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Cho SY, Kim EW, Park SJ, Phillips BU, Jeong J, Kim H, Heath CJ, Kim D, Jang Y, López-Cruz L, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Lee DY, Kim E. Reconsidering repurposing: long-term metformin treatment impairs cognition in Alzheimer's model mice. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:34. [PMID: 38238285 PMCID: PMC10796941 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-02755-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Metformin, a primary anti-diabetic medication, has been anticipated to provide benefits for Alzheimer's disease (AD), also known as "type 3 diabetes". Nevertheless, some studies have demonstrated that metformin may trigger AD pathology and even elevate AD risk in humans. Despite this, limited research has elucidated the behavioral outcomes of metformin treatment, which would hold significant translational value. Thus, we aimed to perform thorough behavioral research on the prolonged administration of metformin to mice: We administered metformin (300 mg/kg/day) to transgenic 3xTg-AD and non-transgenic (NT) C57BL/6 mice over 1 and 2 years, respectively, and evaluated their behaviors across multiple domains via touchscreen operant chambers, including motivation, attention, memory, visual discrimination, and cognitive flexibility. We found metformin enhanced attention, inhibitory control, and associative learning in younger NT mice (≤16 months). However, chronic treatment led to impairments in memory retention and discrimination learning at older age. Furthermore, metformin caused learning and memory impairment and increased levels of AMPKα1-subunit, β-amyloid oligomers, plaques, phosphorylated tau, and GSK3β expression in AD mice. No changes in potential confounding factors on cognition, including levels of motivation, locomotion, appetite, body weight, blood glucose, and serum vitamin B12, were observed in metformin-treated AD mice. We also identified an enhanced amyloidogenic pathway in db/db mice, as well as in Neuro2a-APP695 cells and a decrease in synaptic markers, such as PSD-95 and synaptophysin in primary neurons, upon metformin treatment. Our findings collectively suggest that the repurposing of metformin should be carefully reconsidered when this drug is used for individuals with AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- So Yeon Cho
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory for Alzheimer's Molecular Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Metabolism-Dementia Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Woo Kim
- Graduate School of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Nursing, Seoyeong University, Gwangju, 61268, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Jin Park
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute for Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Benjamin U Phillips
- Department of Psychology, The University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Jihyeon Jeong
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory for Alzheimer's Molecular Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Metabolism-Dementia Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunjeong Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory for Alzheimer's Molecular Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
- Metabolism-Dementia Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Daehwan Kim
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Yurim Jang
- Interdisciplinary Program in Agricultural Genomics, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Laura López-Cruz
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, N6A 5K8, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, N6A 5K8, Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, N6A 5C1, Canada
| | - Do Yup Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Research Institute for Agricultural and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Agricultural Genomics, Center for Food and Bioconvergence, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Eosu Kim
- Graduate School of Medical Science, Brain Korea 21 Project, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Psychiatry, Laboratory for Alzheimer's Molecular Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Metabolism-Dementia Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
- Graduate School of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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Reed F, Reichenbach A, Dempsey H, Clarke RE, Mequinion M, Stark R, Rawlinson S, Foldi CJ, Lockie SH, Andrews ZB. Acute inhibition of hunger-sensing AgRP neurons promotes context-specific learning in mice. Mol Metab 2023; 77:101803. [PMID: 37690518 PMCID: PMC10523265 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE An environmental context, which reliably predicts food availability, can increase the appetitive food drive within the same environment context. However, hunger is required for the development of such a context-induced feeding (CIF) response, suggesting the neural circuits sensitive to hunger link an internal energy state with a particular environment context. Since Agouti related peptide (AgRP) neurons are activated by energy deficit, we hypothesised that AgRP neurons are both necessary and sufficient to drive CIF. METHODS To examine the role of AgRP neurons in the CIF process, we used fibre photometry with GCaMP7f, chemogenetic activation of AgRP neurons, as well as optogenetic control of AgRP neurons to facilitate acute temporal control not permitted with chemogenetics. RESULTS A CIF response at test was only observed when mice were fasted during context training and AgRP population activity at test showed an attenuated inhibitory response to food, suggesting increased food-seeking and/or decreased satiety signalling drives the increased feeding response at test. Intriguingly, chemogenetic activation of AgRP neurons during context training did not increase CIF, suggesting precise temporal firing properties may be required. Indeed, termination of AgRP neuronal photostimulation during context training (ON-OFF in context), in the presence or absence of food, increased CIF. Moreover, photoinhibition of AgRP neurons during context training in fasted mice was sufficient to drive a subsequent CIF in the absence of food. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that AgRP neurons regulate the acquisition of CIF when the acute inhibition of AgRP activity is temporally matched to context exposure. These results establish acute AgRP inhibition as a salient neural event underscoring the effect of hunger on associative learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felicia Reed
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alex Reichenbach
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Harry Dempsey
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Rachel E Clarke
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Mathieu Mequinion
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Romana Stark
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sasha Rawlinson
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Claire J Foldi
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Sarah H Lockie
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zane B Andrews
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Victoria, Australia.
