Effects of mood stabilizers on marble-burying behavior in mice: involvement of GABAergic system

Sex-Specific Behavioural Deficits in Adulthood following Acute Activation of the GABAA Receptor in the Neonatal Mouse

INTRODUCTION

Sex differences exist in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Part of the aetiology of NDDs has been proposed to be alterations in the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, leading to the question of whether males and females respond differently to altered neurotransmitter balance. We investigated whether pharmacological alteration of GABAA signalling in early development results in sex-dependent changes in adult behaviours associated with NDDs.

METHODS

Male and female C57BL/6J mice received intraperitoneal injections of 0.5 mg/kg muscimol or saline on postnatal days (P) 3-5 and were subjected to behavioural testing, specifically open field, light/dark box, marble-burying, sucralose preference, social interaction, and olfactory habituation/dishabituation tests between P60 and P90.

RESULTS

Early postnatal administration of muscimol resulted in reduced anxiety in the light/dark box test in both male and female adult mice. Muscimol reduced sucralose preference in males, but not females, whereas female mice showed reduced social behaviours. Regional alterations in cortical thickness were observed in the weeks following GABAA receptor activation, pointing to an evolving structural difference in the brain underlying adult behaviour.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that activation of the GABAA receptor in the first week of life resulted in long-lasting changes in a range of behaviours in adulthood following altered neurodevelopment. Sex of the individual affected the nature and severity of these abnormalities, explaining part of the varied pathophysiology and neurodevelopmental diagnosis that derive from excitatory/inhibitory imbalance.

Altered corticostriatal synchronization associated with compulsive-like behavior in APP/PS1 mice

Mild behavioral impairment (MBI), which can include compulsive behavior, is an early sign of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that 3-5-month-old APP/PS1 mice display obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)-like behavior. The number of parvalbumin-positive (PV) interneurons and level of high gamma (γ_high) oscillation are significantly decreased in the striatum of AD mice. This is accompanied by enhanced β-γ_high coupling and firing rates of putative striatal projection neurons (SPNs), indicating decorrelation between PV interneurons and SPNs. Local field potentials (LFPs) simultaneously recorded in prefrontal cortex (PFC) and striatum (Str) demonstrate a decrease in γ_high-band coherent activity and spike-field coherence in corticostriatal circuits of APP/PS1 mice. Furthermore, levels of GABA_B receptor (GABA_BR), but not GABA_A receptor (GABA_AR), and glutamatergic receptors, were markedly reduced, in line with presymptomatic AD-related behavioral changes. These findings suggest that MBI occurs as early as 3-5 months in APP/PS1 mice and that altered corticostriatal synchronization may play a role in mediating the behavioral phenotypes observed.

GABAA Alpha 2,3 Modulation Improves Select Phenotypes in a Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability. FXS is caused by functional loss of the Fragile X Protein (FXP), also known as Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP). In humans and animal models, loss of FXP leads to sensory hypersensitivity, increased susceptibility to seizures and cortical hyperactivity. Several components of the GABAergic system, the major inhibitory system in the brain, are dysregulated in FXS, and thus modulation of GABAergic transmission was suggested and tested as a treatment strategy. However, so far, clinical trials using broad spectrum GABA_A or GABA_B receptor-specific agonists have not yielded broad improvement of FXS phenotypes in humans. Here, we tested a more selective strategy in Fmr1 knockout (KO) mice using the experimental drug BAER-101, which is a selective GABA_A α2/α3 agonist. Our results suggest that BAER-101 reduces hyperexcitability of cortical circuits, partially corrects increased frequency-specific baseline cortical EEG power, reduces susceptibility to audiogenic seizures and improves novel object memory. Other Fmr1 KO-specific phenotypes were not improved by the drug, such as increased hippocampal dendritic spine density, open field activity and marble burying. Overall, this work shows that BAER-101 improves select phenotypes in Fmr1 KO mice and encourages further studies into the efficacy of GABA_A-receptor subunit-selective agonists for the treatment of FXS.

