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Olson A, Zhang F, Cao H, Baranova A, Slavin M. In silico Gene Set and Pathway Enrichment Analyses Highlight Involvement of Ion Transport in Cholinergic Pathways in Autism: Rationale for Nutritional Intervention. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:648410. [PMID: 33958984 PMCID: PMC8093449 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.648410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Food is the primary human source of choline, an essential precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which has a central role in signaling pathways that govern sensorimotor functions. Most Americans do not consume their recommended amount of dietary choline, and populations with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may be particularly vulnerable to consequences of choline deficiency. This study aimed to identify a relationship between ASD and cholinergic signaling through gene set enrichment analysis and interrogation of existing database evidence to produce a systems biology model. In gene set enrichment analysis, two gene ontologies were identified as overlapping for autism-related and for cholinergic pathways-related functions, both involving ion transport regulation. Subsequent modeling of ion transport intensive cholinergic signaling pathways highlighted the importance of two genes with autism-associated variants: GABBR1, which codes for the gamma aminobutyric acid receptor (GABAB 1), and KCNN2, which codes for calcium-activated, potassium ion transporting SK2 channels responsible for membrane repolarization after cholinergic binding/signal transmission events. Cholinergic signal transmission pathways related to these proteins were examined in the Pathway Studio environment. The ion transport ontological associations indicated feasibility of a dietary choline support as a low-risk therapeutic intervention capable of modulating cholinergic sensory signaling in autism. Further research at the intersection of dietary status and sensory function in autism is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Olson
- Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
- School of Systems Biology, College of Science, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, United States
| | - Fuquan Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongbao Cao
- School of Systems Biology, College of Science, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ancha Baranova
- School of Systems Biology, College of Science, George Mason University, Manassas, VA, United States
- Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Margaret Slavin
- Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, College of Health and Human Services, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, United States
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Sabzalizadeh M, Afarinesh MR, Mafi F, Mosanejad E, Haghpanah T, Golshan F, Koohkan F, Ezzatabadipour M, Sheibani V. Alcohol and nicotine co-Administration during pregnancy and lactation periods alters sensory discrimination of adult NMRI mice offspring. Physiol Behav 2019; 213:112731. [PMID: 31682889 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The present study investigated the impacts of alcohol, nicotine, and their co-administration during pregnancy and lactation on sensory information processing including visual, tactile, and auditory discrimination in adult NMRI mice offspring. Pregnant mice were injected with saline or 20% alcohol (3 g/kg), or nicotine (1 mg/kg) or their co-administration alcohol+nicotine, intraperitoneally until the end of lactation. The offspring were separated from their mothers after lactation period on postnatal day (PND) 28. The locomotor activity, novel object recognition-dependent on visual system (NOR-VS), novel texture discrimination- dependent on somatosensory system (NTR-SS), and acoustic startle reflex were evaluated in PND90. The results revealed no statistical significance for locomotor activity of alcohol, nicotine, and co-administration alcohol+nicotine groups compared to the saline group in the open field task. The results, however, showed a significant decline in the ability of novel object discrimination in the nicotine and co-administration alcohol + nicotine groups compared to the saline group (P < 0.05) in the NOR-VS task. In the NTR-SS and acoustic startle reflex tasks, texture discrimination and the prepulse inhibition abilities in the offspring administered with nicotine and alcohol alone were reduced when compared to the saline group. Also, co-administration of alcohol+nicotine groups showed a decline in the aforementioned tests compared to the saline group (P <0.05). Administration of alcohol and nicotine during fetal and postpartum development disrupts sensory processing of inputs of visual, tactile, and auditory systems in adult mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansoureh Sabzalizadeh
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmachology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Afarinesh