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Urushadze A, Janicek M, Abbondanza A, Janickova H. Timed Sequence Task: A New Paradigm to Study Motor Learning and Flexibility in Mice. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0145-23.2023. [PMID: 37793806 PMCID: PMC10552695 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0145-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Motor learning and flexibility allow animals to perform routine actions efficiently while keeping them flexible. A number of paradigms are used to test cognitive flexibility, but not many of them focus specifically on the learning of complex motor sequences and their flexibility. While many tests use operant or touchscreen boxes that offer high throughput and reproducibility, the motor actions themselves are mostly simple presses of a designated lever. To focus more on motor actions during the operant task and to probe the flexibility of these well trained actions, we developed a new operant paradigm for mice, the "timed sequence task." The task requires mice to learn a sequence of lever presses that have to be emitted in precisely defined time limits. After training, the required pressing sequence and/or timing of individual presses is modified to test the ability of mice to alter their previously trained motor actions. We provide a code for the new protocol that can be used and adapted to common types of operant boxes. In addition, we provide a set of scripts that allow automatic extraction and analysis of numerous parameters recorded during each session. We demonstrate that the analysis of multiple performance parameters is necessary for detailed insight into the behavior of animals during the task. We validate our paradigm in an experiment using the valproate model of autism as a model of cognitive inflexibility. We show that the valproate mice show superior performance at specific stages of the task, paradoxically because of their propensity to more stereotypic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Urushadze
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 14200 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Janicek
- Central Library, Charles University, 11636 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alice Abbondanza
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 14200 Prague, Czech Republic
- CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Neuroscience Paris Seine-Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS-IBPS), Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Helena Janickova
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 14200 Prague, Czech Republic
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Cotter KM, Bancroft GL, Haas HA, Shi R, Clarkson AN, Croxall ME, Stowe AM, Yun S, Eisch AJ. Use of an Automated Mouse Touchscreen Platform for Quantification of Cognitive Deficits After Central Nervous System Injury. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2616:279-326. [PMID: 36715942 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2926-0_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Analyzing cognitive performance is an important aspect of assessing physiological deficits after stroke or other central nervous system (CNS) injuries in both humans and in basic science animal models. Cognitive testing on an automated touchscreen operant platform began in humans but is now increasingly popular in preclinical studies as it enables testing in many cognitive domains in a highly reproducible way while minimizing stress to the laboratory animal. Here, we describe the step-by-step setup and application of four operant touchscreen tests used on adult mice. In brief, mice are trained to touch a graphical image on a lit screen and initiate subsequent trials for a reward. Following initial training, mice can be tested on tasks that probe performance in many cognitive domains and thus infer the integrity of brain circuits and regions. There are already many outstanding published protocols on touchscreen cognitive testing. This chapter is designed to add to the literature in two specific ways. First, this chapter provides in a single location practical, behind-the-scenes tips for setup and testing of mice in four touchscreen tasks that are useful to assess in CNS injury models: Paired Associates Learning (PAL), a task of episodic, associative (object-location) memory; Location Discrimination Reversal (LDR), a test for mnemonic discrimination (also called behavioral pattern separation) and cognitive flexibility; Autoshaping (AUTO), a test of Pavlovian or classical conditioning; and Extinction (EXT), tasks of stimulus-response and response inhibition, respectively. Second, this chapter summarizes issues to consider when performing touchscreen tests in mouse models of CNS injury. Quantifying gross and fine aspects of cognitive function is essential to improved treatment for brain dysfunction after stroke or CNS injury as well as other brain diseases, and touchscreen testing provides a sensitive, reliable, and robust way to achieve this.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine M Cotter
- Department of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | | | | | - Raymon Shi
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andrew N Clarkson
- Department of Anatomy, Brain Health Research Centre and Brain Research New Zealand, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | | | - Ann M Stowe
- Department of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, The University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Sanghee Yun
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| | - Amelia J Eisch
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Appetitive Motivation and Associated Neurobiology Change Differentially across the Life Course of Mouse Offspring Exposed to Peri- and Postnatal High Fat Feeding. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14235161. [PMID: 36501191 PMCID: PMC9735866 DOI: 10.3390/nu14235161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in neural pathways that regulate appetitive motivation may contribute to increased obesity risk in offspring born to mothers fed a high fat (HF) diet. However, current findings on the impact of maternal obesity on motivation in offspring are inconclusive, and there is no information about the long-lasting effects in aged animals. This study examined the longitudinal effect of perinatal and chronic postnatal HF intake on appetitive motivation in young and aged offspring. Female C57Bl/6 were fed either a control (C) or HF diet before mating through to lactation. At weaning, offspring were maintained on the C or HF diet, generating the following four diet groups: C/C, C/HF, HF/C, and HF/HF based on the pre/post weaning diet. At 6 months, motivation was higher in HF/C females, but lower in male and female C/HF and HF/HF mice. By 12 months, this difference was lost, as C-fed animals became less motivated, while motivation increased in HF-fed mice. The mRNA levels of dopamine receptor 1 and 2 increased with age, while cannabinoid receptor 1 and μ-opioid receptor expression remained stable or decreased in mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic pathways. Results from this study suggest that perinatal and chronic postnatal HF feeding produced opposite effects on appetitive motivation in young adult offspring mice, which was also reflected in the shift in motivation over time. These results have significant implications for patterns of hedonic eating across the life course and the relative risk of obesity at different time points.
