1
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Brown RE. Measuring the replicability of our own research. J Neurosci Methods 2024; 406:110111. [PMID: 38521128 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2024.110111] [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: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
In the study of transgenic mouse models of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, we use batteries of tests to measure deficits in behaviour and from the results of these tests, we make inferences about the mental states of the mice that we interpret as deficits in "learning", "memory", "anxiety", "depression", etc. This paper discusses the problems of determining whether a particular transgenic mouse is a valid mouse model of disease X, the problem of background strains, and the question of whether our behavioural tests are measuring what we say they are. The problem of the reliability of results is then discussed: are they replicable between labs and can we replicate our results in our own lab? This involves the study of intra- and inter- experimenter reliability. The variables that influence replicability and the importance of conducting a complete behavioural phenotype: sensory, motor, cognitive and social emotional behaviour are discussed. Then the thorny question of failure to replicate is examined: Is it a curse or a blessing? Finally, the role of failure in research and what it tells us about our research paradigms is examined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard E Brown
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
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2
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Gencturk S, Unal G. Rodent tests of depression and anxiety: Construct validity and translational relevance. COGNITIVE, AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 24:191-224. [PMID: 38413466 PMCID: PMC11039509 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-024-01171-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral testing constitutes the primary method to measure the emotional states of nonhuman animals in preclinical research. Emerging as the characteristic tool of the behaviorist school of psychology, behavioral testing of animals, particularly rodents, is employed to understand the complex cognitive and affective symptoms of neuropsychiatric disorders. Following the symptom-based diagnosis model of the DSM, rodent models and tests of depression and anxiety focus on behavioral patterns that resemble the superficial symptoms of these disorders. While these practices provided researchers with a platform to screen novel antidepressant and anxiolytic drug candidates, their construct validity-involving relevant underlying mechanisms-has been questioned. In this review, we present the laboratory procedures used to assess depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors in rats and mice. These include constructs that rely on stress-triggered responses, such as behavioral despair, and those that emerge with nonaversive training, such as cognitive bias. We describe the specific behavioral tests that are used to assess these constructs and discuss the criticisms on their theoretical background. We review specific concerns about the construct validity and translational relevance of individual behavioral tests, outline the limitations of the traditional, symptom-based interpretation, and introduce novel, ethologically relevant frameworks that emphasize simple behavioral patterns. Finally, we explore behavioral monitoring and morphological analysis methods that can be integrated into behavioral testing and discuss how they can enhance the construct validity of these tests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sinem Gencturk
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University, 34342, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gunes Unal
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University, 34342, Istanbul, Turkey.
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3
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Nigri M, Bramati G, Steiner AC, Wolfer DP. Appetitively motivated tasks in the IntelliCage reveal a higher motivational cost of spatial learning in male than female mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 18:1270159. [PMID: 38487348 PMCID: PMC10938600 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2024.1270159] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The IntelliCage (IC) permits the assessment of the behavior and learning abilities of mice in a social home cage context. To overcome water deprivation as an aversive driver of learning, we developed protocols in which spatial learning is motivated appetitively by the preference of mice for sweetened over plain water. While plain water is available at all times, only correct task responses give access to sweetened water rewards. Under these conditions, C57BL/6J mice successfully mastered a corner preference task with the reversal and also learned a more difficult time-place task with reversal. However, the rate of responding to sweetened water decreased strongly with increasing task difficulty, indicating that learning challenges and reduced success in obtaining rewards decreased the motivation of the animals to seek sweetened water. While C57BL/6J mice of both sexes showed similar initial taste preferences and learned similarly well in simple learning tasks, the rate of responding to sweetened water and performance dropped more rapidly in male than in female mice in response to increasing learning challenges. Taken together, our data indicate that male mice can have a disadvantage relative to females in mastering difficult, appetitively motivated learning tasks, likely due to sex differences in value-based decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Nigri
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Bramati
- Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Adrian C. Steiner
- Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David P. Wolfer
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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4
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Eisenberg T, Shein-Idelson M. ReptiLearn: An automated home cage system for behavioral experiments in reptiles without human intervention. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002411. [PMID: 38422162 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding behavior and its evolutionary underpinnings is crucial for unraveling the complexities of brain function. Traditional approaches strive to reduce behavioral complexity by designing short-term, highly constrained behavioral tasks with dichotomous choices in which animals respond to defined external perturbation. In contrast, natural behaviors evolve over multiple time scales during which actions are selected through bidirectional interactions with the environment and without human intervention. Recent technological advancements have opened up new possibilities for experimental designs that more closely mirror natural behaviors by replacing stringent experimental control with accurate multidimensional behavioral analysis. However, these approaches have been tailored to fit only a small number of species. This specificity limits the experimental opportunities offered by species diversity. Further, it hampers comparative analyses that are essential for extracting overarching behavioral principles and for examining behavior from an evolutionary perspective. To address this limitation, we developed ReptiLearn-a versatile, low-cost, Python-based solution, optimized for conducting automated long-term experiments in the home cage of reptiles, without human intervention. In addition, this system offers unique features such as precise temperature measurement and control, live prey reward dispensers, engagement with touch screens, and remote control through a user-friendly web interface. Finally, ReptiLearn incorporates low-latency closed-loop feedback allowing bidirectional interactions between animals and their environments. Thus, ReptiLearn provides a comprehensive solution for researchers studying behavior in ectotherms and beyond, bridging the gap between constrained laboratory settings and natural behavior in nonconventional model systems. We demonstrate the capabilities of ReptiLearn by automatically training the lizard Pogona vitticeps on a complex spatial learning task requiring association learning, displaced reward learning, and reversal learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tal Eisenberg
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry, and Biophysics, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Mark Shein-Idelson
- School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry, and Biophysics, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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5
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Miyazaki Y, Otsuka T, Yamagata Y, Endo T, Sanbo M, Sano H, Kobayashi K, Inahashi H, Kornau HC, Schmitz D, Prüss H, Meijer D, Hirabayashi M, Fukata Y, Fukata M. Oligodendrocyte-derived LGI3 and its receptor ADAM23 organize juxtaparanodal Kv1 channel clustering for short-term synaptic plasticity. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113634. [PMID: 38194969 PMCID: PMC10828548 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113634] [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: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as intellectual disability (ID), epilepsy, and autism, involve altered synaptic transmission and plasticity. Functional characterization of their associated genes is vital for understanding physio-pathological brain functions. LGI3 is a recently recognized ID-associated gene encoding a secretory protein related to an epilepsy-gene product, LGI1. Here, we find that LGI3 is uniquely secreted from oligodendrocytes in the brain and enriched at juxtaparanodes of myelinated axons, forming nanoscale subclusters. Proteomic analysis using epitope-tagged Lgi3 knockin mice shows that LGI3 uses ADAM23 as a receptor and selectively co-assembles with Kv1 channels. A lack of Lgi3 in mice disrupts juxtaparanodal clustering of ADAM23 and Kv1 channels and suppresses Kv1-channel-mediated short-term synaptic plasticity. Collectively, this study identifies an extracellular organizer of juxtaparanodal Kv1 channel clustering for finely tuned synaptic transmission. Given the defective secretion of the LGI3 missense variant, we propose a molecular pathway, the juxtaparanodal LGI3-ADAM23-Kv1 channel, for understanding neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri Miyazaki
- Division of Neuropharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; Division of Membrane Physiology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Takeshi Otsuka
- Section of Cellular Electrophysiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan; Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Yoko Yamagata
- Section of Multilayer Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | | | - Makoto Sanbo
- Section of Mammalian Transgenesis, Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Hiromi Sano
- Division of Behavioral Neuropharmacology, International Center for Brain Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake, Aichi 470-1192, Japan
| | - Kenta Kobayashi
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Section of Viral Vector Development, Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Hiroki Inahashi
- Division of Membrane Physiology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Hans-Christian Kornau
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Neuroscience Research Center (NWFZ), Cluster NeuroCure, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dietmar Schmitz
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Neuroscience Research Center (NWFZ), Cluster NeuroCure, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Harald Prüss
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) Berlin, Berlin, Germany; Helmholtz Innovation Lab BaoBab (Brain Antibody-omics and B-cell Lab), Berlin, Germany; Department of Neurology and Experimental Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dies Meijer
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK; Muir Maxwell Epilepsy Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Masumi Hirabayashi
- Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan; Section of Mammalian Transgenesis, Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Yuko Fukata
- Division of Membrane Physiology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan; Division of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
| | - Masaki Fukata
- Division of Neuropharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan; Division of Membrane Physiology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan; Graduate Institute for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan.