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmachology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Fatemeh Mafi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmachology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Elahe Mosanejad
- Department of anatomy, School of medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Tahereh Haghpanah
- Department of anatomy, School of medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Golshan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmachology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Faezeh Koohkan
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmachology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Massood Ezzatabadipour
- Department of anatomy, School of medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Vahid Sheibani
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmachology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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Aidelbaum R, Labelle A, Baddeley A, Knott V. Assessing the acute effects of CDP-choline on sensory gating in schizophrenia: A pilot study. J Psychopharmacol 2018; 32:541-551. [PMID: 29338621 DOI: 10.1177/0269881117746903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Deficient sensory gating (SG) in schizophrenia is associated with functional outcome and offers a therapeutic target as it is linked to the altered function/expression of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). This study analyzed the effects of citicoline (CDP-choline), a supplement with α7 nAChRs agonist properties, on SG in a sample of schizophrenia (SZ) patients. Using a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design the dose-dependent (500 mg, 1000 mg, 2000 mg) and baseline-dependent (deficient versus normal suppressors) effects of CDP-choline on SG were examined using the P50 event-related potential (ERP) index of SG. Overall analysis failed to demonstrate treatment effects but CDP-choline improved SG (500 mg) in the deficient SZ subgroup by increasing suppression of the S2 P50 amplitude. These findings tentatively support α7 nAChR dysfunction in the expression of SG deficits and suggest further trials to assess the effects of sustained α7 nAChR activation on SG with low doses of CDP-choline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Aidelbaum
- 1 Clinical Neuroelectrophysiology and Cognitive Research Laboratory, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, ON, Canada.,2 Department of Psychology, Carleton University, ON, Canada
| | - Alain Labelle
- 3 Schizophrenia Program, Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, ON, Canada
| | - Ashley Baddeley
- 1 Clinical Neuroelectrophysiology and Cognitive Research Laboratory, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, ON, Canada
| | - Verner Knott
- 1 Clinical Neuroelectrophysiology and Cognitive Research Laboratory, University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research, ON, Canada
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Idrus NM, Breit KR, Thomas JD. Dietary choline levels modify the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure in rats. Neurotoxicol Teratol 2017; 59:43-52. [PMID: 27888055 PMCID: PMC5770193 DOI: 10.1016/j.ntt.2016.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause a range of physical and behavioral alterations; however, the outcome among children exposed to alcohol during pregnancy varies widely. Some of this variation may be due to nutritional factors. Indeed, higher rates of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are observed in countries where malnutrition is prevalent. Epidemiological studies have shown that many pregnant women throughout the world may not be consuming adequate levels of choline, an essential nutrient critical for brain development, and a methyl donor. In this study, we examined the influence of dietary choline deficiency on the severity of fetal alcohol effects. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive diets containing 40, 70, or 100% recommended choline levels. A group from each diet condition was exposed to ethanol (6.0g/kg/day) from gestational day 5 to 20 via intubation. Pair-fed and ad lib lab chow control groups were also included. Physical and behavioral development was measured in the offspring. Prenatal alcohol exposure delayed motor development, and 40% choline altered performance on the cliff avoidance task, independent of one another. However, the combination of low choline and prenatal alcohol produced the most severe impairments in development. Subjects exposed to ethanol and fed the 40% choline diet exhibited delayed eye openings, significantly fewer successes in hindlimb coordination, and were significantly overactive compared to all other groups. These data suggest that suboptimal intake of a single nutrient can exacerbate some of ethanol's teratogenic effects, a finding with important implications for the prevention of FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirelia M Idrus
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Kristen R Breit
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA
| | - Jennifer D Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Center for Behavioral Teratology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92120, USA.