Influence of Diazepino[1,2-a]benzimidazole derivative (DAB-19) on behavioral aspects of animals

Introduction: Diazepino[1,2-a]benzimidazole derivatives showed anxiolytic (EPM, L/D box, Vogel test), antidepressant (Tail Suspension test, Porsolt test), anticonvulsant (Pentylenetetrazole-Induced seizures) and analgesic (Tail-Flick, Hot Plate) actions, which were described earlier (Spasov et al. 2020). 11-(4-tert-butylbenzyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro[1,3]diazepino[1,2-a]benzimidazole hydrobromide (compound DAB-19) has evident anxiolytic, antidepressant and anticonvulsant effects. In the present study, compound DAB-19 was screened for its influence on animals` behavior patterns, such as aggression, obsessive-compulsive behavior, emotional lability, and unsociability.

Materials and methods: 112 outbred white animals (rats and mice) were used. Compound DAB-19 (2.34 mg/kg, p.o.) and diazepam (2 mg/kg, p.o.) were injected to the treatment groups. Using an Open Field (OF) test, we evaluated a spontaneous motor activity, a search activity of mice and a degree of their emotionality. During a Marble Burying (MB) test, we monitored anxiolytic and anticompulsive effects of DAB-19. Using a Resident-intruder (RI) test, we evaluated a degree of aggression in the experimental animals, properties of their social interaction, as well as defensive and individual behavior.

Results and discussion: Compound DAB-19 has positive influence on the search activity, mood stabilizing activity and antiaggressive actions. Administration of both DAB-19 (2.34 mg/kg, p.o.) and diazepam (2 mg/kg, p.o.) reduced anxiety-like behavior in OP, RI and MB tests, as indicated by a significantly increased number of entries to the center of OP; a decreased number of marbles buried in MB and reduced aggressive behavior in RI. It was stated that using DAB-19 leads to a decrease in affective reactions of the animals – aggression, obsessive-compulsive behavior, neurotic condition and emotional instability.

Conclusions: The compound (DAB-19) produces anxiolytic-like effects, compared with those of diazepam, in various anxiety paradigms.

Large nest building and high marble-burying: Two compulsive-like phenotypes expressed by deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) and their unique response to serotoninergic and dopamine modulating intervention

This study aimed to further dissect the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii) model of compulsive-like behavior with respect to two persistent-like behavioral phenotypes viz. large nest building (LNB) and high marble-burying (HMB), which may be relevant to understanding the neurobiology of different symptom dimensions in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Since LNB is sensitive to chronic, high dose escitalopram intervention but HMB is not, we assessed whether the two behaviors could be further distinguished based on their response to 4 weeks of uninterrupted serotoninergic intervention (i.e. escitalopram; ESC; 50 mg/kg/day), dopaminergic antagonism, i.e. flupentixol; FLU; 0.9 mg/kg/day), dopaminergic potentiation (i.e. rasagiline; RAS; 5 mg/kg/day), and their respective combinations with escitalopram (ESC/FLU and ESC/RAS). Here we show LNB to be equally responsive to chronic ESC and ESC/FLU. HMB was insensitive to either of these interventions but was responsive to ESC/RAS. Additionally, we report that scoring preoccupied interaction with marbles over several trials is an appropriate measure of compulsive-like behavioral persistence in addition to the standard marble burying test. Taken together, these data provide further evidence that LNB and HMB in deer mice have distinctive neurobiological underpinnings. Thus, the naturally occurring compulsive-like behaviors expressed by deer mice may be useful in providing a platform to test unique treatment targets for different symptom dimensions of OCD and related disorders.

The selective 5-HT2A receptor agonist 25CN-NBOH: Structure-activity relationship, in vivo pharmacology, and in vitro and ex vivo binding characteristics of [3H]25CN-NBOH

