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Le VA, Sterley TL, Cheng N, Bains JS, Murari K. Markerless Mouse Tracking for Social Experiments. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0154-22.2023. [PMID: 38233144 PMCID: PMC10901195 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0154-22.2023] [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: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Automated behavior quantification in socially interacting animals requires accurate tracking. While many methods have been very successful and highly generalizable to different settings, issues of mistaken identities and lost information on key anatomical features are common, although they can be alleviated by increased human effort in training or post-processing. We propose a markerless video-based tool to simultaneously track two interacting mice of the same appearance in controlled settings for quantifying behaviors such as different types of sniffing, touching, and locomotion to improve tracking accuracy under these settings without increased human effort. It incorporates conventional handcrafted tracking and deep-learning-based techniques. The tool is trained on a small number of manually annotated images from a basic experimental setup and outputs body masks and coordinates of the snout and tail-base for each mouse. The method was tested on several commonly used experimental conditions including bedding in the cage and fiberoptic or headstage implants on the mice. Results obtained without any human corrections after the automated analysis showed a near elimination of identities switches and a ∼15% improvement in tracking accuracy over pure deep-learning-based pose estimation tracking approaches. Our approach can be optionally ensembled with such techniques for further improvement. Finally, we demonstrated an application of this approach in studies of social behavior of mice by quantifying and comparing interactions between pairs of mice in which some lack olfaction. Together, these results suggest that our approach could be valuable for studying group behaviors in rodents, such as social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Anh Le
- Electrical and Software Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Toni-Lee Sterley
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Ning Cheng
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Jaideep S Bains
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Kartikeya Murari
- Electrical and Software Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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2
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Füzesi T, Rasiah NP, Rosenegger DG, Rojas-Carvajal M, Chomiak T, Daviu N, Molina LA, Simone K, Sterley TL, Nicola W, Bains JS. Hypothalamic CRH neurons represent physiological memory of positive and negative experience. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8522. [PMID: 38129411 PMCID: PMC10739955 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44163-5] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Recalling a salient experience provokes specific behaviors and changes in the physiology or internal state. Relatively little is known about how physiological memories are encoded. We examined the neural substrates of physiological memory by probing CRHPVN neurons of mice, which control the endocrine response to stress. Here we show these cells exhibit contextual memory following exposure to a stimulus with negative or positive valence. Specifically, a negative stimulus invokes a two-factor learning rule that favors an increase in the activity of weak cells during recall. In contrast, the contextual memory of positive valence relies on a one-factor rule to decrease activity of CRHPVN neurons. Finally, the aversive memory in CRHPVN neurons outlasts the behavioral response. These observations provide information about how specific physiological memories of aversive and appetitive experience are represented and demonstrate that behavioral readouts may not accurately reflect physiological changes invoked by the memory of salient experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamás Füzesi
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
- CSM Optogenetics Core Facility, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Neilen P Rasiah
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - David G Rosenegger
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Mijail Rojas-Carvajal
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Taylor Chomiak
- CSM Optogenetics Core Facility, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Núria Daviu
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Leonardo A Molina
- CSM Optogenetics Core Facility, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Kathryn Simone
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Toni-Lee Sterley
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Wilten Nicola
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Jaideep S Bains
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute & Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
- Krembil Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada.