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Lewis JE, Woodward OR, Nuzzaci D, Smith CA, Adriaenssens AE, Billing L, Brighton C, Phillips BU, Tadross JA, Kinston SJ, Ciabatti E, Göttgens B, Tripodi M, Hornigold D, Baker D, Gribble FM, Reimann F. Relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 4 (Rxfp4) expressing hypothalamic neurons modulate food intake and preference in mice. Mol Metab 2022; 66:101604. [PMID: 36184065 PMCID: PMC9579047 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Insulin-like peptide 5 (INSL5) signalling, through its cognate receptor relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 4 (RXFP4), has been reported to be orexigenic, and the high fat diet (HFD) preference observed in wildtype mice is altered in Rxfp4 knock-out mice. In this study, we used a new Rxfp4-Cre mouse model to investigate the mechanisms underlying these observations. METHODS We generated transgenic Rxfp4-Cre mice and investigated central expression of Rxfp4 by RT-qPCR, RNAscope and intraparenchymal infusion of INSL5. Rxfp4-expressing cells were chemogenetically manipulated in global Cre-reporter mice using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) or after stereotactic injection of a Cre-dependent AAV-DIO-Dq-DREADD targeting a population located in the ventromedial hypothalamus (RXFP4VMH). Food intake and feeding motivation were assessed in the presence and absence of a DREADD agonist. Rxfp4-expressing cells in the hypothalamus were characterised by single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq) and the connectivity of RXFP4VMH cells was investigated using viral tracing. RESULTS Rxfp4-Cre mice displayed Cre-reporter expression in the hypothalamus. Active expression of Rxfp4 in the adult mouse brain was confirmed by RT-qPCR and RNAscope. Functional receptor expression was supported by cyclic AMP-responses to INSL5 application in ex vivo brain slices and increased HFD and highly palatable liquid meal (HPM), but not chow, intake after intra-VMH INSL5 infusion. scRNAseq of hypothalamic RXFP4 neurons defined a cluster expressing VMH markers, alongside known appetite-modulating neuropeptide receptors (Mc4r, Cckar and Nmur2). Viral tracing demonstrated RXFP4VMH neural projections to nuclei implicated in hedonic feeding behaviour. Whole body chemogenetic inhibition (Di-DREADD) of Rxfp4-expressing cells, mimicking physiological INSL5-RXFP4 Gi-signalling, increased intake of the HFD and HPM, but not chow, whilst activation (Dq-DREADD), either at whole body level or specifically within the VMH, reduced HFD and HPM intake and motivation to work for the HPM. CONCLUSION These findings identify RXFP4VMH neurons as regulators of food intake and preference, and hypothalamic RXFP4 signalling as a target for feeding behaviour manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo E Lewis
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Orla Rm Woodward
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Danaé Nuzzaci
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Christopher A Smith
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Alice E Adriaenssens
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Lawrence Billing
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Cheryl Brighton
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Benjamin U Phillips
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - John A Tadross
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK; Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Sarah J Kinston
- Department of Haematology, Wellcome and MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ernesto Ciabatti
- Department of Haematology, Wellcome and MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Berthold Göttgens
- Department of Haematology, Wellcome and MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Marco Tripodi
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Neurobiology Division, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - David Hornigold
- Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Ltd, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Baker
- Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Ltd, Cambridge, UK
| | - Fiona M Gribble
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
| | - Frank Reimann
- Wellcome Trust - MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Metabolic Research Laboratories, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK.
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Hussein A, Tielemans A, Baxter MG, Benson DL, Huntley GW. Cognitive deficits and altered cholinergic innervation in young adult male mice carrying a Parkinson's disease Lrrk2 G2019S knockin mutation. Exp Neurol 2022; 355:114145. [PMID: 35732218 PMCID: PMC9338764 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Impaired executive function is a common and debilitating non-motor symptom of idiopathic and hereditary Parkinson's disease (PD), but there is little understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and circuits. The G2019S mutation in the kinase domain of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) greatly increases risk for late-onset PD, and non-manifesting LRRK2G2019S carriers can also exhibit early and significant cognitive impairment. Here, we subjected young adult male mice carrying a Lrrk2G2019S knockin mutation to touchscreen-based operant tasks that measure attention, goal-directed learning and cognitive flexibility, all of which rely on frontal-striatal connectivity and are strongly modulated by cholinergic innervation. In a visuospatial attention task, mutant mice exhibited significantly more omissions and longer response latencies than controls that could not be attributed to deficits in motivation, visual sensory perception per se or locomotion, thereby suggesting impairments in divided attention and/or action-selection as well as generally slower information processing speed. Pretreating mice with the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor donepezil normalized both higher omission rates and longer response latencies in the mutants, but did not affect any performance metric in controls. Strikingly, cholinergic fiber density in cortical areas PL/IL and DMS (dorsomedial striatum) was significantly sparser in mutants than in controls, while further behavioral interrogation of the mutants revealed significant impairments in action-outcome associations but preserved cognitive flexibility. These data suggest that the Lrrk2G2019S mutation negatively impacts cholinergic innervation anatomically and functionally by young adulthood, impairing corticostriatal network function in ways that may contribute to early PD-associated executive function deficits.
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Hawkes CA, Heath CJ, Sharp MM, Górecki DC, Carare RO. α-Dystrobrevin knockout mice have increased motivation for appetitive reward and altered brain cannabinoid receptor 1 expression. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2022; 10:127. [PMID: 36045406 PMCID: PMC9434862 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-022-01434-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
α-Dystrobrevin (α-DB) is a major component of the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC). Knockout (KO) of α-DB in the brain is associated with astrocytic abnormalities and loss of neuronal GABA receptor clustering. Mutations in DAPC proteins are associated with altered dopamine signaling and cognitive and psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. This study tested the hypothesis that motivation and associated underlying biological pathways are altered in the absence of α-DB expression. Male wildtype and α-DB KO mice were tested for measures of motivation, executive function and extinction in the rodent touchscreen apparatus. Subsequently, brain tissues were evaluated for mRNA and/or protein levels of dysbindin-1, dopamine transporter and receptor 1 and 2, mu opioid receptor 1 (mOR1) and cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1). α-DB KO mice had significantly increased motivation for the appetitive reward, while measures of executive function and extinction were unaffected. No differences were observed between wildtype and KO animals on mRNA levels of dysbindin-1 or any of the dopamine markers. mRNA levels of mOR1were significantly decreased in the caudate-putamen and nucleus accumbens of α-DB KO compared to WT animals, but protein levels were unaltered. However, CB1 protein levels were significantly increased in the prefrontal cortex and decreased in the nucleus accumbens of α-DB KO mice. Triple-labelling immunohistochemistry confirmed that changes in CB1 were not specific to astrocytes. These results highlight a novel role for α-DB in the regulation of appetitive motivation that may have implications for other behaviours that involve the dopaminergic and endocannabinoid systems.