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6
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Lipp HP, Krackow S, Turkes E, Benner S, Endo T, Russig H. IntelliCage: the development and perspectives of a mouse- and user-friendly automated behavioral test system. Front Behav Neurosci 2024; 17:1270538. [PMID: 38235003 PMCID: PMC10793385 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1270538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
IntelliCage for mice is a rodent home-cage equipped with four corner structures harboring symmetrical double panels for operant conditioning at each of the two sides, either by reward (access to water) or by aversion (non-painful stimuli: air-puffs, LED lights). Corner visits, nose-pokes and actual licks at bottle-nipples are recorded individually using subcutaneously implanted transponders for RFID identification of up to 16 adult mice housed in the same home-cage. This allows for recording individual in-cage activity of mice and applying reward/punishment operant conditioning schemes in corners using workflows designed on a versatile graphic user interface. IntelliCage development had four roots: (i) dissatisfaction with standard approaches for analyzing mouse behavior, including standardization and reproducibility issues, (ii) response to handling and housing animal welfare issues, (iii) the increasing number of mouse models had produced a high work burden on classic manual behavioral phenotyping of single mice. and (iv), studies of transponder-chipped mice in outdoor settings revealed clear genetic behavioral differences in mouse models corresponding to those observed by classic testing in the laboratory. The latter observations were important for the development of home-cage testing in social groups, because they contradicted the traditional belief that animals must be tested under social isolation to prevent disturbance by other group members. The use of IntelliCages reduced indeed the amount of classic testing remarkably, while its flexibility was proved in a wide range of applications worldwide including transcontinental parallel testing. Essentially, two lines of testing emerged: sophisticated analysis of spontaneous behavior in the IntelliCage for screening of new genetic models, and hypothesis testing in many fields of behavioral neuroscience. Upcoming developments of the IntelliCage aim at improved stimulus presentation in the learning corners and videotracking of social interactions within the IntelliCage. Its main advantages are (i) that mice live in social context and are not stressfully handled for experiments, (ii) that studies are not restricted in time and can run in absence of humans, (iii) that it increases reproducibility of behavioral phenotyping worldwide, and (iv) that the industrial standardization of the cage permits retrospective data analysis with new statistical tools even after many years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Peter Lipp
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sven Krackow
- Institute of Pathology and Molecular Pathology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Emir Turkes
- Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Seico Benner
- Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Ibaraki, Japan
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7
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Gyles TM, Nestler EJ, Parise EM. Advancing preclinical chronic stress models to promote therapeutic discovery for human stress disorders. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:215-226. [PMID: 37349475 PMCID: PMC10700361 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01625-0] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to develop more effective treatments for stress-related illnesses, which include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety. We view animal models as playing an essential role in this effort, but to date, such approaches have generally not succeeded in developing therapeutics with new mechanisms of action. This is partly due to the complexity of the brain and its disorders, but also to inherent difficulties in modeling human disorders in rodents and to the incorrect use of animal models: namely, trying to recapitulate a human syndrome in a rodent which is likely not possible as opposed to using animals to understand underlying mechanisms and evaluating potential therapeutic paths. Recent transcriptomic research has established the ability of several different chronic stress procedures in rodents to recapitulate large portions of the molecular pathology seen in postmortem brain tissue of individuals with depression. These findings provide crucial validation for the clear relevance of rodent stress models to better understand the pathophysiology of human stress disorders and help guide therapeutic discovery. In this review, we first discuss the current limitations of preclinical chronic stress models as well as traditional behavioral phenotyping approaches. We then explore opportunities to dramatically enhance the translational use of rodent stress models through the application of new experimental technologies. The goal of this review is to promote the synthesis of these novel approaches in rodents with human cell-based approaches and ultimately with early-phase proof-of-concept studies in humans to develop more effective treatments for human stress disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevonn M Gyles
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Eric J Nestler
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA
| | - Eric M Parise
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience & Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
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8
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Nwokedi EI, Bains RS, Bidaut L, Ye X, Wells S, Brown JM. Dual-Stream Spatiotemporal Networks with Feature Sharing for Monitoring Animals in the Home Cage. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:9532. [PMID: 38067907 PMCID: PMC10708582 DOI: 10.3390/s23239532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
This paper presents a spatiotemporal deep learning approach for mouse behavioral classification in the home-cage. Using a series of dual-stream architectures with assorted modifications for optimal performance, we introduce a novel feature sharing approach that jointly processes the streams at regular intervals throughout the network. The dataset in focus is an annotated, publicly available dataset of a singly-housed mouse. We achieved even better classification accuracy by ensembling the best performing models; an Inception-based network and an attention-based network, both of which utilize this feature sharing attribute. Furthermore, we demonstrate through ablation studies that for all models, the feature sharing architectures consistently outperform the conventional dual-stream having standalone streams. In particular, the inception-based architectures showed higher feature sharing gains with their increase in accuracy anywhere between 6.59% and 15.19%. The best-performing models were also further evaluated on other mouse behavioral datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezechukwu Israel Nwokedi
- School of Computer Science, College of Science, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK (J.M.B.)
| | | | - Luc Bidaut
- Independent Researcher, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
| | - Xujiong Ye
- School of Computer Science, College of Science, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK (J.M.B.)
| | - Sara Wells
- Mary Lyon Centre at MRC Harwell, Oxfordshire OX11 0RD, UK
| | - James M. Brown
- School of Computer Science, College of Science, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK (J.M.B.)
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9
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Ma X, Schildknecht B, Steiner AC, Amrein I, Nigri M, Bramati G, Wolfer DP. Refinement of IntelliCage protocols for complex cognitive tasks through replacement of drinking restrictions by incentive-disincentive paradigms. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1232546. [PMID: 38033480 PMCID: PMC10687469 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1232546] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The IntelliCage allows automated testing of cognitive abilities of mice in a social home cage environment without handling by human experimenters. Restricted water access in combination with protocols in which only correct responses give access to water is a reliable learning motivator for hippocampus-dependent tasks assessing spatial memory and executive function. However, water restriction may negatively impact on animal welfare, especially in poor learners. To better comply with the 3R principles, we previously tested protocols in which water was freely available but additional access to sweetened water could be obtained by learning a task rule. While this purely appetitive motivation worked for simple tasks, too many mice lost interest in the sweet reward during more difficult hippocampus-dependent tasks. In the present study, we tested a battery of increasingly difficult spatial tasks in which water was still available without learning the task rule, but rendered less attractive either by adding bitter tasting quinine or by increasing the amount of work to obtain it. As in previous protocols, learning of the task rule provided access to water sweetened with saccharin. The two approaches of dual motivation were tested in two cohorts of female C57BL/6 N mice. Compared to purely appetitive motivation, both novel protocols strongly improved task engagement and increased task performance. Importantly, neither of the added disincentives had an adverse impact on liquid consumption, health status or body weight of the animals. Our results show that it is possible to refine test protocols in the IntelliCage so that they challenge cognitive functions without restricting access to water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueqian Ma
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Schildknecht
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Adrian C. Steiner
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Irmgard Amrein
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martina Nigri
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Bramati
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David P. Wolfer
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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10
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Najafian Jazi M, Tymorek A, Yen TY, Jose Kavarayil F, Stingl M, Chau SR, Baskurt B, García Vilela C, Allen K. Hippocampal firing fields anchored to a moving object predict homing direction during path-integration-based behavior. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7373. [PMID: 37968268 PMCID: PMC10651862 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42642-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Homing based on path integration (H-PI) is a form of navigation in which an animal uses self-motion cues to keep track of its position and return to a starting point. Despite evidence for a role of the hippocampus in homing behavior, the hippocampal spatial representations associated with H-PI are largely unknown. Here we developed a homing task (AutoPI task) that required a mouse to find a randomly placed lever on an arena before returning to its home base. Recordings from the CA1 area in male mice showed that hippocampal neurons remap between random foraging and AutoPI task, between trials in light and dark conditions, and between search and homing behavior. During the AutoPI task, approximately 25% of the firing fields were anchored to the lever position. The activity of 24% of the cells with a lever-anchored field predicted the homing direction of the animal on each trial. Our results demonstrate that the activity of hippocampal neurons with object-anchored firing fields predicts homing behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Najafian Jazi
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Adrian Tymorek
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ting-Yun Yen
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Jose Kavarayil
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Moritz Stingl
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sherman Richard Chau
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Benay Baskurt
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Celia García Vilela
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kevin Allen
- Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
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11
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Cirzi C, Dyckow J, Legrand C, Schott J, Guo W, Perez Hernandez D, Hisaoka M, Parlato R, Pitzer C, van der Hoeven F, Dittmar G, Helm M, Stoecklin G, Schirmer L, Lyko F, Tuorto F. Queuosine-tRNA promotes sex-dependent learning and memory formation by maintaining codon-biased translation elongation speed. EMBO J 2023; 42:e112507. [PMID: 37609797 PMCID: PMC10548180 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022112507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Queuosine (Q) is a modified nucleoside at the wobble position of specific tRNAs. In mammals, queuosinylation is facilitated by queuine uptake from the gut microbiota and is introduced into tRNA by the QTRT1-QTRT2 enzyme complex. By establishing a Qtrt1 knockout mouse model, we discovered that the loss of Q-tRNA leads to learning and memory deficits. Ribo-Seq analysis in the hippocampus of Qtrt1-deficient mice revealed not only stalling of ribosomes on Q-decoded codons, but also a global imbalance in translation elongation speed between codons that engage in weak and strong interactions with their cognate anticodons. While Q-dependent molecular and behavioral phenotypes were identified in both sexes, female mice were affected more severely than males. Proteomics analysis confirmed deregulation of synaptogenesis and neuronal morphology. Together, our findings provide a link between tRNA modification and brain functions and reveal an unexpected role of protein synthesis in sex-dependent cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cansu Cirzi
- Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)HeidelbergGermany
- Faculty of BiosciencesHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Julia Dyckow
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
- Interdisciplinary Center for NeurosciencesHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | - Carine Legrand
- Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)HeidelbergGermany
- Université Paris Cité, Génomes, Biologie Cellulaire et Thérapeutique U944, INSERM, CNRSParisFrance
| | - Johanna Schott
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH)DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceHeidelbergGermany
- Division of Biochemistry, Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC), Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
| | - Wei Guo
- Faculty of BiosciencesHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH)DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceHeidelbergGermany
- Division of Biochemistry, Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC), Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
| | | | - Miharu Hisaoka
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH)DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceHeidelbergGermany
- Division of Biochemistry, Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC), Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
| | - Rosanna Parlato
- Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim Center for Translational NeurosciencesHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
| | - Claudia Pitzer
- Interdisciplinary Neurobehavioral Core (INBC), Medical Faculty HeidelbergHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
| | | | - Gunnar Dittmar
- Department of Infection and ImmunityLuxembourg Institute of HealthStrassenLuxembourg
- Department of Life Sciences and MedicineUniversity of LuxembourgLuxembourg
| | - Mark Helm
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Science (IPBS)Johannes Gutenberg‐University MainzMainzGermany
| | - Georg Stoecklin
- Faculty of BiosciencesHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH)DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceHeidelbergGermany
- Division of Biochemistry, Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC), Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
| | - Lucas Schirmer
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
- Interdisciplinary Center for NeurosciencesHeidelberg UniversityHeidelbergGermany
- Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience and Institute for Innate Immunoscience, Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
| | - Frank Lyko
- Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)HeidelbergGermany
| | - Francesca Tuorto
- Division of Epigenetics, DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceGerman Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)HeidelbergGermany
- Center for Molecular Biology of Heidelberg University (ZMBH)DKFZ‐ZMBH AllianceHeidelbergGermany
- Division of Biochemistry, Mannheim Institute for Innate Immunoscience (MI3), Mannheim Cancer Center (MCC), Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
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12
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Lang B, Kahnau P, Hohlbaum K, Mieske P, Andresen NP, Boon MN, Thöne-Reineke C, Lewejohann L, Diederich K. Challenges and advanced concepts for the assessment of learning and memory function in mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1230082. [PMID: 37809039 PMCID: PMC10551171 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1230082] [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: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the formation and retrieval of memories are still an active area of research and discussion. Manifold models have been proposed and refined over the years, with most assuming a dichotomy between memory processes involving non-conscious and conscious mechanisms. Despite our incomplete understanding of the underlying mechanisms, tests of memory and learning count among the most performed behavioral experiments. Here, we will discuss available protocols for testing learning and memory using the example of the most prevalent animal species in research, the laboratory mouse. A wide range of protocols has been developed in mice to test, e.g., object recognition, spatial learning, procedural memory, sequential problem solving, operant- and fear conditioning, and social recognition. Those assays are carried out with individual subjects in apparatuses such as arenas and mazes, which allow for a high degree of standardization across laboratories and straightforward data interpretation but are not without caveats and limitations. In animal research, there is growing concern about the translatability of study results and animal welfare, leading to novel approaches beyond established protocols. Here, we present some of the more recent developments and more advanced concepts in learning and memory testing, such as multi-step sequential lockboxes, assays involving groups of animals, as well as home cage-based assays supported by automated tracking solutions; and weight their potential and limitations against those of established paradigms. Shifting the focus of learning tests from the classical experimental chamber to settings which are more natural for rodents comes with a new set of challenges for behavioral researchers, but also offers the opportunity to understand memory formation and retrieval in a more conclusive way than has been attainable with conventional test protocols. We predict and embrace an increase in studies relying on methods involving a higher degree of automatization, more naturalistic- and home cage-based experimental setting as well as more integrated learning tasks in the future. We are confident these trends are suited to alleviate the burden on animal subjects and improve study designs in memory research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Lang
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Animal Welfare, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
| | - Pia Kahnau
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Hohlbaum