The remarkable effects exhibited by classical psychedelics in recent clinical trials have spawned considerable interest in 5-HT_2A receptor (5-HT_2AR) activation as a treatment strategy for several psychiatric/cognitive disorders. In this study we have continued our development of 25CN-NBOH, one of the most 5-HT_2AR-selective agonists reported to date, as a pharmacological tool for exploration of 5-HT_2AR expression and functions. The importance of the 2' and 3' positions in 25CN-NBOH as structural hotspots for its 5-HT_2AR activity was investigated by synthesis and pharmacological characterization of six novel analogs at 5-HT_2AR and 5-HT_2CR in binding and functional assays. While the 5-HT_2AR activity of 25CN-NBOH was retained in 3'-methyl, 2',3'-chroman, 2',3'-dihydrofuran and 2',3'-furan analogs, the 3'-methoxy and 3'-ethyl analogs displayed substantially lower binding affinities and agonist potencies than 25CN-NBOH. Interestingly, the 2',3'-substitution pattern was also a key determinant of agonist efficacy, as all six analogs exhibited low-efficacy partial agonism or de facto antagonism at the 5-HT_2AR in the functional assays. Systemic administration of 25CN-NBOH and its close structural analog 25CN-NBMD induced robust head-twitch response in mice, a well-established behavioural effect of 5-HT_2AR activation in vivo, and 25CN-NBOH mediated robust reductions in the activity of mice in an anxiety-related marble burying assay, which supports the proposed beneficial effects of 5-HT_2AR activation on disorders characterized by cognitive rigidity. Finally, tritiated 25CN-NBOH exhibited high 5-HT_2AR binding affinity (K_D ~1 nM) and selectivity against 5-HT_2BR and 5-HT_2CR in equilibrium and kinetic binding studies of the recombinant receptors, and in concordance [³H]25CN-NBOH displayed substantial specific, ketanserin-sensitive binding to cortex and small levels of binding to choroid plexus in rat brain slices in autoradiography studies. In conclusion, this work delineates the subtle molecular determinants of the 5-HT_2AR activity in 25CN-NBOH, substantiates the potential in this compound and its analogs as tools for in vivo studies of the 5-HT_2AR, and introduces a novel selective agonist radioligand as another potentially valuable tool for future explorations of this receptor.

A critical inquiry into marble-burying as a preclinical screening paradigm of relevance for anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder: Mapping the way forward

Rodent marble-burying behavior in the marble-burying test (MBT) is employed as a model or measure to study anxiety- and compulsive-like behaviors or anxiolytic and anticompulsive drug action. However, the test responds variably to a range of pharmacological interventions, and little consensus exists regarding specific methodologies for its execution. Regardless, the test is widely applied to investigate the effects of pharmacological, genetic, and behavioral manipulations on purported behaviors related to the said neuropsychiatric constructs. Therefore, in the present review we attempt to expound the collective translational significance of the MBT. We do this by (1) reviewing burying behavior as a natural behavioral phenotype, (2) highlighting key aspects of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder from a translational perspective, (3) reviewing the history and proof of concept of the MBT, (4) critically appraising potential methodological confounds in execution of the MBT, and (5) dissecting responses of the MBT to various pharmacological interventions. We conclude by underlining that the collective translational value of the MBT will be strengthened by contextually valid experimental designs and objective reporting of data.

Anticonvulsants lamotrigine and riluzole disrupt maternal behavior in postpartum female rats

Maternal behavior is a highly motivated and well-organized social behavior. Previous studies have reported that anticonvulsants are frequently used in postpartum bipolar disorder. However, the maternal disruptive effect of the anticonvulsants has not been explored. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of anticonvulsants lamotrigine and riluzole on maternal behavior in postpartum female rats. On postpartum Day 3, Sprague-Dawley mother rats were given a single intraperitoneal injection of vehicle, lamotrigine (15, 25, 35 mg/kg), or riluzole (2, 4, 8 mg/kg). Maternal behavior was tested 30 min before and after injection. Animals treated with lamotrigine or riluzole had a longer pup retrieval latency, retrieved fewer pups into the nest, spent less time on nursing pups, as well as on building the disturbed nest, and animals treated with riluzole spent less time on pup licking. Whereas, the drugs in the tested doses did not shorten the total duration of behavior unrelated to maternal behavior. Overall, these data indicate that lamotrigine and riluzole disrupt major components of maternal behavior in postpartum female rats, but do not inhibit the behaviors unrelated to maternal behavior, which indicates that the maternal disruptive effect is not due to nonspecific sedative effect.

Ovarian Sex Hormones Modulate Compulsive, Affective and Cognitive Functions in A Non-Induced Mouse Model of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