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Beyond antipsychotics: a twenty-first century update for preclinical development of schizophrenia therapeutics. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:147. [PMID: 35393394 PMCID: PMC8991275 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01904-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite 50+ years of drug discovery, current antipsychotics have limited efficacy against negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, and are ineffective-with the exception of clozapine-against any symptom domain for patients who are treatment resistant. Novel therapeutics with diverse non-dopamine D2 receptor targets have been explored extensively in clinical trials, yet often fail due to a lack of efficacy despite showing promise in preclinical development. This lack of translation between preclinical and clinical efficacy suggests a systematic failure in current methods that determine efficacy in preclinical rodent models. In this review, we critically evaluate rodent models and behavioural tests used to determine preclinical efficacy, and look to clinical research to provide a roadmap for developing improved translational measures. We highlight the dependence of preclinical models and tests on dopamine-centric theories of dysfunction and how this has contributed towards a self-reinforcing loop away from clinically meaningful predictions of efficacy. We review recent clinical findings of distinct dopamine-mediated dysfunction of corticostriatal circuits in patients with treatment-resistant vs. non-treatment-resistant schizophrenia and suggest criteria for establishing rodent models to reflect such differences, with a focus on objective, translational measures. Finally, we review current schizophrenia drug discovery and propose a framework where preclinical models are validated against objective, clinically informed measures and preclinical tests of efficacy map onto those used clinically.
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Kljakic O, Janíčková H, Skirzewski M, Reichelt A, Memar S, El Mestikawy S, Li Y, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Prado VF, Prado MAM. Functional dissociation of behavioral effects from acetylcholine and glutamate released from cholinergic striatal interneurons. FASEB J 2022; 36:e22135. [PMID: 35032355 PMCID: PMC9303754 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202101425r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
In the striatum, cholinergic interneurons (CINs) have the ability to release both acetylcholine and glutamate, due to the expression of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and the vesicular glutamate transporter 3 (VGLUT3). However, the relationship these neurotransmitters have in the regulation of behavior is not fully understood. Here we used reward‐based touchscreen tests in mice to assess the individual and combined contributions of acetylcholine/glutamate co‐transmission in behavior. We found that reduced levels of the VAChT from CINs negatively impacted dopamine signalling in response to reward, and disrupted complex responses in a sequential chain of events. In contrast, diminished VGLUT3 levels had somewhat opposite effects. When mutant mice were treated with haloperidol in a cue‐based task, the drug did not affect the performance of VAChT mutant mice, whereas VGLUT3 mutant mice were highly sensitive to haloperidol. In mice where both vesicular transporters were deleted from CINs, we observed altered reward‐evoked dopaminergic signalling and behavioral deficits that resemble, but were worse, than those in mice with specific loss of VAChT alone. These results demonstrate that the ability to secrete two different neurotransmitters allows CINs to exert complex modulation of a wide range of behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ornela Kljakic
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Helena Janíčková
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Miguel Skirzewski
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amy Reichelt
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sara Memar
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Salah El Mestikawy
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,INSERM, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS - IBPS), Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Yulong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Peking University School of Life Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vania F Prado
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Translational Neuroscience Group, Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Janickova H, Kljakic O, Robbins TW, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Prado VF, Prado MAM. Evaluating Sequential Response Learning in the Rodent Operant Touchscreen System. Curr Protoc 2021; 1:e268. [PMID: 34679249 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Sequential and cue-directed response learning in rodents have been previously shown to depend on intact striatal signaling. In particular, these behaviors rely on striatal dopamine and acetylcholine release, with an impairment of sequential response learning evident in animal models with alterations in the two systems. Here we provide a protocol for testing sequential response/response chain learning using the rodent touchscreen system. Specifically, the present protocol is designed to implement the heterogeneous sequence task, adapted from Keeler et al. (2014), in the rodent touchscreen apparatus. This task has been used previously to assess complex motor learning and response selection in mice. In the following protocol, the task is performed in touchscreen-based automated chambers with five response locations using food reinforcers to maintain performance. The sequence task requires the subject to make five nose pokes to white square stimuli appearing in five different locations sequentially from left to right. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol: Implementation of the heterogeneous sequence task Support Protocol: Creation of the heterogeneous sequence task ABET II touchscreen schedule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Janickova
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ornela Kljakic
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Behavioural and Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vania F Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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12
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Lopez-Cruz L, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM, Heath CJ. Using touchscreen-delivered cognitive assessments to address the principles of the 3Rs in behavioral sciences. Lab Anim (NY) 2021; 50:174-184. [PMID: 34140683 DOI: 10.1038/s41684-021-00791-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite considerable advances in both in silico and in vitro approaches, in vivo studies that involve animal model systems remain necessary in many research disciplines. Neuroscience is one such area, with studies often requiring access to a complete nervous system capable of dynamically selecting between and then executing a full range of cognitive and behavioral outputs in response to a given stimulus or other manipulation. The involvement of animals in research studies is an issue of active public debate and concern and is therefore carefully regulated. Such regulations are based on the principles of the 3Rs of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement. In the sub-specialty of behavioral neuroscience, Full/Absolute Replacement remains a major challenge, as the complete ex vivo recapitulation of a system as complex and dynamic as the nervous system has yet to be achieved. However, a number of very positive developments have occurred in this area with respect to Relative Replacement and to both Refinement and Reduction. In this review, we discuss the Refinement- and Reduction-related benefits yielded by the introduction of touchscreen-based behavioral assessment apparatus. We also discuss how data generated by a specific panel of behavioral tasks developed for this platform might substantially enhance monitoring of laboratory animal welfare and provide robust, quantitative comparisons of husbandry techniques to define and ensure maintenance of best practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Lopez-Cruz
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.,Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
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13
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Exploratory drive, fear, and anxiety are dissociable and independent components in foraging mice. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:318. [PMID: 34039953 PMCID: PMC8155035 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01458-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety-like behavior of rodents is frequently accompanied by reduced exploration. Here, we identify dissociable components of anxiety, fear, and exploratory drive of sated and foraging mice. With the help of behavioral assays, including the open field task, elevated plus maze, dark-light transition task, and beetle mania task, we demonstrate a general increase in exploration by food restriction. Food-restricted mice bred for high anxiety behavior (HAB) showed ameliorated anxiety- but not fear-related behavior. By means of principal component analysis, we identified three independent components, which resemble the behavioral dimensions proposed by Gray's Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (approach behavior, avoidance behavior, and decision making). Taken together, we demonstrate anxiolytic consequences of food restriction in a mouse model of anxiety disorders that can be dissociated from a general increase in foraging behavior.