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Paul Mieske
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Animal Welfare, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Niek P. Andresen
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Computer Vision and Remote Sensing, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus N. Boon
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Modeling of Cognitive Processes, Technical University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christa Thöne-Reineke
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Animal Welfare, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute for Animal Welfare, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Science of Intelligence, Research Cluster of Excellence, Berlin, Germany
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Diederich
- Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
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13
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Bramati G, Stauffer P, Nigri M, Wolfer DP, Amrein I. Environmental enrichment improves hippocampus-dependent spatial learning in female C57BL/6 mice in novel IntelliCage sweet reward-based behavioral tests. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1256744. [PMID: 37791111 PMCID: PMC10543696 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1256744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The IntelliCage is an automated home-cage system that allows researchers to investigate the spontaneous behavior and learning abilities of group-housed mice. The IntelliCage enables us to increase the standardization and reproducibility of behavioral outcomes by the omission of experimenter-mouse interactions. Although the IntelliCage provides a less stressful environment for animals, standard IntelliCage protocols use controlled water access as the motivational driver for learning. To overcome possible water restrictions in slow learners, we developed a series of novel protocols based on appetitive learning, in which mice had permanent access to plain water but were additionally rewarded with sweetened water upon solving the task. C57BL/6NCrl female mice were used to assess the efficacy of these sweet reward-based protocols in a series of learning tasks. Compared to control mice tested with standard protocols, mice motivated with a sweet reward did equal to or better in operant performance and place learning tasks. Learning of temporal rules was slower than that in controls. When faced with a combined temporal x spatial working memory task, sweet-rewarded mice learned little and chose plain water. In a second set of experiments, the impact of environmental enrichment on appetitive learning was tested. Mice kept under enriched environment (EE) or standard housing (SH) conditions prior to the IntelliCage experiments performed similarly in the sweet-rewarded place learning task. EE mice performed better in the hippocampus-dependent spatial working memory task. The improved performance of EE mice in the hippocampus-dependent spatial working memory task might be explained by the observed larger volume of their mossy fibers. Our results confirm that environmental enrichment increases complex spatial learning abilities and leads to long-lasting morphological changes in the hippocampus. Furthermore, simple standard IntelliCage protocols could easily be adapted to sweet rewards, which improve animal welfare by removing the possibility of water restriction. However, complex behavioral tasks motivated by sweet reward-based learning need further adjustments to reach the same efficacy as standard protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Bramati
- Division Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pia Stauffer
- Division Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Martina Nigri
- Division Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David P. Wolfer
- Division Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Irmgard Amrein
- Division Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
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14
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Parsons MH, Stryjek R, Fendt M, Kiyokawa Y, Bebas P, Blumstein DT. Making a case for the free exploratory paradigm: animal welfare-friendly assays that enhance heterozygosity and ecological validity. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1228478. [PMID: 37600759 PMCID: PMC10436217 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1228478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael H. Parsons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, Bronx, NY, United States
| | - Rafal Stryjek
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Markus Fendt
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Yasushi Kiyokawa
- Laboratory of Veterinary Ethology, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Piotr Bebas
- Department of Animal Physiology, Institute of Functional Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Daniel T. Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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15
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Plum T, Binzberger R, Thiele R, Shang F, Postrach D, Fung C, Fortea M, Stakenborg N, Wang Z, Tappe-Theodor A, Poth T, MacLaren DAA, Boeckxstaens G, Kuner R, Pitzer C, Monyer H, Xin C, Bonventre JV, Tanaka S, Voehringer D, Vanden Berghe P, Strid J, Feyerabend TB, Rodewald HR. Mast cells link immune sensing to antigen-avoidance behaviour. Nature 2023; 620:634-642. [PMID: 37438525 PMCID: PMC10432277 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06188-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The physiological functions of mast cells remain largely an enigma. In the context of barrier damage, mast cells are integrated in type 2 immunity and, together with immunoglobulin E (IgE), promote allergic diseases. Allergic symptoms may, however, facilitate expulsion of allergens, toxins and parasites and trigger future antigen avoidance1-3. Here, we show that antigen-specific avoidance behaviour in inbred mice4,5 is critically dependent on mast cells; hence, we identify the immunological sensor cell linking antigen recognition to avoidance behaviour. Avoidance prevented antigen-driven adaptive, innate and mucosal immune activation and inflammation in the stomach and small intestine. Avoidance was IgE dependent, promoted by Th2 cytokines in the immunization phase and by IgE in the execution phase. Mucosal mast cells lining the stomach and small intestine rapidly sensed antigen ingestion. We interrogated potential signalling routes between mast cells and the brain using mutant mice, pharmacological inhibition, neural activity recordings and vagotomy. Inhibition of leukotriene synthesis impaired avoidance, but overall no single pathway interruption completely abrogated avoidance, indicating complex regulation. Collectively, the stage for antigen avoidance is set when adaptive immunity equips mast cells with IgE as a telltale of past immune responses. On subsequent antigen ingestion, mast cells signal termination of antigen intake. Prevention of immunopathology-causing, continuous and futile responses against per se innocuous antigens or of repeated ingestion of toxins through mast-cell-mediated antigen-avoidance behaviour may be an important arm of immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Plum
- Division for Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Rebecca Binzberger
- Division for Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robin Thiele
- Division for Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fuwei Shang
- Division for Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Postrach
- Division for Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Candice Fung
- Laboratory for Enteric NeuroScience Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marina Fortea
- Laboratory for Enteric NeuroScience Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Stakenborg
- Laboratory for Intestinal Neuroimmune Interactions, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Zheng Wang
- Laboratory for Intestinal Neuroimmune Interactions, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Tanja Poth
- Center for Model System and Comparative Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Duncan A A MacLaren
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology of the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Guy Boeckxstaens
- Laboratory for Intestinal Neuroimmune Interactions, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rohini Kuner
- Pharmacology Institute, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Claudia Pitzer
- Interdisciplinary Neurobehavioral Core, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hannah Monyer
- Department of Clinical Neurobiology of the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cuiyan Xin
- Division of Renal Medicine and Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joseph V Bonventre
- Division of Renal Medicine and Division of Engineering in Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Satoshi Tanaka
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Division of Pathological Sciences, Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - David Voehringer
- Department of Infection Biology, University Hospital Erlangen and Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Pieter Vanden Berghe
- Laboratory for Enteric NeuroScience Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jessica Strid
- Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Thorsten B Feyerabend
- Division for Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hans-Reimer Rodewald
- Division for Cellular Immunology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
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16
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Frycz BA, Nowicka K, Konopka A, Hoener MC, Bulska E, Kaczmarek L, Stefaniuk M. Activation of trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) transiently reduces alcohol drinking in socially housed mice. Addict Biol 2023; 28:e13285. [PMID: 37369127 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol dependence is characterized by the abnormal release of dopamine in the brain reward-related areas. Trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) is a G protein-coupled receptor that negatively regulates dopamine neurotransmission and thus is a promising target in the treatment of drug addiction. However, the role of TAAR1 in the regulation of alcohol abuse remains understudied. Here, we assessed the effect of TAAR1 activation on alcohol drinking behaviours of C57Bl/6J female mice housed in IntelliCages. The animals were administered with either vehicle or TAAR1 full selective agonist, RO5256390, and tested for alcohol consumption, alcohol preference and motivation for alcohol seeking. We found that mice with the highest preference for alcohol (high drinkers) in the RO5256390 group consumed less alcohol and had lower alcohol preference in comparison with high drinkers in the vehicle group, during 20 h of free alcohol access (FAA). We also found decreased alcohol consumption and alcohol preference comparing all animals in the RO5256390 to all animals in the vehicle group, during 20 h of FAA performed after the abstinence. These effects of RO5256390 lasted for the first 24 h after administration that roughly corresponded to the compound level in the brain, measured by mass spectrometry. Finally, we found that administration of RO5256390 may attenuate motivation for alcohol seeking. Taken together, our findings reveal that activation of TAAR1 may transiently reduce alcohol drinking; thus, TAAR1 is a promising target for the treatment of alcohol abuse and relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartosz Adam Frycz
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Laboratory of Cell Biophysics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Klaudia Nowicka
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Anna Konopka
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biological, and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marius Christian Hoener
- Neuroscience and Rare Diseases Discovery and Translational Area, pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ewa Bulska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biological, and Chemical Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Leszek Kaczmarek
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marzena Stefaniuk
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
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17
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Ikuta K, Joho D, Kakeyama M, Matsumoto M. Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis and arginine mixture intake improves cognitive flexibility in mice. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1164809. [PMID: 37346910 PMCID: PMC10279864 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1164809] [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: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between intestinal microbiota and cognitive function has been investigated as one of the major topics within the intestinal microbiota-gut-brain axis. Although an increasing number of studies have demonstrated an improvement in learning and memory when using probiotics or prebiotics, to date, there are no studies that target the cognitive flexibility observed in the early stages of several neuropsychiatric diseases, including dementia. We have recently developed a novel behavioral task using the touchscreen operant system to assess cognitive flexibility. We found that the disruption of the intestinal microbiota in mice induced a decline in cognitive flexibility. In the present study, we investigated the effects of treatments consisting of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis and arginine (Bifal + Arg), which promote the production of intestinal bacterial polyamine, on cognitive flexibility in the mouse model. Male C57BL6 mice orally treated with Bifal + Arg three times a week gradually decreased the 1st-choice incorrect diagonal rate with repeated reversals compared with the control group. Furthermore, in serial reversal phases, Bifal + Arg-treated mice shifted to the behavior of choosing a new correct spot more quickly after the reversal, and this was faster with repeated reversals. These results indicate that this treatment adapts to change and improves cognitive flexibility. This is the first report to show that intestinal environmental control, including probiotics and prebiotics, improves cognitive flexibility in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayo Ikuta
- Dairy Science and Technology Institute, Kyodo Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daisuke Joho
- Laboratory for Environmental Brain Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
| | - Masaki Kakeyama
- Laboratory for Environmental Brain Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
- Research Institute for Environmental Medical Sciences, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
| | - Mitsuharu Matsumoto
- Dairy Science and Technology Institute, Kyodo Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
- Research Institute for Environmental Medical Sciences, Comprehensive Research Organization, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan
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18
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Fong T, Hu H, Gupta P, Jury B, Murphy TH. PyMouseTracks: Flexible Computer Vision and RFID-Based System for Multiple Mouse Tracking and Behavioral Assessment. eNeuro 2023; 10:ENEURO.0127-22.2023. [PMID: 37185293 PMCID: PMC10198609 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0127-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
PyMouseTracks (PMT) is a scalable and customizable computer vision and radio frequency identification (RFID)-based system for multiple rodent tracking and behavior assessment that can be set up within minutes in any user-defined arena at minimal cost. PMT is composed of the online Raspberry Pi (RPi)-based video and RFID acquisition with subsequent offline analysis tools. The system is capable of tracking up to six mice in experiments ranging from minutes to days. PMT maintained a minimum of 88% detections tracked with an overall accuracy >85% when compared with manual validation of videos containing one to four mice in a modified home-cage. As expected, chronic recording in home-cage revealed diurnal activity patterns. In open-field, it was observed that novel noncagemate mouse pairs exhibit more similarity in travel trajectory patterns than cagemate pairs over a 10-min period. Therefore, shared features within travel trajectories between animals may be a measure of sociability that has not been previously reported. Moreover, PMT can interface with open-source packages such as DeepLabCut and Traja for pose estimation and travel trajectory analysis, respectively. In combination with Traja, PMT resolved motor deficits exhibited in stroke animals. Overall, we present an affordable, open-sourced, and customizable/scalable mouse behavior recording and analysis system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony Fong
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Hao Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Pankaj Gupta
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Braeden Jury
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Timothy H Murphy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
- Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada V6T 1Z3
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19
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Li X, Gao Y, Han X, Tang S, Li N, Liu X, Ni X. Maresin1 ameliorates postoperative cognitive dysfunction in aged rats by potentially regulating the NF-κB pathway to inhibit astrocyte activation. Exp Gerontol 2023; 176:112168. [PMID: 37055002 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2023.112168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is one of the most serious postoperative complications in the elderly population. Perioperative central neuroinflammation is considered to be an important pathological mechanism of POCD, with the activation of astrocytes playing a key role in central neuroinflammation. Maresin1 (MaR1) is a specific pro-resolving mediator synthesized by macrophages in the resolution stage of inflammation, and provides unique anti-inflammatory and pro-resolution effects by limiting excessive neuroinflammation and promoting postoperative recovery. However, the question remains whether MaR1 can have a positive effect on POCD. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect of MaR1 on POCD cognitive function in aged rats after splenectomy. Morris water maze test and IntelliCage test showed that splenectomy could cause transient cognitive dysfunction in aged rats; however, the cognitive impairment of rats was significantly mitigated when MaR1 pretreatment was administered. MaR1 significantly alleviated the fluorescence intensity and protein expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and central nervous system specific protein in the cornu ammonis 1 region of the hippocampus. Simultaneously, the morphology of astrocytes was also severely altered. Further experiments showed that MaR1 inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of several key proinflammatory cytokines-interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in the hippocampus of aged rats following splenectomy. The molecular mechanism underlying this process was explored by evaluating expression of components of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. MaR1 substantially inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of NF-κB p65 and κB inhibitor kinase β. Collectively, these results suggest that MaR1 ameliorated splenectomy-induced transient cognitive impairment in elderly rats, and this neuroprotective mechanism may occur through regulating the NF-κB pathway to inhibit astrocyte activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhua Li
- Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
| | - Yubo Gao
- Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
| | - Xu Han
- Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
| | - Shaling Tang
- Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
| | - Na Li
- Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China
| | - Xinli Ni
- Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, China.
