play behavior and adult social interaction in Sprague-Dawley rats under any experimental condition. Moreover, URB597 increased the USVs emitted during social interaction by adolescent Wistar and adult Sprague-Dawley rats tested under familiar/high light and unfamiliar/high light, respectively. These results show that anandamide has distinct roles in adolescent and adult social behaviors. Anandamide modulation of adolescent social play behavior is strain- but not context-dependent. Conversely, anandamide modulation of adult social behavior and USV emission depends upon both strain and experimental context. Furthermore, these results confirm that profound behavioral differences exist between Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats, which may explain the sometimes contradictory effects of cannabinoid drugs on emotionality in different strains of rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Manduca
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
| | - Michela Servadio
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
| | - Patrizia Campolongo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maura Palmery
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigia Trabace
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioral Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vincenzo Cuomo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy.
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Pandit R, Luijendijk MCM, Vanderschuren LJMJ, la Fleur SE, Adan RAH. Limbic substrates of the effects of neuropeptide Y on intake of and motivation for palatable food. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2014; 22:1216-9. [PMID: 24500791 DOI: 10.1002/oby.20718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2013] [Revised: 01/28/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neuropeptide Y (NPY), given centrally augments food intake and the motivation to work for palatable food. Here, the brain regions were identified through which NPY increases food intake and motivation. METHODS NPY was infused into three brain regions implicated in food intake and motivation: the lateral hypothalamus (LH), nucleus accumbens shell (NAc), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Motivation for sucrose was assessed using a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement in which the effort to obtain successive rewards increased incrementally. To disentangle the effects of NPY on motivation for palatable food from food consumption, free-feeding experiments were performed in which animals had ad libitum access to sucrose pellets. RESULTS Infusion of NPY into either VTA or NAc increased the motivation to respond for sucrose, whereas infusion of NPY in either NAc or LH increased sucrose consumption. In addition, the effect of intra-VTA NPY on motivation for food was attenuated after pretreatment with the dopamine receptor antagonist alpha-flupenthixol. CONCLUSIONS Specific limbic substrates through which NPY influences consumption of and motivation for palatable food were identified by these data. The motivational effects of NPY are exerted through the VTA, its consummatory effects through the LH, and the NAc is involved in both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Pandit
- Department of Translational Neuroscience Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Manduca A, Campolongo P, Palmery M, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Cuomo V, Trezza V. Social play behavior, ultrasonic vocalizations and their modulation by morphine and amphetamine in Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1661-73. [PMID: 24221828 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3337-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [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: 06/04/2013] [Accepted: 10/12/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Social play behavior is the most characteristic social behavior in young mammals. It is highly rewarding and crucial for proper neurobehavioral development. Despite the importance of genetic factors in normal and pathological social behaviors, little information is available about strain influences on social play. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS The aim of this study was to investigate differences in social play behavior, 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and their modulation by acute morphine and amphetamine administration in two rat strains widely used in behavioral pharmacology studies, i.e., Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats. RESULTS Sprague-Dawley rats showed higher levels of social play than Wistar rats. In both strains, no correlation was found between the performance of social behaviors and the emission of 50-kHz USVs. In Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats, morphine increased and amphetamine decreased social play. The effects of morphine, however, were more pronounced in Wistar than Sprague-Dawley animals. In both strains, morphine did not affect USV emission, while amphetamine increased it during cage exploration. In Sprague-Dawley rats only, amphetamine decreased USVs during social interaction. CONCLUSIONS Wistar and Sprague-Dawley rats differ in their absolute levels of social play behavior and 50-kHz USVs, and quantitative differences exist in their response to pharmacological manipulations of social play. The emission of 50-kHz USVs and the behavioral parameters thought to reflect rewarding social interactions in adolescent rats are dissociable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Manduca
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Sciences and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Viale G. Marconi 446, 00146, Rome, Italy
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Trezza V, Baarendse PJJ, Vanderschuren LJMJ. On the interaction between drugs of abuse and adolescent social behavior. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1715-29. [PMID: 24553578 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3471-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [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: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 01/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Social factors influence drug abuse. Conversely, drugs of abuse alter social behavior. This is especially pertinent during post-weaning development, when there are profound changes in the social repertoire, and the sensitivity to the positive and negative effects of drugs of abuse is altered. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to provide an overview of our current understanding of the interaction between drugs of abuse and juvenile/adolescent social behavior. METHODS We first provide evidence that a characteristic form of juvenile and adolescent social behavior, i.e., social play behavior, has reinforcing properties and is affected by drugs of abuse. Next, social risk factors for drug use and addiction are described, including antisocial personality traits and early social insults. Last, we discuss research that investigates social influences on drug use, as well as the consequences of perinatal drug exposure on later social interactions. RESULTS Social play behavior is highly rewarding in laboratory animals, and it is affected by low doses of opioids, cannabinoids, ethanol, nicotine, and psychostimulants. In humans, antisocial personality traits, most prominently in the form of conduct disorder, are a prominent risk factor for drug addiction. Preclinical studies have consistently shown altered sensitivity to drugs as a result of social isolation during post-weaning development. The social environment of an individual has a profound, but complex, influence on drug use, and perinatal drug exposure markedly alters later social interactions. CONCLUSIONS The studies reviewed here provide a framework to understand the interaction between drugs of abuse and adolescent social interaction, at the preclinical and the clinical level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Science and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