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14
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Palmer D, Dumont JR, Dexter TD, Prado MAM, Finger E, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM. Touchscreen cognitive testing: Cross-species translation and co-clinical trials in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 182:107443. [PMID: 33895351 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Translating results from pre-clinical animal studies to successful human clinical trials in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disease presents a significant challenge. While this issue is clearly multifaceted, the lack of reproducibility and poor translational validity of many paradigms used to assess cognition in animal models are central contributors to this challenge. Computer-automated cognitive test batteries have the potential to substantially improve translation between pre-clinical studies and clinical trials by increasing both reproducibility and translational validity. Given the structured nature of data output, computer-automated tests also lend themselves to increased data sharing and other open science good practices. Over the past two decades, computer automated, touchscreen-based cognitive testing methods have been developed for non-human primate and rodent models. These automated methods lend themselves to increased standardization, hence reproducibility, and have become increasingly important for the elucidation of the neurobiological basis of cognition in animal models. More recently, there have been increased efforts to use these methods to enhance translational validity by developing task batteries that are nearly identical across different species via forward (i.e., translating animal tasks to humans) and reverse (i.e., translating human tasks to animals) translation. An additional benefit of the touchscreen approach is that a cross-species cognitive test battery makes it possible to implement co-clinical trials-an approach developed initially in cancer research-for novel treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. Co-clinical trials bring together pre-clinical and early clinical studies, which facilitates testing of novel treatments in mouse models with underlying genetic or other changes, and can help to stratify patients on the basis of genetic, molecular, or cognitive criteria. This approach can help to determine which patients should be enrolled in specific clinical trials and can facilitate repositioning and/or repurposing of previously approved drugs. This has the potential to mitigate the resources required to study treatment responses in large numbers of human patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Palmer
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Julie R Dumont
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; BrainsCAN, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tyler D Dexter
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Elizabeth Finger
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Lawson Health Research Institute, Ontario, Canada; Parkwood Institute, St. Josephs Health Care, Ontario, Canada
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Robarts Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada
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15
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Kim E, White MA, Phillips BU, Lopez-Cruz L, Kim H, Heath CJ, Lee JE, Saksida LM, Sreedharan J, Bussey TJ. Coexistence of perseveration and apathy in the TDP-43 Q331K knock-in mouse model of ALS-FTD. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:377. [PMID: 33149110 PMCID: PMC7643138 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01078-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Perseveration and apathy are two of the most common behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSDs) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-frontotemporal dementia (ALS-FTD). Availability of a validated and behaviourally characterised animal model is crucial for translational research into BPSD in the FTD context. We behaviourally evaluated the male TDP-43Q331K mouse, an ALS-FTD model with a human-equivalent mutation (TDP-43Q331K) knocked into the endogenous Tardbp gene. We utilised a panel of behavioural tasks delivered using the rodent touchscreen apparatus, including progressive ratio (PR), extinction and visual discrimination/reversal learning (VDR) assays to examine motivation, response inhibition and cognitive flexibility, respectively. Relative to WT littermates, TDP-43Q331K mice exhibited increased responding under a PR schedule. While elevated PR responding is typically an indication of increased motivation for reward, a trial-by-trial response rate analysis revealed that TDP-43Q331K mice exhibited decreased maximal response rate and slower response decay rate, suggestive of reduced motivation and a perseverative behavioural phenotype, respectively. In the extinction assay, TDP-43Q331K mice displayed increased omissions during the early phase of each session, consistent with a deficit in activational motivation. Finally, the VDR task revealed cognitive inflexibility, manifesting as stimulus-bound perseveration. Together, our data indicate that male TDP-43Q331K mice exhibit a perseverative phenotype with some evidence of apathy-like behaviour, similar to BPSDs observed in human ALS-FTD patients. The TDP-43Q331K knock-in mouse therefore has features that recommend it as a useful platform to facilitate translational research into behavioural symptoms in the context of ALS-FTD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eosu Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Matthew A White
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Benjamin U Phillips
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Laura Lopez-Cruz
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Hyunjeong Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Jong Eun Lee
- Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Jemeen Sreedharan
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
- The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
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16
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Xia F, Kheirbek MA. Circuit-Based Biomarkers for Mood and Anxiety Disorders. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:902-915. [PMID: 32917408 PMCID: PMC7606349 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Mood and anxiety disorders are complex heterogeneous syndromes that manifest in dysfunctions across multiple brain regions, cell types, and circuits. Biomarkers using brain-wide activity patterns in humans have proven useful in distinguishing between disorder subtypes and identifying effective treatments. In order to improve biomarker identification, it is crucial to understand the basic circuitry underpinning brain-wide activity patterns. Leveraging a large repertoire of techniques, animal studies have examined roles of specific cell types and circuits in driving maladaptive behavior. Recent advances in multiregion recording techniques, data-driven analysis approaches, and machine-learning-based behavioral analysis tools can further push the boundary of animal studies and bridge the gap with human studies, to assess how brain-wide activity patterns encode and drive emotional behavior. Together, these efforts will allow identifying more precise biomarkers to enhance diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frances Xia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Mazen A Kheirbek
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Center for Integrative Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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17
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DeBrosse AC, Wheeler AM, Barrow JC, Carr GV. Inhibition of Catechol- O-methyltransferase Does Not Alter Effort-Related Choice Behavior in a Fixed Ratio/Concurrent Chow Task in Male Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:73. [PMID: 32508604 PMCID: PMC7253649 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Effort-related choice (ERC) tasks allow animals to choose between high-value reinforcers that require high effort to obtain and low-value/low-effort reinforcers. Dopaminergic neuromodulation regulates ERC behavior. The enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) metabolizes synaptically-released dopamine. COMT is the predominant regulator of dopamine turnover in regions of the brain with low levels of dopamine transporters (DATs), including the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Here, we evaluated the effects of the COMT inhibitor tolcapone on ERC performance in a touchscreen-based fixed-ratio/concurrent chow task in male mice. In this task, mice were given the choice between engaging in a fixed number of instrumental responses to acquire a strawberry milk reward and consuming standard lab chow concurrently available on the chamber floor. We found no significant effects of tolcapone treatment on either strawberry milk earned or chow consumed compared to vehicle treatment. In contrast, we found that haloperidol decreased instrumental responding for strawberry milk and increased chow consumption as seen in previously published studies. These data suggest that COMT inhibition does not significantly affect effort-related decision making in a fixed-ratio/concurrent chow task in male mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne C. DeBrosse
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Abigail M. Wheeler