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3
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Sterley TL, Bains J. A holistic gene-network approach linking stressor heterogeneity to resilience and susceptibility. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:976-977. [PMID: 35121831 PMCID: PMC8938455 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01267-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toni-Lee Sterley
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
| | - Jaideep Bains
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
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4
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Zhang H, Lecker I, Collymore C, Dokova A, Pham MC, Rosen SF, Crawhall-Duk H, Zain M, Valencia M, Filippini HF, Li J, D'Souza AJ, Cho C, Michailidis V, Whissell PD, Patel I, Steenland HW, Virginia Lee WJ, Moayedi M, Sterley TL, Bains JS, Stratton JA, Matyas JR, Biernaskie J, Dubins D, Vukobradovic I, Bezginov A, Flenniken AM, Martin LJ, Mogil JS, Bonin RP. Cage-lid hanging behavior as a translationally relevant measure of pain in mice. Pain 2021; 162:1416-1425. [PMID: 33230005 PMCID: PMC8054539 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The development of new analgesic drugs has been hampered by the inability to translate preclinical findings to humans. This failure is due in part to the weak connection between commonly used pain outcome measures in rodents and the clinical symptoms of chronic pain. Most rodent studies rely on the use of experimenter-evoked measures of pain and assess behavior under ethologically unnatural conditions, which limits the translational potential of preclinical research. Here, we addressed this problem by conducting an unbiased, prospective study of behavioral changes in mice within a natural homecage environment using conventional preclinical pain assays. Unexpectedly, we observed that cage-lid hanging, a species-specific elective behavior, was the only homecage behavior reliably impacted by pain assays. Noxious stimuli reduced hanging behavior in an intensity-dependent manner, and the reduction in hanging could be restored by analgesics. Finally, we developed an automated approach to assess hanging behavior. Collectively, our results indicate that the depression of hanging behavior is a novel, ethologically valid, and translationally relevant pain outcome measure in mice that could facilitate the study of pain and analgesic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hantao Zhang
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Irene Lecker
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Chereen Collymore
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Animal Care and Veterinary Services, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Anastassia Dokova
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Sarah F. Rosen
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Hayley Crawhall-Duk
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Maham Zain
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Megan Valencia
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Jerry Li
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Abigail J. D'Souza
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- The Centre for Phenogenomics, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Chulmin Cho
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Vassilia Michailidis
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
| | - Paul D. Whissell
- Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Ingita Patel
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Wai-Jane Virginia Lee
- Centre for Multimodal Sensorimotor and Pain Research, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Massieh Moayedi
- Centre for Multimodal Sensorimotor and Pain Research, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Toni-Lee Sterley
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jaideep S. Bains
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jo Anne Stratton
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - John R. Matyas
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Jeff Biernaskie
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - David Dubins
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Loren J. Martin
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto at Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jeffrey S. Mogil
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Robert P. Bonin
- Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON, Canada
- Centre for the Study of Pain, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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5
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Gavrilovici C, Jiang Y, Kiroski I, Sterley TL, Vandal M, Bains J, Park SK, Rho JM, Teskey GC, Nguyen MD. Behavioral Deficits in Mice with Postnatal Disruption of Ndel1 in Forebrain Excitatory Neurons: Implications for Epilepsy and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Cereb Cortex Commun 2021; 2:tgaa096. [PMID: 33615226 PMCID: PMC7876307 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgaa096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of nuclear distribution element-like 1 (Ndel1) is associated with schizophrenia, a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by cognitive impairment and with seizures as comorbidity. The levels of Ndel1 are also altered in human and models with epilepsy, a chronic condition whose hallmark feature is the occurrence of spontaneous recurrent seizures and is typically associated with comorbid conditions including learning and memory deficits, anxiety, and depression. In this study, we analyzed the behaviors of mice postnatally deficient for Ndel1 in forebrain excitatory neurons (Ndel1 CKO) that exhibit spatial learning and memory deficits, seizures, and shortened lifespan. Ndel1 CKO mice underperformed in species-specific tasks, that is, the nest building, open field, Y maze, forced swim, and dry cylinder tasks. We surveyed the expression and/or activity of a dozen molecules related to Ndel1 functions and found changes that may contribute to the abnormal behaviors. Finally, we tested the impact of Reelin glycoprotein that shows protective effects in the hippocampus of Ndel1 CKO, on the performance of the mutant animals in the nest building task. Our study highlights the importance of Ndel1 in the manifestation of species-specific animal behaviors that may be relevant to our understanding of the clinical conditions shared between neuropsychiatric disorders and epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cezar Gavrilovici
- Departments of Neurosciences & Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA 92123, USA
| | - Yulan Jiang
- Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Ivana Kiroski
- Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Toni-Lee Sterley
- Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Milene Vandal
- Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jaideep Bains
- Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Sang Ki Park
- Department of Life Sciences, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Jong M Rho
- Departments of Neurosciences & Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, Rady Children's Hospital San Diego, San Diego, CA 92123, USA
| | - G Campbell Teskey
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Minh Dang Nguyen
- Departments of Clinical Neurosciences, Cell Biology and Anatomy, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
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6
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Abstract
Social interactions promote the communication of explicit and implicit information between individuals. Implicit or subconscious sharing of cues can be useful in conveying affective states. Knowing the affective state of others can guide future interactions, while an inability to decipher another's affective state is a core feature of autism spectrum disorder. The precise neural circuitry and mechanisms involved in communicating affective states are not well understood. Over the past few years, a number of important observations in rodent models have increased our knowledge of the neural processes for social communication of affective state. Here we highlight these contributions by first describing the rodent models used to investigate social communication of affect and then summarising the neural circuitry and processes implicated by these rodent models. We relate these findings to humans as well as to the current global context where social interactions have been modified by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni-Lee Sterley
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Jaideep S Bains
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
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7
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Daviu N, Füzesi T, Rosenegger DG, Rasiah NP, Sterley TL, Peringod G, Bains JS. Paraventricular nucleus CRH neurons encode stress controllability and regulate defensive behavior selection. Nat Neurosci 2020; 23:398-410. [PMID: 32066984 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-0591-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
In humans and rodents, the perception of control during stressful events has lasting behavioral consequences. These consequences are apparent even in situations that are distinct from the stress context, but how the brain links prior stressful experience to subsequent behaviors remains poorly understood. By assessing innate defensive behavior in a looming-shadow task, we show that the initiation of an escape response is preceded by an increase in the activity of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus (CRHPVN neurons). This anticipatory increase is sensitive to stressful stimuli that have high or low levels of outcome control. Specifically, experimental stress with high outcome control increases CRHPVN neuron anticipatory activity, which increases escape behavior in an unrelated context. By contrast, stress with no outcome control prevents the emergence of this anticipatory activity and decreases subsequent escape behavior. These observations indicate that CRHPVN neurons encode stress controllability and contribute to shifts between active and passive innate defensive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Daviu
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tamás Füzesi
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,CSM Optogenetics Core Facility, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - David G Rosenegger
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Neilen P Rasiah
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Toni-Lee Sterley
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Govind Peringod
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jaideep S Bains
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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8
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Sterley TL, Bains JS. SOM cells are better at detecting emotion. Nat Neurosci 2019; 23:3-4. [PMID: 31844316 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-019-0557-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Toni-Lee Sterley
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
| | - Jaideep S Bains
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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9
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Abstract
Many species use social networks to buffer the effects of stress. The mere absence of a social network, however, may also be stressful. We examined neuroendocrine, PVN CRH neurons and report that social isolation alters the intrinsic properties of these cells in sexually dimorphic fashion. Specifically, isolating preadolescent female mice from littermates for <24 hr increased first spike latency (FSL) and decreased excitability of CRH neurons. These changes were not evident in age-matched males. By contrast, subjecting either males (isolated or grouped) or group housed females to acute physical stress (swim), increased FSL. The increase in FSL following either social isolation or acute physical stress was blocked by the glucocorticoid synthesis inhibitor, metyrapone and mimicked by exogenous corticosterone. The increase in FSL results in a decrease in the excitability of CRH neurons. Our observations demonstrate that social isolation, but not acute physical stress has sex-specific effects on PVN CRH neurons. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18726.001 Many species, including humans, use social interaction to reduce the effects of stress. In fact, the lack of a social network may itself be a source of stress. Recent research suggests that young girls are more sensitive to social stress than boys. This could mean that social networks are more important for females in general, and that young females from different species, such as mice, may be more sensitive to social isolation than males. However, few studies have examined how social isolation affects the brain cells that control the release of stress hormones.As such, it remains unknown whether isolating individuals from their social group impacts on the brain in sex-specific ways. Senst, Baimoukhametova et al. now show that the brains of young male and female mice react differently to social isolation. Less than a day after separation from their littermates, the activity in the brain cells of female mice became markedly different from that of isolated males. In contrast to social isolation, the physical stress of being made to swim produced similar changes in the brains of both male and female mice. Further experiments then showed that the changes in the brain cells that control the release of stress hormones required a signalling chemical called corticosterone, which is produced in response to stressful situations. This suggests that, in repsonse to soical isolation, the females are experiencing more stress than the males. Following on from this work, one future challenge will be to investigate if reuniting a social group erases the effects of social isolation on the brain. Further experiments could also examine the behavioural and physiological effects of social isolation, including how females respond to later stressful events. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18726.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Senst