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20
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Jetsonen E, Didio G, Winkel F, Llach Pou M, Boj C, Kuczynski-Noyau L, Võikar V, Guirado R, Taira T, Lauri SE, Castrén E, Umemori J. Activation of TrkB in Parvalbumin interneurons is required for the promotion of reversal learning in spatial and fear memory by antidepressants. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1021-1030. [PMID: 36944718 PMCID: PMC10209093 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01562-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Critical period-like plasticity (iPlasticity) can be reinstated in the adult brain by several interventions, including drugs and optogenetic modifications. We have demonstrated that a combination of iPlasticity with optimal training improves behaviors related to neuropsychiatric disorders. In this context, the activation of TrkB, a receptor for BDNF, in Parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons has a pivotal role in cortical network changes. However, it is unknown if the activation of TrkB in PV+ interneurons is important for other plasticity-related behaviors, especially for learning and memory. Here, using mice with heterozygous conditional TrkB deletion in PV+ interneurons (PV-TrkB hCKO) in IntelliCage and fear erasure paradigms, we show that chronic treatment with fluoxetine, a widely prescribed antidepressant drug that is known to promote the activation of TrkB, enhances behavioral flexibility in spatial and fear memory, largely depending on the expression of the TrkB receptor in PV+ interneurons. In addition, hippocampal long-term potentiation was enhanced by chronic treatment with fluoxetine in wild-type mice, but not in PV-TrkB hCKO mice. Transcriptomic analysis of PV+ interneurons after fluoxetine treatment indicated intrinsic changes in synaptic formation and downregulation of enzymes involved in perineuronal net formation. Consistently, immunohistochemistry has shown that the fluoxetine treatment alters PV expression and reduces PNNs in PV+ interneurons, and here we show that TrkB expression in PV+ interneurons is required for these effects. Together, our results provide molecular and network mechanisms for the induction of critical period-like plasticity in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias Jetsonen
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giuliano Didio
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Frederike Winkel
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Developmental Neurobiology and MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Maria Llach Pou
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Integrative Neurobiology of Cholinergic Systems, Neuroscience Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Chloe Boj
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Laura Kuczynski-Noyau
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Univ. Lille, Inserm, CHU Lille, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, UMR-S1172, EGID, F-59000, Lille, France
| | - Vootele Võikar
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ramon Guirado
- Neurobiology Unit, Department of Cell Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Structure for Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED), Universitat de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Tomi Taira
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences and Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sari E Lauri
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eero Castrén
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Juzoh Umemori
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Gene and Cell Technology, A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
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21
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Minocycline treatment improves cognitive and functional plasticity in a preclinical mouse model of major depressive disorder. Behav Brain Res 2023; 441:114295. [PMID: 36641083 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114295] [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: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a chronic, recurring, and potentially life-threatening illness, which affects over 300 million people worldwide. MDD affects not only the emotional and social domains but also cognition. However, the currently available treatments targeting cognitive deficits in MDD are limited. Minocycline, an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties recently identified as a potential antidepressant, has been shown to attenuate learning and memory deficits in animal models of cognitive impairment. Here, we explored whether minocycline recovers the deficits in cognition in a mouse model of depression. C57BL6/J adult male mice were exposed to two weeks of chronic unpredictable mild stress to induce a depressive-like phenotype. Immediately afterward, mice received either vehicle or minocycline for three weeks in standard housing conditions. We measured anhedonia as a depressive-like response, and place learning to assess cognitive abilities. We also recorded long-term potentiation (LTP) as an index of hippocampal functional plasticity and ran immunohistochemical assays to assess microglial proportion and morphology. After one week of treatment, cognitive performance in the place learning test was significantly improved by minocycline, as treated mice displayed a higher number of correct responses when learning novel spatial configurations. Accordingly, minocycline-treated mice displayed higher LTP compared to controls. However, after three weeks of treatment, no difference between treated and control animals was found for behavior, neural plasticity, and microglial properties, suggesting that minocycline has a fast but short effect on cognition, without lasting effects on microglia. These findings together support the usefulness of minocycline as a potential treatment for cognitive impairment associated with MDD.
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22
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Stefaniuk M, Pawłowska M, Barański M, Nowicka K, Zieliński Z, Bijoch Ł, Legutko D, Majka P, Bednarek S, Jermakow N, Wójcik D, Kaczmarek L. Global brain c-Fos profiling reveals major functional brain networks rearrangements after alcohol reexposure. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 178:106006. [PMID: 36682503 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Many fundamental questions on alcohol use disorder (AUD) are frequently difficult to address by examining a single brain structure, but should be viewed from the whole brain perspective. c-Fos is a marker of neuronal activation. Global brain c-Fos profiling in rodents represents a promising platform to study brain functional networks rearrangements in AUD. We used a mouse model of alcohol drinking in IntelliCage. We trained mice to voluntarily drink alcohol, next subjected them to withdrawal and alcohol reexposure. We have developed a dedicated image computational workflow to identify c-Fos-positive cells in three-dimensional images obtained after whole-brain optical clearing and imaging in the light-sheet microscope. We provide a complete list of 169 brain structures with annotated c-Fos expression. We analyzed functional networks, brain modularity and engram index. Brain c-Fos levels in animals reexposed to alcohol were different from both control and binge drinking animals. Structures involved in reward processing, decision making and characteristic for addictive behaviors, such as precommissural nucleus, nucleus Raphe, parts of colliculus and tecta stood out particularly. Alcohol reexposure leads to a massive change of brain modularity including a formation of numerous smaller functional modules grouping structures involved in addiction development. Binge drinking can lead to substantial functional remodeling in the brain. We provide a list of structures that can be used as a target in pharmacotherapy but also point to the networks and modules that can hold therapeutic potential demonstrated by a clinical trial in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzena Stefaniuk
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, BRAINCITY, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Monika Pawłowska
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, BRAINCITY, Warsaw, Poland; Institute of Experimental Physics, Section of Optics, Warsaw University, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marcin Barański
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, BRAINCITY, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Klaudia Nowicka
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, BRAINCITY, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Łukasz Bijoch
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, BRAINCITY, Warsaw, Poland; Laboratory of Neuronal Plasticity, Nencki Institute, BRAINCITY, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Diana Legutko
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, BRAINCITY, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Majka
- Laboratory of Neuroinformatics, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Sylwia Bednarek
- Laboratory of Neuroinformatics, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Natalia Jermakow
- Laboratory of Neuroinformatics, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Daniel Wójcik
- Laboratory of Neuroinformatics, Nencki Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Leszek Kaczmarek
- Laboratory of Neurobiology, Nencki Institute, BRAINCITY, Warsaw, Poland
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23
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Niiranen L, Stenbäck V, Tulppo M, Herzig KH, Mäkelä KA. Interplay between Learning and Voluntary Wheel Running in Male C57BL/6NCrl Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054259. [PMID: 36901690 PMCID: PMC10001624 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054259] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Exercise is shown to improve cognitive function in various human and animal studies. Laboratory mice are often used as a model to study the effects of physical activity and running wheels provide a voluntary and non-stressful form of exercise. The aim of the study was to analyze whether the cognitive state of a mouse is related to its wheel-running behavior. Twenty-two male C57BL/6NCrl mice (9.5 weeks old) were used in the study. The cognitive function of group-housed mice (n = 5-6/group) was first analyzed in the IntelliCage system followed by individual phenotyping with the PhenoMaster with access to a voluntary running wheel. The mice were divided into three groups according to their running wheel activity: low, average, and high runners. The learning trials in the IntelliCage showed that the high-runner mice exhibited a higher error rate at the beginning of learning trials but improved their outcome and learning performance more compared to the other groups. The high-runner mice ate more compared to the other groups in the PhenoMaster analyses. There were no differences in the corticosterone levels between the groups, indicating similar stress responses. Our results demonstrate that high-runner mice exhibit enhanced learning capabilities prior to access to voluntary running wheels. In addition, our results also show that individual mice react differently when introduced to running wheels, which should be taken into consideration when choosing animals for voluntary endurance exercise studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Niiranen
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Ville Stenbäck
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Mikko Tulppo
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Karl-Heinz Herzig
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
- Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Pediatric Institute, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60572 Poznan, Poland
- Medical Research Center (MRC), Oulu University Hospital, 90220 Oulu, Finland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +358-94485274
| | - Kari A. Mäkelä
- Research Unit of Biomedicine and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, 90220 Oulu, Finland
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24
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Jörimann M, Maliković J, Wolfer DP, Pryce CR, Endo T, Benner S, Amrein I. Bank Voles Show More Impulsivity in IntelliCage Learning Tasks than Wood Mice. Neuroscience 2023; 510:157-170. [PMID: 36403688 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Impulsivity is a personality trait of healthy individuals, but in extreme forms common in mental disorders. Previous behavioral testing of wild-caught bank voles and wood mice suggested impulsiveness in bank voles. Here, we compared behavioral performance of bank voles and wood mice in tests for response control in the IntelliCage. In the reaction time task, a test similar to the five-choice serial-reaction time task (5CSRTT), bank voles made more premature responses. Impulsivity in the reaction time task was associated with smaller medial habenular nucleus in bank voles. Additional tests revealed reduced behavioral flexibility in the self-paced flexibility task in bank voles, but equal spatial and reversal learning in the chaining/reversal task in both species. Expression of immediate early gene Arc after behavioral testing was low in medial prefrontal cortex, but high in hypothalamic supraoptic and paraventricular nucleus in bank voles. Wood mice showed the opposite pattern. Numbers of Arc-positive cells in the dorsal hippocampus were higher in bank voles than wood mice. Due to continuous behavioral testing (24/7), associations between behavioral performance and Arc were rare. Corticosterone measurements at the end of experiments suggested that IntelliCage testing did not elicit a stress response in these wild rodents. In summary, habenular size differences and altered activation of brain areas after testing might indicate differently balanced activations of cortico-limbic and cortico-hypothalamic circuits in bank voles compared to wood mice. Behavioral performance of bank voles suggest that these rodents could be a natural animal model for investigating impulsive and perseverative behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marielle Jörimann
- Institute of Anatomy, Division Functional Neuroanatomy, University Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jovana Maliković
- Institute of Anatomy, Division Functional Neuroanatomy, University Zurich, Switzerland
| | - David P Wolfer
- Institute of Anatomy, Division Functional Neuroanatomy, University Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher R Pryce
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital and University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Seico Benner
- Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu, Japan; Center for Health and Environmental Risk Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Irmgard Amrein
- Institute of Anatomy, Division Functional Neuroanatomy, University Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH, Zürich, Switzerland.