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - James C. Barrow
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Gregory V. Carr
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins University Medical Campus, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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18
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Lee JH, Cho SY, Kim E. Translational cognitive neuroscience of dementia with touchscreen operant chambers. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12664. [PMID: 32374080 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Translational cognitive neuroscience of dementia involves mainly two areas: the validation of newly developed dementia animal models and the preclinical assessment of novel drug candidates in such model animals. To validate new animal models, a multidomain panel (battery) approach is essential in that dementia is, by definition, not merely a memory disorder but rather a multidomain cognitive/behavior disorder: animal modeling with a certain type of dementia would develop cognitive impairments in multiple (two at minimum) domains in a specific order according to unique spreading patterns of its neuropathology. In new drug development, the availability of highly sensitive tools assessing animal cognition is crucial to the detection of cognitive decline at the earliest stage of the disease, which may be an optimal time point to test a drug candidate. Using interspecies translatable (analogous) cognitive tasks would also be necessary to successfully predict the efficacy of drug candidates in subsequent clinical trials. Currently, this translational prediction is seriously limited given discrepancies in behavioral assessment methods between animals and humans in the preclinical and clinical trials, respectively. Since neurodegenerative diseases are often accompanied by not only cognitive but also affective and movement disorders, simultaneous assessment of task-relevant locomotor behavior and motivation is also important to rule out the effects of potential confounders. The touchscreen operant platform may satisfy these needs by offering several advantages over conventional methodology. In this review, we discuss the touchscreen operant chamber system and highlight some of its qualities as a promising and desirable tool for translational research of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Han Lee
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - So Yeon Cho
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Eosu Kim
- Department of Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.,Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Brain Korea 21 Plus Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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19
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Dumont JR, Salewski R, Beraldo F. Critical mass: The rise of a touchscreen technology community for rodent cognitive testing. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2020; 20:e12650. [PMID: 32141694 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The rise in the number of users and institutions utilizing the rodent touchscreen technology for cognitive testing over the past decade has prompted the need for knowledge mobilization and community building. To address the needs of the growing touchscreen community, the first international touchscreen symposium was hosted at Western University. Attendees from around the world attended talks from expert neuroscientists using touchscreens to examine a vast array of questions regarding cognition and the nervous system. In addition to the symposium, a subset of attendees was invited to partake in a hands-on training course where they received touchscreen training covering both hardware and software components. Beyond the two touchscreen events, virtual platforms have been developed to further support touchscreen users: (a) Mousebytes.ca, which includes a data repository of rodent touchscreen tasks, and (b) Touchscreencognition.org, an online community with numerous training and community resources, perhaps most notably a forum where members can ask and answer questions. The advantages of the rodent touchscreen technology for cognitive neuroscience research has allowed neuroscientists from diverse backgrounds to test specific cognitive processes using well-validated and standardized apparatus, contributing to its rise in popularity and its relevance to modern neuroscience research. The commitment of the touchscreen community to data, task development and information sharing not only ensures an expansive future of the use of rodent touchscreen technology but additionally, quality research that will increase translation from preclinical studies to clinical successes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie R Dumont
- BrainsCAN, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ryan Salewski
- BrainsCAN, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Flavio Beraldo
- BrainsCAN, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.,Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
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20
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Heath CJ, O'Callaghan C, Mason SL, Phillips BU, Saksida LM, Robbins TW, Barker RA, Bussey TJ, Sahakian BJ. A Touchscreen Motivation Assessment Evaluated in Huntington's Disease Patients and R6/1 Model Mice. Front Neurol 2019; 10:858. [PMID: 31447770 PMCID: PMC6696591 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2019.00858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Apathy is pervasive across many neuropsychiatric disorders but is poorly characterized mechanistically, so targeted therapeutic interventions remain elusive. A key impediment has been the lack of validated assessment tools to facilitate translation of promising findings between preclinical disease models and patients. Apathy is a common symptom in Huntington's disease. Due to its established genetic basis and the availability of defined animal models, this disease offers a robust translational framework for linking motivated behavior with underlying neurobiology and an ideal context in which to evaluate a quantitative, translational apathy assessment method. In this study we therefore aimed to demonstrate the validity of using touchscreen-delivered progressive ratio tasks to mirror apathy assessment in Huntington's disease patients and a representative mouse model. To do this we evaluated Huntington's disease patients (n = 23) and age-matched healthy controls (n = 20), and male R6/1 mice (n = 23) and wildtype controls (n = 29) for apathy-like behavior using touchscreen-delivered progressive ratio tasks. The primary outcome measure of the assessment was breakpoint, defined as the highest number of touchscreen responses emitted before task engagement ceased. Patients and R6/1 mice were both found to exhibit significantly reduced breakpoints relative to their respective control groups, consistent with apathy-like behavior. This performance was also not associated with motoric differences in either species. These data demonstrate the utility of touchscreen-delivered progressive ratio tasks in detecting clinically relevant motivational deficits in Huntington's disease. This approach may offer a platform from which clinically relevant mechanistic insights concerning motivation symptoms can be derived and provide an effective route for translation of promising preclinical findings into viable therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J. Heath
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
| | - Claire O'Callaghan
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sarah L. Mason
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin U. Phillips
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M. Saksida
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Trevor W. Robbins
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Roger A. Barker
- John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy J. Bussey
- Department of Psychology, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Barbara J. Sahakian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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21
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Hailwood JM, Heath CJ, Phillips BU, Robbins TW, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ. Blockade of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors facilitates motivated behaviour and rescues a model of antipsychotic-induced amotivation. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1068-1075. [PMID: 30478410 PMCID: PMC6397643 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0281-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Disruptions to motivated behaviour are a highly prevalent and severe symptom in a number of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Current treatment options for these disorders have little or no effect upon motivational impairments. We assessed the contribution of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors to motivated behaviour in mice, as a novel pharmacological target for motivational impairments. Touchscreen progressive ratio (PR) performance was facilitated by the nonselective muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine as well as the more subtype-selective antagonists biperiden (M1) and tropicamide (M4). However, scopolamine and tropicamide also produced increases in non-specific activity levels, whereas biperiden did not. A series of control tests suggests the effects of the mAChR antagonists were sensitive to changes in reward value and not driven by changes in satiety, motor fatigue, appetite or perseveration. Subsequently, a sub-effective dose of biperiden was able to facilitate the effects of amphetamine upon PR performance, suggesting an ability to enhance dopaminergic function. Both biperiden and scopolamine were also able to reverse a haloperidol-induced deficit in PR performance, however only biperiden was able to rescue the deficit in effort-related choice (ERC) performance. Taken together, these data suggest that the M1 mAChR may be a novel target for the pharmacological enhancement of effort exertion and consequent rescue of motivational impairments. Conversely, M4 receptors may inadvertently modulate effort exertion through regulation of general locomotor activity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Hailwood