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Notarangelo FM, Pocivavsek A. Elevated kynurenine pathway metabolism during neurodevelopment: Implications for brain and behavior. Neuropharmacology 2017; 112:275-285. [PMID: 26944732 PMCID: PMC5010529 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation contains several neuroactive metabolites that may influence brain function in health and disease. Mounting focus has been dedicated to investigating the role of these metabolites during neurodevelopment and elucidating their involvement in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders with a developmental component, such as schizophrenia. In this review, we describe the changes in KP metabolism in the brain from gestation until adulthood and illustrate how environmental and genetic factors affect the KP during development. With a particular focus on kynurenic acid, the antagonist of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine (α7nACh) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, both implicated in modulating brain development, we review animal models designed to ascertain the role of perinatal KP elevation on long-lasting biochemical, neuropathological, and behavioral deficits later in life. We present new data demonstrating that combining perinatal choline-supplementation, to potentially increase activation of α7nACh receptors during development, with embryonic kynurenine manipulation is effective in attenuating cognitive impairments in adult rat offspring. With these findings in mind, we conclude the review by discussing the advancement of therapeutic interventions that would target not only symptoms, but potentially the root cause of central nervous system diseases that manifest from a perinatal KP insult. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The Kynurenine Pathway in Health and Disease'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca M Notarangelo
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ana Pocivavsek
- Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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Tregellas JR, Smucny J, Legget KT, Stevens KE. Effects of a ketogenic diet on auditory gating in DBA/2 mice: A proof-of-concept study. Schizophr Res 2015; 169:351-354. [PMID: 26453015 PMCID: PMC4827327 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2015.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 09/18/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Although the ketogenic diet has shown promise in a pilot study and case report in schizophrenia, its effects in animal models of hypothesized disease mechanisms are unknown. This study examined effects of treatment with the ketogenic diet on hippocampal P20/N40 gating in DBA/2 mice, a translational endophenotype that mirrors inhibitory deficits in P50 sensory gating in schizophrenia patients. As expected, the diet increased blood ketone levels. Animals with the highest ketone levels showed the lowest P20/N40 gating ratios. These preliminary results suggest that the ketogenic diet may effectively target sensory gating deficits and is a promising area for additional research in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason R Tregellas
- Research Service, Denver VA Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA; Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Jason Smucny
- Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kristina T Legget
- Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Karen E Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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Hu F, Wei L, Zheng C, Shen Y, Min W. Live-cell vibrational imaging of choline metabolites by stimulated Raman scattering coupled with isotope-based metabolic labeling. Analyst 2015; 139:2312-7. [PMID: 24555181 DOI: 10.1039/c3an02281a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Choline is a small molecule that occupies a key position in the biochemistry of all living organisms. Recent studies have strongly implicated choline metabolites in cancer, atherosclerosis and nervous system development. To detect choline and its metabolites, existing physical methods such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy and positron emission tomography are often limited by the poor spatial resolution and substantial radiation dose. Fluorescence imaging, although with submicrometer resolution, requires introduction of bulky fluorophores and thus is difficult in labeling the small choline molecule. By combining the emerging bond-selective stimulated Raman scattering microscopy with metabolic incorporation of deuterated choline, herein we have achieved high resolution imaging of choline-containing metabolites in living mammalian cell lines, primary hippocampal neurons and the multicellular organism C. elegans. Different subcellular distributions of choline metabolites are observed between cancer cells and non-cancer cells, which may reveal a functional difference in the choline metabolism and lipid-mediated signaling events. In neurons, choline incorporation is visualized within both soma and neurites, where choline metabolites are more evenly distributed compared to proteins. Furthermore, choline localization is also observed in the pharynx region of C. elegans larvae, consistent with its organogenesis mechanism. These applications demonstrate the potential of isotope-based stimulated Raman scattering microscopy for future choline-related disease detection and development monitoring in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanghao Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, 3000 Broadway, New York, NY, USA.
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8
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Biswas S, Giri S. Importance of Choline as Essential Nutrient and Its Role in Prevention of Various Toxicities. Prague Med Rep 2015; 116:5-15. [DOI: 10.14712/23362936.2015.40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Choline is a water-soluble essential nutrient included as a member of the vitamin B12 group owing to its structural similarities with that of the other members of the group. Its roles and functions, however, extend much wider than that of the vitamins with which it is grouped. Choline is vital for maintenance of various key metabolic processes which play a role in the prevention or progression of various health impairments. The occurrence of diseases like neural tube defect (NTD) and Alzheimer’s is prevented by the metabolic role of choline. It is also indispensable for mitigation of various forms of toxic contamination. While adequate level of choline in the body is essential, an excess of choline can result in various forms of disorder. To maintain the optimal level of choline in the body can be a challenge. The vital roles played by choline together with the range of contradictions and problems that choline presents make choline an interesting area of study. This paper attempts to summarize and review some recent publications on choline that have opened up new prospect in understanding the multiple role played by choline and in throwing light on the role played by this wonder essential nutrient in mitigating various forms of toxic contamination.