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Dinara Baimoukhametova
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Toni-Lee Sterley
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Jaideep Singh Bains
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
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10
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Sterley TL, Howells FM, Dimatelis JJ, Russell VA. Genetic predisposition and early life experience interact to determine glutamate transporter (GLT1) and solute carrier family 12 member 5 (KCC2) levels in rat hippocampus. Metab Brain Dis 2016; 31:169-82. [PMID: 26464063 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-015-9742-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2015] [Accepted: 09/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common child psychiatric disorders. While it is typically treated with medications that target dopamine and norepinephrine transmission, there is increasing evidence that other neurotransmitter systems, such as glutamate and GABA, may be involved. The aetiology of ADHD is unknown; however, there is evidence that early life stress may contribute to the development of the disorder. In the present study we used proteomic analysis (iTRAQ) followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western blot analysis to investigate hippocampal protein profiles of three rat strains: an animal model of ADHD, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), their control Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), and Sprague-Dawley rats (SD). We additionally investigated how these protein profiles are affected by maternal separation, a model of early life stress. Our findings show that solute carrier family 12 member 5 (KCC2) is increased in SHR hippocampus. The glutamate transporter GLT1 splice variant, GLT1b, was increased (proteomic analysis) while total GLT1 (comprised mostly of GLT1a splice variant) was reduced (Western blot analysis) in SHR hippocampus, compared to WKY and SD--a pattern that is consistent with elevated extracellular glutamate levels. Maternal separation increased total GLT1 in hippocampi of SHR, WKY, and SD, and reduced GLT1b in SHR hippocampus. Together these findings provide evidence for disturbed glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission in SHR hippocampus, maternal separation effects on glutamate uptake in hippocampi of all three strains, as well a unique effect of maternal separation on GLT1b levels in SHR hippocampus. These data suggest significant involvement of glutamatergic and GABAergic transmission in the neuropathophysiology of ADHD, and implicates changes in glutamatergic transmission as a result of early life stress.
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11
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Dimatelis JJ, Hsieh JH, Sterley TL, Marais L, Womersley JS, Vlok M, Russell VA. Impaired Energy Metabolism and Disturbed Dopamine and Glutamate Signalling in the Striatum and Prefrontal Cortex of the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat Model of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. J Mol Neurosci 2015; 56:696-707. [DOI: 10.1007/s12031-015-0491-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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12
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Sterley TL, Howells FM, Russell VA. Nicotine-stimulated release of [3H]norepinephrine is reduced in the hippocampus of an animal model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the spontaneously hypertensive rat. Brain Res 2014; 1572:1-10. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Accepted: 05/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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13
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Sterley TL, Howells FM, Russell VA. Evidence for reduced tonic levels of GABA in the hippocampus of an animal model of ADHD, the spontaneously hypertensive rat. Brain Res 2013; 1541:52-60. [PMID: 24161405 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2013.10.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [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: 07/06/2013] [Revised: 10/09/2013] [Accepted: 10/14/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have investigated the role of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the behavioural symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), specifically in behavioural disinhibition. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) are widely accepted as an animal model of ADHD, displaying core symptoms of the disorder. Using an in vitro superfusion technique, we have shown that glutamate-stimulated release of radio-actively labelled norepinephrine ([(3)H]NE) from prefrontal cortex and hippocampal slices is greater in SHR than in their normotensive control strain, Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), and/or a standard control strain, Sprague-Dawley rats (SD). In the present study, we investigated how the level of extracellular (tonic) GABA affects release of [(3)H]NE in hippocampal slices of male and female SHR, WKY and SD rats, in response to 3 glutamate stimulations (S1, S2, and S3). The hippocampal slices were prelabelled with [(3)H]NE and superfused with buffer containing 0μM, 1μM, 10μM, or 100μM GABA. Three consecutive glutamate stimulations were achieved by exposing slices to 3 pulses of glutamate (1mM), each separated by 10min. Increasing tonic levels of GABA increased basal and stimulated release of [(3)H]NE in all strains. When GABA was omitted from the superfusion buffer used to perfuse SHR hippocampal slices, but present at 100µM in the buffer used to perfuse WKY and SD hippocampal slices, glutamate-stimulated release of [(3)H]NE was similar in all three strains. In these conditions, the decrease in [(3)H]NE release from S1 to S2 and S3 was also similar in all three strains. These findings suggest that extracellular concentrations of GABA may be reduced in SHR hippocampus, in vivo, compared to WKY and SD. An underlying defect in GABA function may be at the root of the dysfunction in catecholamine transmission noted in SHR, and may underlie their ADHD-like behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni-Lee Sterley
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, South Africa.