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK
| | - Christopher J. Heath
- 0000000096069301grid.10837.3dSchool of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA UK
| | - Benjamin U. Phillips
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK
| | - Trevor W. Robbins
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK
| | - Lisa M. Saksida
- 0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON Canada
| | - Timothy J. Bussey
- 0000000121885934grid.5335.0Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB UK ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30Molecular Medicine Research Group, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON Canada ,0000 0004 1936 8884grid.39381.30The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON Canada
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22
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Lim J, Kim E, Noh HJ, Kang S, Phillips BU, Kim DG, Bussey TJ, Saksida L, Heath CJ, Kim CH. Assessment of mGluR5 KO mice under conditions of low stress using a rodent touchscreen apparatus reveals impaired behavioural flexibility driven by perseverative responses. Mol Brain 2019; 12:37. [PMID: 30971312 PMCID: PMC6458840 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-019-0441-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic and pharmacological manipulations targeting metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) affect performance in behavioural paradigms that depend on cognitive flexibility. Many of these studies involved exposing mice to highly stressful conditions including electric foot shocks or water immersion and forced swimming. Because mGluR5 is also implicated in resilience and stress responses, however, apparent impairments in inhibitory learning may have been an artifact of manipulation-induced changes in affective state. To address this, we present here a characterization of cognitive flexibility in mGluR5 knockout (KO) mice conducted with a rodent touchscreen cognitive assessment apparatus in which the animals experience significantly less stress. Our results indicate a significant reversal learning impairment relative to wild-type (WT) controls in the two-choice Visual Discrimination-Reversal (VDR) paradigm. Upon further analysis, we found that this deficit is primarily driven by a prolonged period of perseveration in the early phase of reversal. We also observed a similar perseveration phenotype in the KO mice in the Extinction (EXT) paradigm. In addition, mGluR5 KO mice show higher breakpoints in the touchscreen Progressive Ratio (PR) and altered decision making in the Effort-related Choice (ERC) tasks. Interestingly, this impairment in PR is an additional manifestation of an increased propensity to perseverate on the emission of relatively simplistic behavioural outputs. Together, these findings suggest that under conditions of low stress, mGluR5 KO mice exhibit a pronounced perseverative phenotype that blunts cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jisoo Lim
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Eosu Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioural Science in Medicine, BK21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Jong Noh
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Shinwon Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Benjamin U Phillips
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Dong Goo Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Lisa Saksida
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK.
| | - Chul Hoon Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea. .,Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
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23
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Piiponniemi TO, Parkkari T, Heikkinen T, Puoliväli J, Park LC, Cachope R, Kopanitsa MV. Impaired Performance of the Q175 Mouse Model of Huntington's Disease in the Touch Screen Paired Associates Learning Task. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:226. [PMID: 30333735 PMCID: PMC6176131 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive disturbances often predate characteristic motor dysfunction in individuals with Huntington’s disease (HD) and place an increasing burden on the HD patients and caregivers with the progression of the disorder. Therefore, application of maximally translational cognitive tests to animal models of HD is imperative for the development of treatments that could alleviate cognitive decline in human patients. Here, we examined the performance of the Q175 mouse knock-in model of HD in the touch screen version of the paired associates learning (PAL) task. We found that 10–11-month-old heterozygous Q175 mice had severely attenuated learning curve in the PAL task, which was conceptually similar to previously documented impaired performance of individuals with HD in the PAL task of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Besides high rate of errors in PAL task, Q175 mice exhibited considerably lower responding rate than age-matched wild-type (WT) animals. Our examination of effortful operant responding during fixed ratio (FR) and progressive ratio (PR) reinforcement schedules in a separate cohort of similar age confirmed slower and unselective performance of mutant animals, as observed during PAL task, but suggested that motivation to work for nutritional reward in the touch screen setting was similar in Q175 and WT mice. We also demonstrated that pronounced sensorimotor disturbances in Q175 mice can be detected at early touch screen testing stages, (e.g., during “Punish Incorrect” phase of operant pretraining), so we propose that shorter test routines may be utilised for more expedient studies of treatments aimed at the rescue of HD-related phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Larry C Park
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Roger Cachope
- CHDI Management/CHDI Foundation, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Maksym V Kopanitsa
- Charles River Discovery Services, Kuopio, Finland.,UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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24
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Phillips BU, Lopez-Cruz L, Hailwood J, Heath CJ, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ. Translational approaches to evaluating motivation in laboratory rodents: conventional and touchscreen-based procedures. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2017.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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25
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Optimisation of cognitive performance in rodent operant (touchscreen) testing: Evaluation and effects of reinforcer strength. Learn Behav 2018; 45:252-262. [PMID: 28205186 PMCID: PMC5565648 DOI: 10.3758/s13420-017-0260-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Operant testing is a widely used and highly effective method of studying cognition in rodents. Performance on such tasks is sensitive to reinforcer strength. It is therefore advantageous to select effective reinforcers to minimize training times and maximize experimental throughput. To quantitatively investigate the control of behavior by different reinforcers, performance of mice was tested with either strawberry milkshake or a known powerful reinforcer, super saccharin (1.5% or 2% (w/v) saccharin/1.5% (w/v) glucose/water mixture). Mice were tested on fixed (FR)- and progressive-ratio (PR) schedules in the touchscreen-operant testing system. Under an FR schedule, both the rate of responding and number of trials completed were higher in animals responding for strawberry milkshake versus super saccharin. Under a PR schedule, mice were willing to emit similar numbers of responses for strawberry milkshake and super saccharin; however, analysis of the rate of responding revealed a significantly higher rate of responding by animals reinforced with milkshake versus super saccharin. To determine the impact of reinforcer strength on cognitive performance, strawberry milkshake and super saccharin-reinforced animals were compared on a touchscreen visual discrimination task. Animals reinforced by strawberry milkshake were significantly faster to acquire the discrimination than animals reinforced by super saccharin. Taken together, these results suggest that strawberry milkshake is superior to super saccharin for operant behavioral testing and further confirms that the application of response rate analysis to multiple ratio tasks is a highly sensitive method for the detection of behavioral differences relevant to learning and motivation.