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Knott V, Smith D, de la Salle S, Impey D, Choueiry J, Beaudry E, Smith M, Saghir S, Ilivitsky V, Labelle A. CDP-choline: effects of the procholine supplement on sensory gating and executive function in healthy volunteers stratified for low, medium and high P50 suppression. J Psychopharmacol 2014; 28:1095-108. [PMID: 25315828 DOI: 10.1177/0269881114553254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Diminished auditory sensory gating and associated neurocognitive deficits in schizophrenia have been linked to altered expression and function of the alpha-7 nicotinic acetycholinergic receptor (α7 nAChR), the targeting of which may have treatment potential. Choline is a selective α7 nAChR agonist and the aim of this study was to determine whether cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline), or citicoline, a dietary source of choline, increases sensory gating and cognition in healthy volunteers stratified for gating level. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind design involving acute administration of low, moderate doses (500 mg, 1000 mg) of CDP-choline, 24 healthy volunteers were assessed for auditory gating as indexed by suppression of the P50 event-related potential (ERP) in a paired-stimulus (S1, S2) paradigm, and for executive function as measured by the Groton Maze Learning Task (GMLT) of the CogState Schizophrenia Battery. CDP-choline improved gating (1000 mg) and suppression of the S2 P50 response (500 mg, 1000 mg), with the effects being selective for individuals with low gating (suppression) levels. Tentative support was also shown for increased GMLT performance (500 mg) in low suppressors. These preliminary findings with CDP-choline in a healthy, schizophrenia-like surrogate sample are consistent with a α7 nAChR mechanism and support further trials with choline as a pro-cognitive strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verner Knott
- Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Dylan Smith
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Danielle Impey
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Joelle Choueiry
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Elise Beaudry
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Meaghan Smith
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Salman Saghir
- School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Vadim Ilivitsky
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Alain Labelle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Corriveau JA, Glenn MJ. Postnatal choline levels mediate cognitive deficits in a rat model of schizophrenia. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 103:60-8. [PMID: 22917834 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2012.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2012] [Revised: 07/23/2012] [Accepted: 08/04/2012] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated whether the essential nutrient choline may protect against schizophrenic-like cognitive deficits in a rat model. Theories regarding the etiology of schizophrenia suggest that early life events render an individual more vulnerable to adult challenges, and the combination may precipitate disease onset. To model this, the adult male offspring of dams who either experienced stress during late gestation or did not were given a 5 mg/kg dose of the NMDA antagonist,MK-801. The presence of both the prenatal challenge of stress and the adult challenge of MK-801 was expected to impair memory in these offspring. Memory was not expected to be impaired in rats that did not experience prenatal stress, but did receive MK-801 as adults. To study whether choline levels altered outcomes in these groups, rats were fed a choline-supplemented, -deficient, or standard diet during the period between the two challenges: beginning at weaning and continuing for 25 days. All rats consumed regular rat chow thereafter. The efficacy of the model was confirmed in the standard fed rats in that only those that were prenatally stressed and received MK-801 as adults displayed impaired memory on a novelty preference test of object recognition. Contrary to this finding and consistent with our hypothesis, choline-supplemented rats that were also both prenatally stressed and given MK-801 as adults showed intact memory. Choline deficiency impaired memory in rats that were just prenatally stressed, just given MK-801 as adults, and subjected to both. Thus, a choline deficient diet may render rats vulnerable to either challenge. Taken together, we offer evidence that developmental choline levels modulate the effects of prenatal stress and/or MK-801 and thereby alter the cognitive outcome in a rat model of schizophrenia.
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Hunter SK, Mendoza JH, D’Anna K, Zerbe GO, McCarthy L, Hoffman C, Freedman R, Ross RG. Antidepressants may mitigate the effects of prenatal maternal anxiety on infant auditory sensory gating. Am J Psychiatry 2012; 169:616-24. [PMID: 22581104 PMCID: PMC3640273 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2012.11091365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prenatal maternal anxiety has detrimental effects on the offspring's neurocognitive development, including impaired attentional function. Antidepressants are commonly used during pregnancy, yet their impact on offspring attention and their interaction with maternal anxiety has not been assessed. The authors used P50 auditory sensory gating, a putative marker of early attentional processes measurable in young infants, to assess the impact of maternal anxiety and antidepressant use. METHOD A total of 242 mother-infant dyads were classified relative to maternal history of anxiety and maternal prenatal antidepressant use. Infant P50 auditory sensory gating was recorded during active sleep at a mean age of 76 days (SD=38). RESULTS In the absence of prenatal antidepressant exposure, infants whose mothers had a history of anxiety diagnoses had diminished P50 sensory gating. Prenatal antidepressant exposure mitigated the effect of anxiety. The effect of maternal anxiety was limited to amplitude of response to the second stimulus, while antidepressant exposure had an impact on the amplitude of response to both the first and second stimulus. CONCLUSIONS Maternal anxiety disorders are associated with less inhibition during infant sensory gating, a performance deficit mitigated by prenatal antidepressant exposure. This effect may be important in considering the risks and benefits of antidepressant use during pregnancy. Cholinergic mechanisms are hypothesized for both anxiety and antidepressant effects, although the cholinergic receptors involved are likely different for anxiety and antidepressant effects.