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Sterley TL, Howells FM, Russell VA. Maternal separation increases GABA(A) receptor-mediated modulation of norepinephrine release in the hippocampus of a rat model of ADHD, the spontaneously hypertensive rat. Brain Res 2012; 1497:23-31. [PMID: 23276497 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2012] [Revised: 12/09/2012] [Accepted: 12/21/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Experiencing early life stress increases the risk of developing a psychiatric disorder later in life, possibly by altering neural networks, such as the locus-coeruleus norepinephrine (LC-NE) system. Whether early life stress affects the LC-NE system directly, or whether the effects are via changes in glutamate and GABA modulation of the LC-NE system, is unclear. Early life stress has been shown to alter glutamate and GABA transmission, and in particular, to alter GABA(A) receptor expression. The LC-NE system has been implicated in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), amongst other disorders, and is over-responsive to glutamate stimulation in a validated rat model of ADHD, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). It is plausible that the LC-NE system, or glutamate and GABA modulation thereof, in an individual already genetically predisposed to develop ADHD, or in SHR, may respond in a unique way to early life stress. To investigate this we applied a mild developmental stressor, maternal separation, onto SHR, and onto their control strain, Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), from post-natal day (P)2-14. On P50-52, in early adulthood, we assayed glutamate and potassium stimulated release of radio-actively labelled NE ((3)[H]NE) from hippocampal slices using an in vitro superfusion technique, in the presence or absence of a GABA(A) receptor antagonist, bicuculline. Our results show that maternal separation altered GABA(A) receptor-mediated modulation of NE release in the hippocampus of the two strains in opposite directions, increasing it in SHR and decreasing it in WKY. Our findings indicate that effects of early life stress are highly dependent on genetic predisposition, since opposite changes in GABA(A) receptor-mediated modulation of NE release were observed in the rat model of ADHD, SHR, and their control strain, WKY.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni-Lee Sterley
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, South Africa.
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Mc Fie S, Sterley TL, Howells FM, Russell VA. Clozapine decreases exploratory activity and increases anxiety-like behaviour in the Wistar–Kyoto rat but not the spontaneously hypertensive rat model of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Brain Res 2012; 1467:91-103. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Revised: 05/23/2012] [Accepted: 05/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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Sterley TL, Howells FM, Russell VA. Effects of early life trauma are dependent on genetic predisposition: a rat study. Behav Brain Funct 2011; 7:11. [PMID: 21548935 PMCID: PMC3104368 DOI: 10.1186/1744-9081-7-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [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] [Received: 11/22/2010] [Accepted: 05/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trauma experienced early in life increases the risk of developing a number of psychological and/or behavioural disorders. It is unclear, however, how genetic predisposition to a behavioural disorder, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), modifies the long-term effects of early life trauma. There is substantial evidence from family and twin studies for susceptibility to ADHD being inherited, implying a strong genetic component to the disorder. In the present study we used an inbred animal model of ADHD, the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), to investigate the long-term consequences of early life trauma on emotional behaviour in individuals predisposed to developing ADHD-like behaviour. METHODS We applied a rodent model of early life trauma, maternal separation, to SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY), the normotensive control strain from which SHR were originally derived. The effects of maternal separation (removal of pups from dam for 3 h/day during the first 2 weeks of life) on anxiety-like behaviour (elevated-plus maze) and depressive-like behaviour (forced swim test) were assessed in prepubescent rats (postnatal day 28 and 31). Basal levels of plasma corticosterone were measured using radioimmunoassay. RESULTS The effect of maternal separation on SHR and WKY differed in a number of behavioural measures. Similar to its reported effect in other rat strains, maternal separation increased the anxiety-like behaviour of WKY (decreased open arm entries) but not SHR. Maternal separation increased the activity of SHR in the novel environment of the elevated plus-maze, while it decreased that of WKY. Overall, SHR showed a more active response in the elevated plus-maze and forced swim test than WKY, regardless of treatment, and were also found to have higher basal plasma corticosterone compared to WKY. Maternal separation increased basal levels of plasma corticosterone in SHR females only, possibly through adaptive mechanisms involved in maintaining their active response in behavioural tests. Basal plasma corticosterone was found to correlate positively with an active response to a novel environment and inescapable stress across all rats. CONCLUSION SHR are resilient to the anxiogenic effects of maternal separation, and develop a non-anxious, active response to a novel environment following chronic mild stress during the early stages of development. Our findings highlight the importance of genetic predisposition in determining the outcome of early life adversity. SHR may provide a model of early life trauma leading to the development of hyperactivity rather than anxiety and depression. Basal levels of corticosterone correlate with the behavioural response to early life trauma, and may therefore provide a useful marker for susceptibility to a certain behavioural temperament.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni-Lee Sterley
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, 7925, South Africa.
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