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25
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C57bl/6 Mice Show Equivalent Taste Preferences toward Ruminant and Industrial Trans Fatty Acids. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15030610. [PMID: 36771316 PMCID: PMC9918975 DOI: 10.3390/nu15030610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Two distinct types of trans fatty acids (TFA) are found in the diet. Industrial TFA such as elaidic acid (EA) have deleterious effects on metabolic risk factors, and oppositely ruminant TFA including trans-palmitoleic acid (TPA) may have beneficial effects. The objective is to evaluate the taste preference between EA, TPA, lecithin or water. In this study, 24 female C57BL/6 mice were microchipped and placed in two separate IntelliCages®. Nano encapsulated TFA or lecithin were added to drinking water in different corners of the cage with normal diet. The study was carried out over 5 weeks, during which mice were exposed to water only (weeks 1 and 3), TFA or lecithin (week 2), and EA or TPA (weeks 4 and 5). Mice weights, corner visits, nose pokes (NP), and lick number were measured each week. The results demonstrated that mice consume more TFA, either EA or TPA, compared with lecithin. In addition, the mice licked more EA compared with TPA in one cage; conversely, in the other cage they licked more TPA compared with EA. However, when TFA positions were swapped, mice had equal licks for EA and TPA. In sum, mice preferred TFA, in equal matter compared with controls; therefore, the results demonstrate the potential for TFA-type substitution in diet.
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Effects of neuromodulation-inspired mechanisms on the performance of deep neural networks in a spatial learning task. iScience 2023; 26:106026. [PMID: 36818295 PMCID: PMC9929609 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the biological underpinnings of adaptive learning have been modeled, leading to faster model convergence and various behavioral benefits in tasks including spatial navigation and cue-reward association. Furthermore, studies have investigated how the neuromodulatory system, a major driver of synaptic plasticity and state-dependent changes in the brain neuronal activities, plays a role in training deep neural networks (DNNs). In this study, we extended previous studies on neuromodulation-inspired DNNs and explored the effects of neuromodulatory components on learning and single unit activities in a spatial learning task. Under the multiscale neuromodulatory framework, plastic components, dropout probability modulation, and learning rate decay were added to the single unit, layer, and whole network levels of DNN models, respectively. We observed behavioral benefits including faster learning and smaller error of ambulation. We then concluded that neuromodulatory components can affect learning trajectories, outcomes, and single unit activities, in a component- and hyperparameter-dependent manner.
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27
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d'Isa R, Gerlai R. Designing animal-friendly behavioral tests for neuroscience research: The importance of an ethological approach. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 16:1090248. [PMID: 36703720 PMCID: PMC9871504 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1090248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Raffaele d'Isa
- Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE), Division of Neuroscience (DNS), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Robert Gerlai
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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28
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Wu N, Sun T, Wu X, Chen H, Zhang Z. Modulation of GABA B receptors in the insula bidirectionally affects associative memory of epilectic rats in both spatial and non-spatial operant tasks. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 16:1042227. [PMID: 36688127 PMCID: PMC9846148 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1042227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Stimulation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activity through GABA receptor agonists is the basic mechanism of many anticonvulsant drugs. Nevertheless, many of these GABergic drugs have adverse cognitive effects. We previously found that GABAB receptors (GABABRs) in the insula regulate operant associative memory in healthy rats. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of GABABR modulation in the insula on operant associative memory in epileptic rats, along with the underlying mechanisms. Methods The lithium-pilocarpine model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) was established in male Sprague-Dawley rats. A 22-gauge stainless-steel guide cannula was surgically implanted into the granular insula cortex of the epileptic rats. Baclofen (125 ng/μl, 1 μl), CGP35348 (12.5 μg/μl, 1 μl), or saline (1 μl) was slowly infused through the guide cannula. The Intellicage automated behavioral testing system was used to evaluate operant associative memory of the epileptic rats, including non-spatial operant tasks (basic nosepoke learning and skilled nosepoke learning) and spatial operant tasks (chamber position learning). The expression of the GABABR subunits GB1 and GB2 in the insula was examined by immunofluorescence and Western blotting. Results The Intellicage tests demonstrated that baclofen significantly impaired basic nosepoke learning, skilled nosepoke learning and chamber position learning of the epileptic rats, while CGP35348 boosted these functions. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that GB1 and GB2 were expressed in the insula of the epileptic rats, and Western blotting analysis showed that baclofen enhanced while CGP35348 inhibited the expression of these subunits. Conclusion GABABRs in the insula bidirectionally regulate both spatial and non-spatial operant associative memory of epileptic rats. Effects of GABABRs on cognition should be taken into account when evaluating new possible treatments for people with epilepsy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Tianjin Children’s Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University), Tianjin, China
| | - Tao Sun
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Disease, Incubation Base of National Key Laboratory, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Xin Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Hongguang Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong, China,*Correspondence: Zhen Zhang,
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29
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von Mücke-Heim IA, Urbina-Treviño L, Bordes J, Ries C, Schmidt MV, Deussing JM. Introducing a depression-like syndrome for translational neuropsychiatry: a plea for taxonomical validity and improved comparability between humans and mice. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:329-340. [PMID: 36104436 PMCID: PMC9812782 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01762-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Depressive disorders are the most burdensome psychiatric disorders worldwide. Although huge efforts have been made to advance treatment, outcomes remain unsatisfactory. Many factors contribute to this gridlock including suboptimal animal models. Especially limited study comparability and replicability due to imprecise terminology concerning depressive-like states are major problems. To overcome these issues, new approaches are needed. Here, we introduce a taxonomical concept for modelling depression in laboratory mice, which we call depression-like syndrome (DLS). It hinges on growing evidence suggesting that mice possess advanced socioemotional abilities and can display non-random symptom patterns indicative of an evolutionary conserved disorder-like phenotype. The DLS approach uses a combined heuristic method based on clinical depression criteria and the Research Domain Criteria to provide a biobehavioural reference syndrome for preclinical rodent models of depression. The DLS criteria are based on available, species-specific evidence and are as follows: (I) minimum duration of phenotype, (II) significant sociofunctional impairment, (III) core biological features, (IV) necessary depressive-like symptoms. To assess DLS presence and severity, we have designed an algorithm to ensure statistical and biological relevance of findings. The algorithm uses a minimum combined threshold for statistical significance and effect size (p value ≤ 0.05 plus moderate effect size) for each DLS criterion. Taken together, the DLS is a novel, biologically founded, and species-specific minimum threshold approach. Its long-term objective is to gradually develop into an inter-model validation standard and microframework to improve phenotyping methodology in translational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iven-Alex von Mücke-Heim
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Molecular Neurogenetics, Munich, Germany ,grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Department of Translational Research, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany ,grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Lidia Urbina-Treviño
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Molecular Neurogenetics, Munich, Germany
| | - Joeri Bordes
- grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany ,grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Munich, Germany
| | - Clemens Ries
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Molecular Neurogenetics, Munich, Germany ,grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Mathias V. Schmidt
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Neurobiology of Stress Resilience, Munich, Germany
| | - Jan M. Deussing
- grid.419548.50000 0000 9497 5095Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Molecular Neurogenetics, Munich, Germany
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Kempermann G, Lopes JB, Zocher S, Schilling S, Ehret F, Garthe A, Karasinsky A, Brandmaier AM, Lindenberger U, Winter Y, Overall RW. The individuality paradigm: Automated longitudinal activity tracking of large cohorts of genetically identical mice in an enriched environment. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 175:105916. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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31
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Shishelova AY, Smirnov K, Raevskiĭ VV. Influence of early social isolation on general activity and spatial learning in adult WAG/Rij rats. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22318. [PMID: 36282738 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The study identifies the critical period of early ontogeny, during which social factors have the greatest influence on the operant behavior with positive reinforcement in adult WAG/Rij rats. Individual social isolation of rats from dam and siblings was performed daily for 3 h during postnatal day (PND) 2-8, 9-15, and 16-22. General activity and water consumption were examined using the IntelliCage (IC) in adulthood. The operant behavior training was performed in four consecutive sessions: free exploration of the IC environment (adaptation), learning to retrieve water by nosepoking (nosepoke adaptation), spatial learning to retrieve water in the specific corner (place learning), and retraining with a change of a place preference (reversal learning). Social isolation during PND16-22 led to the greatest behavioral changes in all sessions of the experiment. These rats were more active, consumed more water, demonstrated a higher ratio of visits with drinking to the total number, and relearned faster after changing the location of the rewarded corner. Thus, the postnatal period between days 16 and 22 in WAG/Rij rat pups is more sensitive to social isolation for change of adaptive behavior in the IC in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Y Shishelova
- Laboratory of Neuroontogenesis, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of RAS, Moscow, Russia.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Biology, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Kirill Smirnov
- Laboratory of Neuroontogenesis, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of RAS, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir V Raevskiĭ
- Laboratory of Neuroontogenesis, Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology of RAS, Moscow, Russia
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32