There is currently a lack of understanding of how surgical menopause can influence obsessions, compulsions and associated affective and cognitive functions in female obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. Early menopause in women due to surgical removal of ovaries not only causes dramatic hormonal changes, but also may induce affective and cognitive disorders. Here, we tested if surgical removal of ovaries (ovariectomy, OVX), which mimics surgical menopause in humans, would result in exacerbation of compulsive, affective and cognitive behaviors in mice strains that exhibit a spontaneous compulsive-like phenotype. Female mice from compulsive-like BIG, non-compulsive SMALL and randomly-bred Control strains were subjected to OVX or sham-surgery. After 7 days animals were tested for nest building and marble burying to measure compulsive-like behavior. The elevated plus maze and open field tests measured anxiety-like behaviors, while memory was assessed by the novel object recognition. Acute OVX resulted in exacerbation of compulsive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in compulsive-like BIG mice. No significant effects of OVX were observed for the non-compulsive SMALL and Control strains. Object recognition memory was impaired in compulsive-like BIG female mice compared to the Control mice, without an effect of OVX on the BIG mice. We also tested whether 17 β-estradiol (E2) or progesterone (P4) could reverse the effects of OVX. E2, but not P4, attenuated the compulsive-like behaviors in compulsive-like BIG OVX female mice. The actions of the sex steroids on anxiety-like behaviors in OVX females were strain and behavioral test dependent. Altogether, our results indicate that already existing compulsions can be worsened during acute ovarian deprivation concomitant with exacerbation of affective behaviors and responses to hormonal intervention in OVX female mice can be influenced by genetic background.

Increased Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 Signaling Underlies Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder-like Behavioral and Striatal Circuit Abnormalities in Mice

BACKGROUND

Development of treatments for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is hampered by a lack of mechanistic understanding about this prevalent neuropsychiatric condition. Although circuit changes such as elevated frontostriatal activity are linked to OCD, the underlying molecular signaling that drives OCD-related behaviors remains largely unknown. Here, we examine the significance of type 5 metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR5s) for behavioral and circuit abnormalities relevant to OCD.

METHODS

Sapap3 knockout (KO) mice treated acutely with an mGluR5 antagonist were evaluated for OCD-relevant phenotypes of self-grooming, anxiety-like behaviors, and increased striatal activity. The role of mGluR5 in the striatal circuit abnormalities of Sapap3 KO mice was further explored using two-photon calcium imaging to monitor striatal output from the direct and indirect pathways. A contribution of constitutive signaling to increased striatal mGluR5 activity in Sapap3 KO mice was investigated using pharmacologic and biochemical approaches. Finally, sufficiency of mGluR5 to drive OCD-like behavior in wild-type mice was tested by potentiating mGluR5 with a positive allosteric modulator.

RESULTS

Excessive mGluR5 signaling underlies OCD-like behaviors and striatal circuit abnormalities in Sapap3 KO mice. Accordingly, enhancing mGluR5 activity acutely recapitulates these behavioral phenotypes in wild-type mice. In Sapap3 KO mice, elevated mGluR5 signaling is associated with constitutively active receptors and increased and imbalanced striatal output that is acutely corrected by antagonizing striatal mGluR5.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate a causal role for increased mGluR5 signaling in driving striatal output abnormalities and behaviors with relevance to OCD and show the tractability of acute mGluR5 inhibition to remedy circuit and behavioral abnormalities.

Behavioral characteristics of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 46-deficient mice

We have previously identified Usp46, which encodes for ubiquitin-specific peptidase 46, as a quantitative trait gene affecting the immobility time of mice in the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test. The mutation that we identified was a 3-bp deletion coding for lysine (Lys 92), and mice with this mutation (MT mice), as well as Usp46 KO mice exhibited shorter TST immobility times. Behavioral pharmacology suggests that the gamma aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptor is involved in regulating TST immobility time. In order to understand how far Usp46 controls behavioral phenotypes, which could be related to mental disorders in humans, we subjected Usp46 MT and KO mice to multiple behavioral tests, including the open field test, ethanol preference test, ethanol-induced loss of righting reflex test, sucrose preference test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, marble burying test, and novel object recognition test. Although behavioral phenotypes of the Usp46 MT and KO mice were not always identical, deficiency of Usp46 significantly affected performance in all these tests. In the open field test, activity levels were lower in Usp46 KO mice than wild type (WT) or MT mice. Both MT and KO mice showed lower ethanol preference and shorter recovery times after ethanol administration. Compared to WT mice, Usp46 MT and KO mice exhibited decreased sucrose preference, took longer latency periods to bite pellets, and buried more marbles in the sucrose preference test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, and marble burying test, respectively. In the novel object recognition test, neither MT nor KO mice showed an increase in exploration of a new object 24 hours after training. These findings indicate that Usp46 regulates a wide range of behavioral phenotypes that might be related to human mental disorders and provides insight into the function of USP46 deubiquitinating enzyme in the neural system.