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Abstract
Food intake can influence neuronal functions through different modulators expressed in the brain. The present review is a report through relevant experimental findings on the effects of choline, a nutritional component found in the diet, to identify a safe and effective dietary solution that can offer some protection against neurotoxicity and neurological disorders and that can be implemented in animals and humans in a very short period of time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Biasi
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke Univesity Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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13
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Wong-Goodrich SJE, Tognoni CM, Mellott TJ, Glenn MJ, Blusztajn JK, Williams CL. Prenatal choline deficiency does not enhance hippocampal vulnerability after kainic acid-induced seizures in adulthood. Brain Res 2011; 1413:84-97. [PMID: 21840511 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2011.07.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2011] [Revised: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 07/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Choline is a vital nutrient needed during early development for both humans and rodents. Severe dietary choline deficiency during pregnancy leads to birth defects, while more limited deficiency during mid- to late pregnancy causes deficits in hippocampal plasticity in adult rodent offspring that are accompanied by cognitive deficits only when task demands are high. Because prenatal choline supplementation confers neuroprotection of the adult hippocampus against a variety of neural insults and aids memory, we hypothesized that prenatal choline deficiency may enhance vulnerability to neural injury. To examine this, adult offspring of rat dams either fed a control diet (CON) or one deficient in choline (DEF) during embryonic days 12-17 were given multiple injections (i.p.) of saline (control) or kainic acid to induce seizures and were euthanized 16 days later. Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, DEF rats were not more susceptible to seizure induction and showed similar levels of seizure-induced hippocampal histopathology, GAD expression loss, upregulated hippocampal GFAP and growth factor expression, and increased dentate cell and neuronal proliferation as that seen in CON rats. Although prenatal choline deficiency compromises adult hippocampal plasticity in the intact brain, it does not appear to exacerbate the neuropathological response to seizures in the adult hippocampus at least shortly after excitotoxic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J E Wong-Goodrich
- Unit on Neuroplasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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Prenatal stress: role in psychotic and depressive diseases. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 214:89-106. [PMID: 20949351 PMCID: PMC3050113 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-010-2035-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2010] [Accepted: 09/26/2010] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The birth of neurons, their migration to appropriate positions in the brain, and their establishment of the proper synaptic contacts happen predominately during the prenatal period. Environmental stressors during gestation can exert a major impact on brain development and thereby contribute to the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric illnesses, such as depression and psychotic disorders including schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE The objectives here are to present recent preclinical studies of the impact of prenatal exposure to gestational stressors on the developing fetal brain and discuss their relevance to the neurobiological basis of mental illness. The focus is on maternal immune activation, psychological stresses, and malnutrition, due to the abundant clinical literature supporting their role in the etiology of neuropsychiatric illnesses. RESULTS Prenatal maternal immune activation, viral infection, unpredictable psychological stress, and malnutrition all appear to foster the development of behavioral abnormalities in exposed offspring that may be relevant to the symptom domains of schizophrenia and psychosis, including sensorimotor gating, information processing, cognition, social function, and subcortical hyperdopaminergia. Depression-related phenotypes, such as learned helplessness or anxiety, are also observed in some model systems. These changes appear to be mediated by the presence of proinflammatory cytokines and/or corticosteroids in the fetal compartment that alter the development the neuroanatomical substrates involved in these behaviors. CONCLUSION Prenatal exposure to environmental stressors alters the trajectory of brain development and can be used to generate animal preparations that may be informative in understanding the pathophysiological processes involved in several human neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Robinson L, Platt B, Riedel G. Involvement of the cholinergic system in conditioning and perceptual memory. Behav Brain Res 2011; 221:443-65. [PMID: 21315109 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2011.01.