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Lipp HP, Wolfer DP. Behavior is movement only but how to interpret it? Problems and pitfalls in translational neuroscience-a 40-year experience. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:958067. [PMID: 36330050 PMCID: PMC9623569 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.958067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Translational research in behavioral neuroscience seeks causes and remedies for human mental health problems in animals, following leads imposed by clinical research in psychiatry. This endeavor faces several problems because scientists must read and interpret animal movements to represent human perceptions, mood, and memory processes. Yet, it is still not known how mammalian brains bundle all these processes into a highly compressed motor output in the brain stem and spinal cord, but without that knowledge, translational research remains aimless. Based on some four decades of experience in the field, the article identifies sources of interpretation problems and illustrates typical translational pitfalls. (1) The sensory world of mice is different. Smell, hearing, and tactile whisker sensations dominate in rodents, while visual input is comparatively small. In humans, the relations are reversed. (2) Mouse and human brains are equated inappropriately: the association cortex makes up a large portion of the human neocortex, while it is relatively small in rodents. The predominant associative cortex in rodents is the hippocampus itself, orchestrating chiefly inputs from secondary sensorimotor areas and generating species-typical motor patterns that are not easily reconciled with putative human hippocampal functions. (3) Translational interpretation of studies of memory or emotionality often neglects the ecology of mice, an extremely small species surviving by freezing or flight reactions that do not need much cognitive processing. (4) Further misinterpretations arise from confounding neuronal properties with system properties, and from rigid mechanistic thinking unaware that many experimentally induced changes in the brain do partially reflect unpredictable compensatory plasticity. (5) Based on observing hippocampal lesion effects in mice indoors and outdoors, the article offers a simplistic general model of hippocampal functions in relation to hypothalamic input and output, placing hypothalamus and the supraspinal motor system at the top of a cerebral hierarchy. (6) Many translational problems could be avoided by inclusion of simple species-typical behaviors as end-points comparable to human cognitive or executive processing, and to rely more on artificial intelligence for recognizing patterns not classifiable by traditional psychological concepts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans-Peter Lipp
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David P. Wolfer
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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Lilja A, Didio G, Hong J, Heo WD, Castrén E, Umemori J. Optical Activation of TrkB (E281A) in Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurons of the Mouse Visual Cortex. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810249. [PMID: 36142154 PMCID: PMC9499497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The activation of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), the receptor of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), plays a key role in induced juvenile-like plasticity (iPlasticity), which allows restructuring of neural networks in adulthood. Optically activatable TrkB (optoTrkB) can temporarily and spatially evoke iPlasticity, and recently, optoTrkB (E281A) was developed as a variant that is highly sensitive to light stimulation while having lower basal activity compared to the original optoTrkB. In this study, we validate optoTrkB (E281A) activated in alpha calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II positive (CKII+) pyramidal neurons or parvalbumin-positive (PV+) interneurons in the mouse visual cortex by immunohistochemistry. OptoTrkB (E281A) was activated in PV+ interneurons and CKII+ pyramidal neurons with blue light (488 nm) through the intact skull and fur, and through a transparent skull, respectively. LED light stimulation significantly increased the intensity of phosphorylated ERK and CREB even through intact skull and fur. These findings indicate that the highly sensitive optoTrkB (E281A) can be used in iPlasticity studies of both inhibitory and excitatory neurons, with flexible stimulation protocols in behavioural studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Lilja
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giuliano Didio
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jongryul Hong
- Department of Biological Science, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Korea
| | - Won Do Heo
- Department of Biological Science, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon 305-701, Korea
- Center for Cognition and Sociality, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon 305-701, Korea
- KAIST Institute for the BioCentury, KAIST, Daejeon 305-701, Korea
| | - Eero Castrén
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
- Correspondence: (E.C.); (J.U.)
| | - Juzoh Umemori
- Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE), University of Helsinki, 00100 Helsinki, Finland
- Gene and Cell Technology, A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
- Correspondence: (E.C.); (J.U.)
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicja Puścian
- Nencki-EMBL Partnership for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders – BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur 3 Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ewelina Knapska
- Nencki-EMBL Partnership for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders – BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences, Pasteur 3 Street, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
- Corresponding author
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Pham H, Yin T, D’Adamio L. Initial assessment of the spatial learning, reversal, and sequencing task capabilities of knock-in rats with humanizing mutations in the Aβ-coding region of App. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263546. [PMID: 35507596 PMCID: PMC9067689 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Model organisms mimicking the pathogenesis of human diseases are useful for identifying pathogenic mechanisms and testing therapeutic efficacy of compounds targeting them. Models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADRD) aim to reproduce the brain pathology associated with these neurodegenerative disorders. Transgenic models, which involve random insertion of disease-causing genes under the control of artificial promoters, are efficient means of doing so. There are confounding factors associated with transgenic approaches, however, including target gene overexpression, dysregulation of endogenous gene expression at transgenes' integration sites, and limitations in mimicking loss-of-function mechanisms. Furthermore, the choice of species is important, and there are anatomical, physiological, and cognitive reasons for favoring the rat over the mouse, which has been the standard for models of neurodegeneration and dementia. We report an initial assessment of the spatial learning, reversal, and sequencing task capabilities of knock-in (KI) Long-Evans rats with humanizing mutations in the Aβ-coding region of App, which encodes amyloid precursor protein (Apph/h rats), using the IntelliCage, an automated operant social home cage system, at 6-8 weeks of age, then again at 4-5 months of age. These rats were previously generated as control organisms for studies on neurodegeneration involving other knock-in rat models from our lab. Apph/h rats of either sex can acquire place learning and reversal tasks. They can also acquire a diagonal sequencing task by 6-8 weeks of age, but not a more advanced serial reversal task involving alternating diagonals, even by 4-5 months of age. Thus, longitudinal behavioral analysis with the IntelliCage system can be useful to determine, in follow-up studies, whether KI rat models of Familial AD (FAD), sporadic late onset AD (LOAD), and of ADRD develop aging-dependent learning and memory deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hoa Pham
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience New Jersey Medical School, Brain Health Institute, Jacqueline Krieger Klein Center in Alzheimer’s Disease and Neurodegeneration Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, United States of America
| | - Tao Yin
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience New Jersey Medical School, Brain Health Institute, Jacqueline Krieger Klein Center in Alzheimer’s Disease and Neurodegeneration Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, United States of America
| | - Luciano D’Adamio
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience New Jersey Medical School, Brain Health Institute, Jacqueline Krieger Klein Center in Alzheimer’s Disease and Neurodegeneration Research, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, NJ, United States of America
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Klein CJMI, Budiman T, Homberg JR, Verma D, Keijer J, van Schothorst EM. Measuring Locomotor Activity and Behavioral Aspects of Rodents Living in the Home-Cage. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:877323. [PMID: 35464142 PMCID: PMC9021872 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.877323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Automatization and technological advances have led to a larger number of methods and systems to monitor and measure locomotor activity and more specific behavior of a wide variety of animal species in various environmental conditions in laboratory settings. In rodents, the majority of these systems require the animals to be temporarily taken away from their home-cage into separate observation cage environments which requires manual handling and consequently evokes distress for the animal and may alter behavioral responses. An automated high-throughput approach can overcome this problem. Therefore, this review describes existing automated methods and technologies which enable the measurement of locomotor activity and behavioral aspects of rodents in their most meaningful and stress-free laboratory environment: the home-cage. In line with the Directive 2010/63/EU and the 3R principles (replacement, reduction, refinement), this review furthermore assesses their suitability and potential for group-housed conditions as a refinement strategy, highlighting their current technological and practical limitations. It covers electrical capacitance technology and radio-frequency identification (RFID), which focus mainly on voluntary locomotor activity in both single and multiple rodents, respectively. Infrared beams and force plates expand the detection beyond locomotor activity toward basic behavioral traits but discover their full potential in individually housed rodents only. Despite the great premises of these approaches in terms of behavioral pattern recognition, more sophisticated methods, such as (RFID-assisted) video tracking technology need to be applied to enable the automated analysis of advanced behavioral aspects of individual animals in social housing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian J. M. I. Klein
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- TSE Systems GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Judith R. Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Jaap Keijer
- Human and Animal Physiology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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Esmaeili A, Antonova A, Sitnikova E, Smirnov K. Whisker trimming during infanthood modifies the development of spike-wave discharges and behavioral sequences in IntelliCage impulsivity paradigm in adult WAG/Rij rats. Behav Brain Res 2022; 418:113627. [PMID: 34648796 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Whisker system in rats undergoes rapid development during the first postnatal weeks. Neonatal whisker trimming increases excitability in the somatosensory cortex and affects exploratory behavior at adult ages. WAG/Rij rats are genetically predisposed to develop absence seizures in adulthood, and whisker trimming during three postnatal weeks aggravates epileptic activity in these rats. It is assumed that behavioral performance in adult WAG/Rij rats is influenced (1) by absence epilepsy and (2) by whisker trimming during the short period around the onset of active whisker movements, PN9-16. We examined the effect of whisker trimming in WAG/Rij rats during PN9-16 on spike-wave discharges (SWD, EEG hallmark of absence epilepsy). We found that 77% of WAG/Rij rats showed pronounced SWD (epileptic phenotype), and the rest did not (non-epileptic phenotype). At the age of 5 m, epileptic trimmed rats showed more SWD than epileptic control rats. Age-related increase of SWD was found only in the control group, suggesting that whisker trimming during PN9-16 led to an earlier maturation of SWD. Goal-directed behavior was examined in all rats at the age of 4-4.5 m using IntelliCage impulsivity paradigm. In order to optimize the analysis of behavioral data, we combined several Python packages into a single processing pipeline. Early life whisker trimming altered behavioral sequences and strategy of exploration in adulthood, suggesting reduced whisker sensitivity in the trimmed rats. Epileptic WAG/Rij rats at 4-4.5 months showed only a slight learning impairment during later stages of IntelliCage impulsivity paradigm, which may be associated with the early stage of development of SWD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirhossein Esmaeili
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Aix-Marseille University, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Anastasia Antonova
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology RAS, 5A Butlerova Street, 117485 Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgenia Sitnikova
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology RAS, 5A Butlerova Street, 117485 Moscow, Russia
| | - Kirill Smirnov
- Institute of Higher Nervous Activity and Neurophysiology RAS, 5A Butlerova Street, 117485 Moscow, Russia.