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26
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Horner AE, McLaughlin CL, Afinowi NO, Bussey TJ, Saksida LM, Komiyama NH, Grant SGN, Kopanitsa MV. Enhanced cognition and dysregulated hippocampal synaptic physiology in mice with a heterozygous deletion of PSD-95. Eur J Neurosci 2018; 47:164-176. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine L. McLaughlin
- Genes to Cognition Programme; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh UK
| | | | - Timothy J. Bussey
- Department of Psychology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
- The MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
- Molecular Medicine Research Group; Robarts Research Institute; London ON Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology; Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry; Western University; London ON Canada
| | - Lisa M. Saksida
- Department of Psychology; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
- The MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
- Molecular Medicine Research Group; Robarts Research Institute; London ON Canada
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology; Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry; Western University; London ON Canada
| | - Noboru H. Komiyama
- Genes to Cognition Programme; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh UK
| | - Seth G. N. Grant
- Genes to Cognition Programme; Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences; University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh UK
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27
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Kim EW, Phillips BU, Heath CJ, Cho SY, Kim H, Sreedharan J, Song HT, Lee JE, Bussey TJ, Kim CH, Kim E, Saksida LM. Optimizing reproducibility of operant testing through reinforcer standardization: identification of key nutritional constituents determining reward strength in touchscreens. Mol Brain 2017; 10:31. [PMID: 28716096 PMCID: PMC5512767 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-017-0312-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Reliable and reproducible assessment of animal learning and behavior is a central aim of basic and translational neuroscience research. Recent developments in automated operant chamber technology have led to the possibility of universal standard protocols, in addition to increased translational potential, reliability and accuracy. However, the impact of regional and national differences in the supplies of available reinforcers in this system on behavioural performance and inter-laboratory variability is an unknown and at present uncontrolled variable. Therefore, we aimed to identify which constituent(s) of the reward determines reinforcer strength to enable improved standardization of this parameter across laboratories. Male C57BL/6 mice were examined in the touchscreen-based fixed ratio (FR) and progressive ratio (PR) schedules, reinforced with different kinds of milk-based reinforcers to directly compare the incentive values of plain milk (PM, high-calorie: high-fat/low-sugar), strawberry-flavored milk (SM, high-calorie: low-fat/high-sugar), and semi-skimmed low-fat milk (LM, low-calorie: low-fat/low-sugar) on the basis of differences in caloric content, sugar/fat content, and flavor. Use of a higher caloric content reward was effective in increasing operant training acquisition rate. Total trial number completed in FR and breakpoint in PR were higher using the two isocaloric milk products (PM and SM) than the lower caloric LM, with comparable outcomes between PM and SM conditions, suggesting that total caloric content determines reward strength. Analysis of within-session changes in response rate revealed that overall outputs in FR and PR primarily depend on the response rate at the initial phase of a session, which itself was dependent on reinforcer caloric content. Interestingly, the rate of satiation, indicated by decay in response rate within a FR session, was highest when reinforced with SM, suggesting a rapid satiating effect of sugar. The key contribution of reward caloric content to operant performance was confirmed in a multi-laboratory study using the touchscreen 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) reinforced by two isocaloric milk-based liquid rewards with different countries of origin, which yielded consistent performance parameters across sites. Our results indicate that milk-based liquid reinforcer standardization can be facilitated by matching caloric content across laboratories despite regional or national differences in other non-caloric aspects of the reinforcers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Woo Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, BK21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Benjamin U Phillips
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Christopher J Heath
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - So Yeon Cho
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, BK21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunjeong Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, BK21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jemeen Sreedharan
- The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK.,Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 5 Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RT, UK
| | - Ho-Taek Song
- Department of Radiology, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Eun Lee
- Department of Anatomy, BK21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Chul Hoon Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, BK21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Eosu Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, BK21 Plus Project for Medical Sciences, Severance Biomedical Science Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1 Yonsei-ro, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea. .,Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,Molecular Medicine Research Laboratories, Robarts Research Institute & Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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28
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Piiponniemi TO, Bragge T, Vauhkonen EE, Vartiainen P, Puoliväli JT, Sweeney PJ, Kopanitsa MV. Acquisition and reversal of visual discrimination learning in APPSwDI/Nos2−/− (CVN) mice. Neurosci Lett 2017; 650:126-133. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.04.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 04/23/2017] [Accepted: 04/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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