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Crunelle CL, van de Giessen E, Schulz S, Vanderschuren LJMJ, de Bruin K, van den Brink W, Booij J. Cannabinoid-1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (SR141716) increases striatal dopamine D2 receptor availability. Addict Biol 2013; 18:908-11. [PMID: 21955259 DOI: 10.1111/j.1369-1600.2011.00369.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The cannabinoid 1 receptor antagonist rimonabant (SR141716) alters rewarding properties and intake of food and drugs. Additionally, striatal dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) availability has been implicated in reward function. This study shows that chronic treatment of rats with rimonabant (1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg/day) dose-dependently increased DRD2 availability in the dorsal striatum (14 and 23%) compared with vehicle. High-dose rimonabant also increased DRD2 availability in the ventral striatum (12%) and reduced weight gain. Thus, up-regulation of striatal DRD2 by chronic rimonabant administration may be an underlying mechanism of action and confirms the interactions of the endocannabinoid and dopaminergic systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cleo L Crunelle
- Amsterdam Institute for Addiction Research and Department of Psychiatry, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands Department of Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands Department of Neuropharmacology, Brain Research Institute, University of Bremen, Germany Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
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van Kerkhof LWM, Damsteegt R, Trezza V, Voorn P, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Functional integrity of the habenula is necessary for social play behaviour in rats. Eur J Neurosci 2013; 38:3465-75. [PMID: 24103016 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2013] [Accepted: 08/08/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
During post-weaning development, a marked increase in peer-peer interactions is observed in mammals, including humans, which is signified by the abundance of social play behaviour. Social play is highly rewarding, and known to be modulated through monoaminergic neurotransmission. Recently, the habenula has received widespread attention because of its role in the regulation of monoaminergic neurotransmission as well as in a variety of emotional and cognitive functions. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the involvement of the habenula in social play behaviour. Using the neuronal activity maker c-fos, we showed that the habenula was activated after 24 h of social isolation in adolescent rats, and that a subsequent social play interaction reduced c-fos activity in the medial part of the lateral habenula. This suggested that habenula activity modulated the aversive properties of social isolation, which was alleviated by the positive effects of social play. Furthermore, after functional inactivation of the habenula, using a mixture of the GABA receptor agonists baclofen and muscimol, social play behaviour was markedly reduced, whereby responsiveness to play solicitation was more sensitive to habenula inactivation than play solicitation itself. Together, our data indicate an important role for the habenula in the processing of positive (i.e., social play behaviour) and negative (i.e., social isolation) social information in adolescent rats. Altered habenula function might therefore be related to the social impairments in childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders such as autism, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and early-onset schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda W M van Kerkhof
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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de Jong JW, Meijboom KE, Vanderschuren LJMJ, Adan RAH. Low control over palatable food intake in rats is associated with habitual behavior and relapse vulnerability: individual differences. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74645. [PMID: 24058616 PMCID: PMC3769238 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The worldwide obesity epidemic poses an enormous and growing threat to public health. However, the neurobehavioral mechanisms of overeating and obesity are incompletely understood. It has been proposed that addiction-like processes may underlie certain forms of obesity, in particular those associated with binge eating disorder. To investigate the role of addiction-like processes in obesity, we adapted a model of cocaine addiction-like behavior in rats responding for highly palatable food. Here, we tested whether rats responding for highly palatable chocolate Ensure would come to show three criteria of addiction-like behavior, i.e., high motivation, continued seeking despite signaled non-availability and persistence of seeking despite aversive consequences. We also investigated whether exposure to a binge model (a diet consisting of alternating periods of limited food access and access to highly palatable food), promotes the appearance of food addiction-like behavior. Our data show substantial individual differences in control over palatable food seeking and taking, but no distinct subgroup of animals showing addiction-like behavior could be identified. Instead, we observed a wide range extending from low to very high control over palatable food intake. Exposure to the binge model did not affect control over palatable food seeking and taking, however. Animals that showed low control over palatable food intake (i.e., scored high on the three criteria for addiction-like behavior) were less sensitive to devaluation of the food reward and more prone to food-induced reinstatement of extinguished responding, indicating that control over palatable food intake is associated with habitual food intake and vulnerability to relapse. In conclusion, we present an animal model to assess control over food seeking and taking. Since diminished control over food intake is a major factor in the development of obesity, understanding its behavioral and neural underpinnings may facilitate improved management of the obesity epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes W. de Jong
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Karin E. Meijboom
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louk J. M. J. Vanderschuren
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A. H. Adan
- Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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Pierce RC, O'Brien CP, Kenny PJ, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Rational development of addiction pharmacotherapies: successes, failures, and prospects. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2013; 2:a012880. [PMID: 22675669 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a012880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
There are currently effective, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapies for alcohol, nicotine, and opioid addiction. In some cases these therapeutics were rationally designed and tested using a combination of various animal models of addiction. In many cases, however, effective drug therapies for addiction were derived from the testing of compounds developed for other CNS disorders (e.g., analgesics and antidepressants), which were tested clinically in the absence of prior animal research using addiction models. This article will review the development of eight compounds that are currently most effective in the treatment of alcohol, opioid, and nicotine addiction with an emphasis on pharmacological mechanisms as well as the utility of animal models of addiction in the development of these therapeutics. In contrast to these successes, animal research has identified a number of promising medications for the treatment of psychostimulant addiction, none of which have proven to be effective clinically. This raises questions about the validity of current animal models of psychostimulant addiction. A specific example of an apparently promising pharmacotherapeutic for cocaine addiction (the D1 dopamine receptor antagonist ecopipam) that failed clinically will be examined to determine if this truly represents a challenge to the predictive validity of current models of cocaine addiction. In addition, the development of promising cocaine addiction therapeutics derived from animal research will be reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Christopher Pierce
- Center for Neurobiology and Behavior Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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