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Leite-Almeida H, Castelhano-Carlos MJ, Sousa N. New Horizons for Phenotyping Behavior in Rodents: The Example of Depressive-Like Behavior. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 15:811987. [PMID: 35069144 PMCID: PMC8766962 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.811987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolution of the field of behavioral neuroscience is significantly dependent on innovative disruption triggered by our ability to model and phenotype animal models of neuropsychiatric disorders. The ability to adequately elicit and measure behavioral parameters are the fundaments on which the behavioral neuroscience community establishes the pathophysiological mechanisms of neuropsychiatric disorders as well as contributes to the development of treatment strategies for those conditions. Herein, we review how mood disorders, in particular depression, are currently modeled in rodents, focusing on the limitations of these models and particularly on the analyses of the data obtained with different behavioral tests. Finally, we propose the use of new paradigms to study behavior using multidimensional strategies that better encompasses the complexity of psychiatric conditions, namely depression; these paradigms provide holistic phenotyping that is applicable to other conditions, thus promoting the emergence of novel findings that will leverage this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Leite-Almeida
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center—Braga, Braga, Portugal
| | - Magda J. Castelhano-Carlos
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B’s—PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center—Braga, Braga, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Nuno Sousa,
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Koskela M, Piepponen TP, Lindahl M, Harvey BK, Andressoo JO, Võikar V, Airavaara M. The overexpression of GDNF in nucleus accumbens suppresses alcohol-seeking behavior in group-housed C57Bl/6J female mice. J Biomed Sci 2021; 28:87. [PMID: 34923968 PMCID: PMC8686589 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-021-00782-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Craving for alcohol, in other words powerful desire to drink after withdrawal, is an important contributor to the development and maintenance of alcoholism. Here, we studied the role of GDNF (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor) and BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) on alcohol-seeking behavior in group-housed female mice. Methods We modeled alcohol-seeking behavior in C57Bl/6J female mice. The behavioral experiments in group-housed female mice were performed in an automated IntelliCage system. We conducted RT-qPCR analysis of Gdnf, Bdnf, Manf and Cdnf expression in different areas of the female mouse brain after alcohol drinking conditioning. We injected an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector expressing human GDNF or BDNF in mouse nucleus accumbens (NAc) after ten days of alcohol drinking conditioning and assessed alcohol-seeking behavior. Behavioral data were analyzed by two-way repeated-measures ANOVA, and statistically significant effects were followed by Bonferroni’s post hoc test. The student’s t-test was used to analyze qPCR data. Results The RT-qPCR data showed that Gdnf mRNA level in NAc was more than four times higher (p < 0.0001) in the mice from the sweetened alcohol group compared to the water group. Our data showed a more than a two-fold decrease in Manf mRNA (p = 0.04) and Cdnf mRNA (p = 0.02) levels in the hippocampus and Manf mRNA in the VTA (p = 0.04) after alcohol consumption. Two-fold endogenous overexpression of Gdnf mRNA and lack of CDNF did not affect alcohol-seeking behavior. The AVV-GDNF overexpression in nucleus accumbens suppressed alcohol-seeking behavior while overexpression of BDNF did not. Conclusions The effect of increased endogenous Gdnf mRNA level in female mice upon alcohol drinking has remained unknown. Our data suggest that an increase in endogenous GDNF expression upon alcohol drinking occurs in response to the activation of another mesolimbic reward pathway participant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryna Koskela
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.,Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - T Petteri Piepponen
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maria Lindahl
- Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Brandon K Harvey
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, IRP, NIH, Biomedical Research Center, 251 Bayview Boulevard Suite 200, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Jaan-Olle Andressoo
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, PO Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.,Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, 17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Vootele Võikar
- Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mikko Airavaara
- Division of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland. .,Neuroscience Center, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
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A loss-of-function variant in SUV39H2 identified in autism-spectrum disorder causes altered H3K9 trimethylation and dysregulation of protocadherin β-cluster genes in the developing brain. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:7550-7559. [PMID: 34262135 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01199-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence has documented the potential roles of histone-modifying enzymes in autism-spectrum disorder (ASD). Aberrant histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) dimethylation resulting from genetic variants in histone methyltransferases is known for neurodevelopmental and behavioral anomalies. However, a systematic examination of H3K9 methylation dynamics in ASD is lacking. Here we resequenced nine genes for histone methyltransferases and demethylases involved in H3K9 methylation in individuals with ASD and healthy controls using targeted next-generation sequencing. We identified a novel rare variant (A211S) in the SUV39H2, which was predicted to be deleterious. The variant showed strongly reduced histone methyltransferase activity in vitro. In silico analysis showed that the variant destabilizes the hydrophobic core and allosterically affects the enzyme activity. The Suv39h2-KO mice displayed hyperactivity and reduced behavioral flexibility in learning the tasks that required complex behavioral adaptation, which is relevant for ASD. The Suv39h2 deficit evoked an elevated expression of a subset of protocadherin β (Pcdhb) cluster genes in the embryonic brain, which is attributable to the loss of H3K9 trimethylation (me3) at the gene promoters. Reduced H3K9me3 persisted in the cerebellum of Suv39h2-deficient mice to an adult stage. Congruently, reduced expression of SUV39H1 and SUV39H2 in the postmortem brain samples of ASD individuals was observed, underscoring the role of H3K9me3 deficiency in ASD etiology. The present study provides direct evidence for the role of SUV39H2 in ASD and suggests a molecular cascade of SUV39H2 dysfunction leading to H3K9me3 deficiency followed by an untimely, elevated expression of Pcdhb cluster genes during early neurodevelopment.
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Scott JT, Bourne JA. Modelling behaviors relevant to brain disorders in the nonhuman primate: Are we there yet? Prog Neurobiol 2021; 208:102183. [PMID: 34728308 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102183] [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] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Recent years have seen a profound resurgence of activity with nonhuman primates (NHPs) to model human brain disorders. From marmosets to macaques, the study of NHP species offers a unique window into the function of primate-specific neural circuits that are impossible to examine in other models. Examining how these circuits manifest into the complex behaviors of primates, such as advanced cognitive and social functions, has provided enormous insights to date into the mechanisms underlying symptoms of numerous neurological and neuropsychiatric illnesses. With the recent optimization of modern techniques to manipulate and measure neural activity in vivo, such as optogenetics and calcium imaging, NHP research is more well-equipped than ever to probe the neural mechanisms underlying pathological behavior. However, methods for behavioral experimentation and analysis in NHPs have noticeably failed to keep pace with these advances. As behavior ultimately lies at the junction between preclinical findings and its translation to clinical outcomes for brain disorders, approaches to improve the integrity, reproducibility, and translatability of behavioral experiments in NHPs requires critical evaluation. In this review, we provide a unifying account of existing brain disorder models using NHPs, and provide insights into the present and emerging contributions of behavioral studies to the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack T Scott
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - James A Bourne
- Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
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Verification of a multi-function closed maze for the detection of affective disorder and spatial cognitive impairment in post-weaning socially isolated rats. Neurosci Lett 2021; 763:136192. [PMID: 34419504 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To verify a behavioral device for the detection of learning, memory, and affective disorders in post-weaning socially isolated rats. METHODS We tested the behavioral changes in post-weaning socially isolated rats using a multi-function closed maze, a self-developed behavioral device, against the classical mood disorder detection method, the IntelliCage system and Morris water maze. RESULTS In the multifunctional closed maze experiment, the spatial learning and memory ability of post-weaning socially isolated rats decreased, which was consistent with the results of the water maze and IntelliCage system. Furthermore, the behavioral changes in the post-weaning socially isolated rats in the multi-function closed maze test were the same as those of the forced swimming and open field tests, indicating that the rats had depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. CONCLUSION A multi-function closed maze can detect emotional changes, spatial learning ability, and memory ability.
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Iman IN, Ahmad NAZ, Mohd Yusof NA, Talib UN, Norazit A, Kumar J, Mehat MZ, Hassan Z, Müller CP, Muzaimi M. Mitragynine (Kratom)-Induced Cognitive Impairments in Mice Resemble Δ9-THC and Morphine Effects: Reversal by Cannabinoid CB 1 Receptor Antagonism. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:708055. [PMID: 34603022 PMCID: PMC8481666 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.708055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Kratom is a widely abused plant-based drug preparation with a global interest in recent years, well beyond its native grounds in Southeast Asia. Mitragynine, its major psychoactive constituent is known to exhibit opioid-like behavioral effects with resultant neuroplasticity in the brain reward system. Its chronic administration is associated with cognitive impairments in animal studies. However, the underlying molecular mechanism for such a deficit remains elusive. In this study, the involvement of cannabinoid type-1 (CB1) receptors in cognitive deficits after chronic mitragynine exposures was investigated for 28 days (with incremental dose sensitization from 1 to 25 mg/kg) in adult male Swiss albino mice using the IntelliCage® system. Chronic high-dose mitragynine exposure (5–25 mg/kg, intraperitoneal [i.p.]), but not low-dose exposure (1–4 mg/kg, i.p.), induced hyperlocomotion, potentiated the preference for sucrose reward, increased resistance to punishment, and impaired place learning and its reversal. Comparable deficits were also observed after chronic treatments with Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, 2 mg/kg, i.p.) or morphine (5 mg/kg, subcutaneous). Mitragynine-, morphine-, and THC-induced learning and memory deficits were reversed by co-treatment with the CB1 receptor antagonist, NIDA-41020 (10 mg/kg, i.p.). A significant upregulation of CB1 receptor expression was found in the hippocampal CA1 region and ventral tegmental area after chronic high-dose mitragynine and morphine, whereas a downregulation was observed after chronic THC. In conclusion, the present study suggests a plausible role of the CB1 receptor in mediating the dose-dependent cognitive deficits after chronic high-dose mitragynine exposure. This also highlights the potential of CB1 receptor antagonism in ameliorating the cognitive deficits associated with long-term kratom/mitragynine consumption in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Nurul Iman
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Nur Aimi Zawami Ahmad
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Aiman Mohd Yusof
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Ummi Nasrah Talib
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Anwar Norazit
- Department of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jaya Kumar
- Department of Physiology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Zulfadli Mehat
- Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Zurina Hassan
- Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Malaysia
| | - Christian P Müller
- Centre for Drug Research, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, Malaysia.,Section of Addiction Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mustapha Muzaimi
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Health Campus, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
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Ruffini N, Müller M, Schmitt U, Gerber S. IntelliPy: A GUI for analyzing IntelliCage data. Bioinformatics 2021; 37:3972-3973. [PMID: 34601559 PMCID: PMC8570781 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btab682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Summary The IntelliCage systems offer the possibility to conduct long-term behavioral experiments on mice in social groups without human intervention. Although this setup provides new findings, only about 150 studies with the IntelliCage system have been published in the last two decades, which is also caused by the challenging problems of processing and handling the large and heterogeneous amounts of captured data. This application note introduces the Python-GUI IntelliPy, especially designed for users not very experienced in using programming languages. IntelliPy allows users to quickly analyze the IntelliCage output in a user-friendly way, thus making the systems more accessible to a broader audience. Availability and implementation https://github.com/NiRuff/IntelliPy. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Ruffini
- Institute for Human Genetics, University Medical Center Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Leibniz Association, 55122 Mainz, Germany Wallstraße 7
| | - Marianne Müller
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Leibniz Association, 55122 Mainz, Germany Wallstraße 7.,Translational Psychiatry, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schmitt
- Leibniz Institute for Resilience Research, Leibniz Association, 55122 Mainz, Germany Wallstraße 7
| | - Susanne Gerber
- Institute for Human Genetics, University Medical Center Johannes Gutenberg University, 55131 Mainz, Germany
