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Groos D, Helmchen F. The lateral habenula: A hub for value-guided behavior. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113968. [PMID: 38522071 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113968] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The habenula is an evolutionarily highly conserved diencephalic brain region divided into two major parts, medial and lateral. Over the past two decades, studies of the lateral habenula (LHb), in particular, have identified key functions in value-guided behavior in health and disease. In this review, we focus on recent insights into LHb connectivity and its functional relevance for different types of aversive and appetitive value-guided behavior. First, we give an overview of the anatomical organization of the LHb and its main cellular composition. Next, we elaborate on how distinct LHb neuronal subpopulations encode aversive and appetitive stimuli and on their involvement in more complex decision-making processes. Finally, we scrutinize the afferent and efferent connections of the LHb and discuss their functional implications for LHb-dependent behavior. A deepened understanding of distinct LHb circuit components will substantially contribute to our knowledge of value-guided behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Groos
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Fritjof Helmchen
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program (URPP), Adaptive Brain Circuits in Development and Learning, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Huang H, Liu X, Wang L, Wang F. Whole-brain connections of glutamatergic neurons in the mouse lateral habenula in both sexes. Biol Sex Differ 2024; 15:37. [PMID: 38654275 PMCID: PMC11036720 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-024-00611-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The lateral habenula (LHb) is an epithalamus nucleus that is evolutionarily conserved and involved in various physiological functions, such as encoding value signals, integrating emotional information, and regulating related behaviors. The cells in the LHb are predominantly glutamatergic and have heterogeneous functions in response to different stimuli. The circuitry connections of the LHb glutamatergic neurons play a crucial role in integrating a wide range of events. However, the circuitry connections of LHb glutamatergic neurons in both sexes have not been thoroughly investigated. METHODS In this study, we injected Cre-dependent retrograde trace virus and anterograde synaptophysin-labeling virus into the LHb of adult male and female Vglut2-ires-Cre mice, respectively. We then quantitatively analyzed the input and output of the LHb glutamatergic connections in both the ipsilateral and contralateral whole brain. RESULTS Our findings showed that the inputs to LHbvGlut2 neurons come from more than 30 brain subregions, including the cortex, striatum, pallidum, thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain, pons, medulla, and cerebellum with no significant differences between males and females. The outputs of LHbvGlut2 neurons targeted eight large brain regions, primarily focusing on the midbrain and pons nuclei, with distinct features in presynaptic bouton across different brain subregions. While correlation and cluster analysis revealed differences in input and collateral projection features, the input-output connection pattern of LHbvGlut2 neurons in both sexes was highly similar. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a systematic and comprehensive analysis of the input and output connections of LHbvGlut2 neurons in male and female mice, shedding light on the anatomical architecture of these specific cell types in the mouse LHb. This structural understanding can help guide further investigations into the complex functions of the LHb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongren Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xue Liu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
| | - Liping Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institute of Brain Science, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Manipulation, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Connectome and Behavior, the Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 518055, Shenzhen, China.
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Bell D, Waldron VJ, Brown PL. Quantitative and qualitative sex difference in habenula-induced inhibition of midbrain dopamine neurons in the rat. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1289407. [PMID: 38025387 PMCID: PMC10679542 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1289407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Clinically relevant sex differences have been noted in a number of affective, behavioral, cognitive, and neurological health disorders. Midbrain dopamine neurons are implicated in several of these same disorders and consequently are under investigation for their potential role in the manifestation of these sex differences. The lateral habenula exerts significant inhibitory control over dopamine neuronal firing, yet little is known about sex differences in this particular neurocircuit. Methods We performed in vivo, single unit, extracellular recordings of dopamine neurons in female and male anesthetized rats in response to single pulse stimulation of the lateral habenula. In addition, we assessed baseline firing properties of lateral habenula neurons and, by immunochemical means, assessed the distribution of estrogen receptor alpha cells in the lateral habenula. Results Habenula-induced inhibition of dopamine neuronal firing is reduced in female rats relative to male rats. In addition, male rats had a higher prevalence of rebound excitation. Furthermore, the firing pattern of lateral habenula neurons was less variable in female rats, and female rats had a higher density of estrogen receptor alpha positive cells in the lateral habenula. Discussion We found that the dopamine neuronal response to habenular stimulation is both qualitatively and quantitatively different in female and male rats. These novel findings together with reports in the contemporary literature lead us to posit that the sex difference in dopamine inhibition seen here relate to differential firing properties of lateral habenula neurons resulting from the presence of sex hormones. Further work is needed to test this hypothesis, which may have implications for understanding the etiology of several mental health disorders including depression, schizophrenia, and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - P. Leon Brown