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2011] [Accepted: 01/29/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The cholinergic systems play a pivotal role in learning and memory, and have been the centre of attention when it comes to diseases containing cognitive deficits. It is therefore not surprising, that the cholinergic transmitter system has experienced detailed examination of its role in numerous behavioural situations not least with the perspective that cognition may be rescued with appropriate cholinergic 'boosters'. Here we reviewed the literature on (i) cholinergic lesions, (ii) pharmacological intervention of muscarinic or nicotinic system, or (iii) genetic deletion of selective receptor subtypes with respect to sensory discrimination and conditioning procedures. We consider visual, auditory, olfactory and somatosensory processing first before discussing more complex tasks such as startle responses, latent inhibition, negative patterning, eye blink and fear conditioning, and passive avoidance paradigms. An overarching reoccurring theme is that lesions of the cholinergic projection neurones of the basal forebrain impact negatively on acquisition learning in these paradigms and blockade of muscarinic (and to a lesser extent nicotinic) receptors in the target structures produce similar behavioural deficits. While these pertain mainly to impairments in acquisition learning, some rare cases extend to memory consolidation. Such single case observations warranted replication and more in-depth studies. Intriguingly, receptor blockade or receptor gene knockout repeatedly produced contradictory results (for example in fear conditioning) and combined studies, in which genetically altered mice are pharmacological manipulated, are so far missing. However, they are desperately needed to clarify underlying reasons for these contradictions. Consistently, stimulation of either muscarinic (mainly M(1)) or nicotinic (predominantly α7) receptors was beneficial for learning and memory formation across all paradigms supporting the notion that research into the development and mechanisms of novel and better cholinomimetics may prove useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative or psychiatric disorders with cognitive endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianne Robinson
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.
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Ross RG, Stevens KE, Proctor WR, Leonard S, Kisley MA, Hunter SK, Freedman R, Adams CE. Research review: Cholinergic mechanisms, early brain development, and risk for schizophrenia. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2010; 51:535-49. [PMID: 19925602 PMCID: PMC2862788 DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02187.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The onset of diagnostic symptomology for neuropsychiatric diseases is often the end result of a decades-long process of aberrant brain development. Identification of novel treatment strategies aimed at normalizing early brain development and preventing mental illness should be a major therapeutic goal. However, there are few models for how this goal might be achieved. This review uses the development of a psychophysiological correlate of attentional deficits in schizophrenia to propose a developmental model with translational primary prevention implications. Review of genetic and neurobiological studies suggests that an early interaction between alpha7 nicotinic receptor density and choline availability may contribute to the development of schizophrenia-associated attentional deficits. Therapeutic implications, including perinatal dietary choline supplementation, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randal G Ross
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
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Abstract
Choline was officially recognized as an essential nutrient by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 1998. There is significant variation in the dietary requirement for choline that can be explained by common genetic polymorphisms. Because of its wide-ranging roles in human metabolism, from cell structure to neurotransmitter synthesis, choline-deficiency is now thought to have an impact on diseases such as liver disease, atherosclerosis, and, possibly, neurological disorders. Choline is found in a wide variety of foods. Eggs and meats are rich sources of choline in the North American diet, providing up to 430 milligrams per 100 grams. Mean choline intakes for older children, men, women, and pregnant women are far below the adequate intake level established by the IOM. Given the importance of choline in a wide range of critical functions in the human body, coupled with less-than-optimal intakes among the population, dietary guidance should be developed to encourage the intake of choline-rich foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven H Zeisel
- Department of Nutrition at the Nutrition Research Institute, School of Public Health and School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, USA.
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Leiser SC, Bowlby MR, Comery TA, Dunlop J. A cog in cognition: How the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is geared towards improving cognitive deficits. Pharmacol Ther 2009; 122:302-11. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2009.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2009] [Accepted: 03/20/2009] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina L Williams
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, 572 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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