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Picard K, Bisht K, Poggini S, Garofalo S, Golia MT, Basilico B, Abdallah F, Ciano Albanese N, Amrein I, Vernoux N, Sharma K, Hui CW, C Savage J, Limatola C, Ragozzino D, Maggi L, Branchi I, Tremblay MÈ. Microglial-glucocorticoid receptor depletion alters the response of hippocampal microglia and neurons in a chronic unpredictable mild stress paradigm in female mice. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 97:423-439. [PMID: 34343616 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2021.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychological stress is one of the most important triggers and environmental risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders. Chronic stress can influence all organs via the secretion of stress hormones, including glucocorticoids by the adrenal glands, which coordinate the stress response across the body. In the brain, glucocorticoid receptors (GR) are expressed by various cell types including microglia, which are its resident immune cells regulating stress-induced inflammatory processes. To study the roles of microglial GR under normal homeostatic conditions and following chronic stress, we generated a mouse model in which the GR gene is depleted in microglia specifically at adulthood to prevent developmental confounds. We first confirmed that microglia were depleted in GR in our model in males and females among the cingulate cortex and the hippocampus, both stress-sensitive brain regions. Then, cohorts of microglial-GR depleted and wild-type (WT) adult female mice were housed for 3 weeks in a standard or stressful condition, using a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) paradigm. CUMS induced stress-related behavior in both microglial-GR depleted and WT animals as demonstrated by a decrease of both saccharine preference and progressive ratio breakpoint. Nevertheless, the hippocampal microglial and neural mechanisms underlying the adaptation to stress occurred differently between the two genotypes. Upon CUMS exposure, microglial morphology was altered in the WT controls, without any apparent effect in microglial-GR depleted mice. Furthermore, in the standard environment condition, GR depleted-microglia showed increased expression of pro-inflammatory genes, and genes involved in microglial homeostatic functions (such as Trem2, Cx3cr1 and Mertk). On the contrary, in CUMS condition, GR depleted-microglia showed reduced expression levels of pro-inflammatory genes and increased neuroprotective as well as anti-inflammatory genes compared to WT-microglia. Moreover, in microglial-GR depleted mice, but not in WT mice, CUMS led to a significant reduction of CA1 long-term potentiation and paired-pulse ratio. Lastly, differences in adult hippocampal neurogenesis were observed between the genotypes during normal homeostatic conditions, with microglial-GR deficiency increasing the formation of newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus subgranular zone independently from stress exposure. Together, these findings indicate that, although the deletion of microglial GR did not prevent the animal's ability to respond to stress, it contributed to modulating hippocampal functions in both standard and stressful conditions, notably by shaping the microglial response to chronic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Picard
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Molecular Medicine Department, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Kanchan Bisht
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Silvia Poggini
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Garofalo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Golia
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Bernadette Basilico
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Fatima Abdallah
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Naomi Ciano Albanese
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy; Institute of Science and Technology (IST) Austria, Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Irmgard Amrein
- Functional Neuroanatomy, Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Vernoux
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Kaushik Sharma
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Chin Wai Hui
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Julie C Savage
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Cristina Limatola
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Davide Ragozzino
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Maggi
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Igor Branchi
- Center for Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Axe neurosciences, Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Molecular Medicine Department, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada; Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada; The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
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46
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Simmons KE, Healey KL, Li Q, Moore SD, Klein RC. Effects of sex and genotype in human APOE-targeted replacement mice on alcohol self-administration measured with the automated IntelliCage system before and after repeated mild traumatic brain injury. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:2231-2245. [PMID: 34585391 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14717] [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] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few studies have examined the association between APOE genotype and alcohol use. Although some of these studies have reported outcomes associated with a history of drinking, none have examined alcohol-seeking behavior. In addition, no preclinical studies have examined alcohol use as a function of APOE genotype with or without traumatic brain injury. METHODS Male and female human APOE3- and APOE4-targeted replacement (TR) mice were used to assess voluntary alcohol seeking longitudinally using a 2-bottle choice paradigm conducted within the automated IntelliCage system prior to and following repeated mild TBI (rmTBI). Following an acquisition phase in which the concentration of ethanol (EtOH) was increased to 12%, a variety of drinking paradigms that included extended alcohol access (EAA1 and EAA2), alcohol deprivation effect (ADE), limited access drinking in the dark (DID), and progressive ratio (PR) were used to assess alcohol-seeking behavior. Additional behavioral tasks were performed to measure cognitive function and anxiety-like behavior. RESULTS All groups readily consumed increasing concentrations of EtOH (4-12%) during the acquisition phase. During the EAA1 period (12% EtOH), there was a significant genotype effect in both males and females for EtOH preference. Following a 3-week abstinence period, mice received sham or rmTBI resulting in a genotype- and sex-independent main effect of rmTBI on the recovery of righting reflex and a main effect of rmTBI on spontaneous home-cage activity in females only. Reintroduction of 12% EtOH (EAA2) resulted in a significant effect genotype for alcohol preference in males with APOE4 mice displaying increased preference and motivation for alcohol compared with APOE3 mice independent of TBI while in females, there was a significant genotype × TBI interaction under the ADE and DID paradigms. Finally, there was a main effect of rmTBI on increased risk-seeking behavior in both sexes, but no effect on spatial learning or cognitive flexibility. CONCLUSION These results suggest that sex and APOE genotype play a significant role in alcohol consumption and may subsequently influence long-term recovery following traumatic brain insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Simmons
- Trinity College of Arts and Sciences, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kati L Healey
- Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Qiang Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Scott D Moore
- Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Rebecca C Klein
- Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.,Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Winslow W, McDonough I, Tallino S, Decker A, Vural AS, Velazquez R. IntelliCage Automated Behavioral Phenotyping Reveals Behavior Deficits in the 3xTg-AD Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease Associated With Brain Weight. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:720214. [PMID: 34483889 PMCID: PMC8414893 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.720214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenic rodent models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were designed to study mechanisms of pathogenesis and connect these mechanisms with cognitive decline. Measurements of cognition in rodents can be confounded, however, by human handling and interaction; the IntelliCage was created to circumvent these issues while measuring various facets of cognition in a social environment with water consumption as the primary motivator for task completion. Here, for the first time, we examined the behavioral performance of 3xTg-AD mice in the IntelliCage. Seven- to 9-month-old female 3xTg-AD and non-transgenic (NonTg) mice were tested for 29 days in the IntelliCage to measure prefrontal cortical and hippocampal function. We found that a higher percentage of NonTg mice (86.96%) were able to successfully complete the training (adaptation) phases compared to their 3xTg-AD (57.14%) counterparts. Furthermore, the 3xTg-AD mice showed impairments in attention and working memory. Interestingly, we found that differences in body and brain weight between NonTg and 3xTg-AD mice were associated with whether mice were able to complete the IntelliCage tasks. 3xTg-AD mice that completed IntelliCage tasks had lower cortical insoluble amyloid-β40 fractions than their 3xTg-AD counterparts who failed to complete the tasks. Collectively, these results demonstrate deficits in cognition in the 3xTg-AD mouse and inform scientists of important factors to consider when testing this transgenic model in the IntelliCage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Winslow
- Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at the Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Ian McDonough
- Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at the Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Savannah Tallino
- Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at the Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Annika Decker
- Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at the Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Austin S Vural
- Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at the Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Ramon Velazquez
- Arizona State University-Banner Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center at the Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States.,Arizona Alzheimer's Consortium, Phoenix, AZ, United States
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48
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Nomura H. [Autonomous mouse behavioral experiments]. Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi 2021; 156:312. [PMID: 34470937 DOI: 10.1254/fpj.21048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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49
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Iman IN, Yusof NAM, Talib UN, Ahmad NAZ, Norazit A, Kumar J, Mehat MZ, Jayabalan N, Muthuraju S, Stefaniuk M, Kaczmarek L, Muzaimi M. The IntelliCage System: A Review of Its Utility as a Novel Behavioral Platform for a Rodent Model of Substance Use Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:683780. [PMID: 34149373 PMCID: PMC8211779 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.683780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of animal models for substance use disorder (SUD) has made an important contribution in the investigation of the behavioral and molecular mechanisms underlying substance abuse and addiction. Here, we review a novel and comprehensive behavioral platform to characterize addiction-like traits in rodents using a fully automated learning system, the IntelliCage. This system simultaneously captures the basic behavioral navigation, reward preference, and aversion, as well as the multi-dimensional complex behaviors and cognitive functions of group-housed rodents. It can reliably capture and track locomotor and cognitive pattern alterations associated with the development of substance addiction. Thus, the IntelliCage learning system offers a potentially efficient, flexible, and sensitive tool for the high-throughput screening of the rodent SUD model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Nurul Iman
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Aiman Mohd Yusof
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Ummi Nasrah Talib
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Nur Aimi Zawami Ahmad
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
| | - Anwar Norazit
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Jaya Kumar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Zulfadli Mehat
- Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
| | - Nanthini Jayabalan
- Translational Neuroscience Lab, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sangu Muthuraju
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Marzena Stefaniuk
- BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Leszek Kaczmarek
- BRAINCITY, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mustapha Muzaimi
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia
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50
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van Heusden FC, Palacín I Bonsón S, Stiedl O, Smit AB, van Kesteren RE. Longitudinal Assessment of Working Memory Performance in the APPswe/PSEN1dE9 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease Using an Automated Figure-8-Maze. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:655449. [PMID: 34054444 PMCID: PMC8155296 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.655449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, with a long preclinical and prodromal phase. To enable the study of disease mechanisms, AD has been modeled in many transgenic animal lines and cognitive functioning has been tested using several widely used behavioral tasks. These tasks, however, are not always suited for repeated longitudinal testing and are often associated with acute stress such as animal transfer, handling, novelty, or stress related to the task itself. This makes it challenging to relate cognitive dysfunction in animal models to cognitive decline observed in AD patients. Here, we designed an automated figure-8-maze (F8M) to test mice in a delayed alternation task (DAT) in a longitudinal manner. Mice were rewarded when they entered alternate sides of the maze on subsequent trials. Automation as well as connection of the F8M set-up with a home cage reduces experimenter interference and minimizes acute stress, thus making it suitable for longitudinal testing and facilitating clinical translation. In the present study, we monitored cognitive functioning of 2-month-old APPswe/PSEN1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice over a period of 4 months. The percentage of correct responses in the DAT did not differ between wild-type and transgenic mice from 2 to 6 months of age. However, 6-month-old mice displayed an increase in the number of consecutive incorrect responses. These results demonstrate the feasibility of longitudinal testing using an automated F8M and suggest that APP/PS1 mice are not impaired at delayed spatial alternation until 6 months of age under the current experimental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fran C van Heusden
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sara Palacín I Bonsón
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Oliver Stiedl
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - August B Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ronald E van Kesteren
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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