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Wang XY, Xu X, Chen R, Jia WB, Xu PF, Liu XQ, Zhang Y, Liu XF, Zhang Y. The thalamic reticular nucleus-lateral habenula circuit regulates depressive-like behaviors in chronic stress and chronic pain. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113170. [PMID: 37738124 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113170] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress and chronic pain are two major predisposing factors to trigger depression. Enhanced excitatory input to the lateral habenula (LHb) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. However, the contribution of inhibitory transmission remains unclear. Here, we dissect an inhibitory projection from the sensory thalamic reticular nucleus (sTRN) to the LHb, which is activated by acute aversive stimuli. However, chronic restraint stress (CRS) weakens sTRN-LHb synaptic strength, and this synaptic attenuation is indispensable for CRS-induced LHb neural hyperactivity and depression onset. Moreover, artificially inhibiting the sTRN-LHb circuit induces depressive-like behaviors in healthy mice, while enhancing this circuit relieves depression induced by both chronic stress and chronic pain. Intriguingly, neither neuropathic pain nor comorbid mechanical hypersensitivity in chronic stress is affected by this pathway. Altogether, our study demonstrates an sTRN-LHb circuit in establishing and modulating depression, thus shedding light on potential therapeutic targets for preventing or managing depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yue Wang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Xiang Xu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Rui Chen
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Wen-Bin Jia
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Peng-Fei Xu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China
| | - Xiao-Qing Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission of China, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
| | - Xin-Feng Liu
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China.
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Zhang Y, Ma L, Zhang X, Yue L, Wang J, Zheng J, Cui S, Liu FY, Wang Z, Wan Y, Yi M. Deep brain stimulation in the lateral habenula reverses local neuronal hyperactivity and ameliorates depression-like behaviors in rats. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 180:106069. [PMID: 36893902 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106069] [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: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising therapy for treatment-resistant depression, while mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain poorly defined. Increasing evidence has revealed an intimate association between the lateral habenula (LHb) and major depression, and suggests that the LHb might be an effective target of DBS therapy for depression. Here, we found that DBS in the LHb effectively decreased depression-like behaviors in rats experienced with chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), a well-accepted paradigm for modeling depression in rodents. In vivo electrophysiological recording unveiled that CUMS increased neuronal burst firing, as well as the proportion of neurons showing hyperactivity to aversive stimuli in the LHb. Nevertheless, DBS downregulated local field potential power, reversed the CUMS-induced increase of LHb burst firing and neuronal hyperactivity to aversive stimuli, and decreased the coherence between LHb and ventral tegmental area (VTA). Our results demonstrate that DBS in the LHb exerts antidepressant-like effects and reverses local neural hyperactivity, supporting the LHb as a target of DBS therapy for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Longyu Ma
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Xueying Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Lupeng Yue
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Shuang Cui
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Feng-Yu Liu
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Zhiyan Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing 100101, China; Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100101, China; National Engineering Laboratory for Neuromodulation, School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - You Wan
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China; Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong 226001, China.
| | - Ming Yi
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China; Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education/National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing 100083, PR China.
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Zhang GM, Wu HY, Cui WQ, Peng W. Multi-level variations of lateral habenula in depression: A comprehensive review of current evidence. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1043846. [PMID: 36386995 PMCID: PMC9649931 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1043846] [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: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research in recent decades, knowledge of the pathophysiology of depression in neural circuits remains limited. Recently, the lateral habenula (LHb) has been extensively reported to undergo a series of adaptive changes at multiple levels during the depression state. As a crucial relay in brain networks associated with emotion regulation, LHb receives excitatory or inhibitory projections from upstream brain regions related to stress and cognition and interacts with brain regions involved in emotion regulation. A series of pathological alterations induced by aberrant inputs cause abnormal function of the LHb, resulting in dysregulation of mood and motivation, which present with depressive-like phenotypes in rodents. Herein, we systematically combed advances from rodents, summarized changes in the LHb and related neural circuits in depression, and attempted to analyze the intrinsic logical relationship among these pathological alterations. We expect that this summary will greatly enhance our understanding of the pathological processes of depression. This is advantageous for fostering the understanding and screening of potential antidepressant targets against LHb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Ming Zhang
- College of Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Hong-Yun Wu
- First College of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.,Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Wen-Qiang Cui
- First College of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.,Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Wei Peng
- First College of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.,Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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