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Nippert KE, Rowland CP, Vazey EM, Moorman DE. Alcohol, flexible behavior, and the prefrontal cortex: Functional changes underlying impaired cognitive flexibility. Neuropharmacology 2024; 260:110114. [PMID: 39134298 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.110114] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility enables individuals to alter their behavior in response to changing environmental demands, facilitating optimal behavior in a dynamic world. The inability to do this, called behavioral inflexibility, is a pervasive behavioral phenotype in alcohol use disorder (AUD), driven by disruptions in cognitive flexibility. Research has repeatedly shown that behavioral inflexibility not only results from alcohol exposure across species but can itself be predictive of future drinking. Like many high-level executive functions, flexible behavior requires healthy functioning of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The scope of this review addresses two primary themes: first, we outline tasks that have been used to investigate flexibility in the context of AUD or AUD models. We characterize these based on the task features and underlying cognitive processes that differentiate them from one another. We highlight the neural basis of flexibility measures, focusing on the PFC, and how acute or chronic alcohol in humans and non-human animal models impacts flexibility. Second, we consolidate findings on the molecular, physiological and functional changes in the PFC elicited by alcohol, that may contribute to cognitive flexibility deficits seen in AUD. Collectively, this approach identifies several key avenues for future research that will facilitate effective treatments to promote flexible behavior in the context of AUD, to reduce the risk of alcohol related harm, and to improve outcomes following AUD. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E Nippert
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Courtney P Rowland
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Elena M Vazey
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA; Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
| | - David E Moorman
- Neuroscience and Behavior Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA.
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2
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Girotti M, Bulin SE, Carreno FR. Effects of chronic stress on cognitive function - From neurobiology to intervention. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 33:100670. [PMID: 39295772 PMCID: PMC11407068 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to chronic stress contributes considerably to the development of cognitive impairments in psychiatric disorders such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and addictive behavior. Unfortunately, unlike mood-related symptoms, cognitive impairments are not effectively treated by available therapies, a situation in part resulting from a still incomplete knowledge of the neurobiological substrates that underly cognitive domains and the difficulty in generating interventions that are both efficacious and safe. In this review, we will present an overview of the cognitive domains affected by stress with a specific focus on cognitive flexibility, behavioral inhibition, and working memory. We will then consider the effects of stress on neuronal correlates of cognitive function and the factors which may modulate the interaction of stress and cognition. Finally, we will discuss intervention strategies for treatment of stress-related disorders and gaps in knowledge with emerging new treatments under development. Understanding how cognitive impairment occurs during exposure to chronic stress is crucial to make progress towards the development of new and effective therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Girotti
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Sarah E Bulin
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Flavia R Carreno
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
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Nassar MR. Toward a computational role for locus coeruleus/norepinephrine arousal systems. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2024; 59:101407. [PMID: 39070697 PMCID: PMC11280330 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2024.101407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Brain and behavior undergo measurable changes in their underlying state and neuromodulators are thought to contribute to these fluctuations. Why do we undergo such changes, and what function could the underlying neuromodulatory systems perform? Here we examine theoretical answers to these questions with respect to the locus coeruleus/norepinephrine system focusing on peripheral markers for arousal, such as pupil diameter, that are thought to provide a window into brain wide noradrenergic signaling. We explore a computational role for arousal systems in facilitating internal state transitions that facilitate credit assignment and promote accurate perceptions in non-stationary environments. We summarize recent work that supports this idea and highlight open questions as well as alternative views of how arousal affects cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- M R Nassar
- Brown University, Dept of Neuroscience and Carney Institute for Brain Science
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4
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Nigro M, Tortorelli LS, Dinh K, Garad M, Zlebnik NE, Yang H. Prefrontal dynamics and encoding of flexible rule switching. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.13.571356. [PMID: 38168151 PMCID: PMC10760137 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.13.571356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility, the ability to adjust behavioral strategies in response to changing environmental contingencies and internal demands, is fundamental to cognitive functions. Despite a large body of pharmacology and lesion studies, the underlying neurophysiological correlates and mechanisms that support flexible rule switching remain elusive. To address this question, we trained mice to distinguish complex sensory cues comprising different perceptual dimensions (set shifting). Endoscopic calcium imaging revealed that medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) neurons represented multiple task-related events and exhibited pronounced dynamic changes during rule switching. Notably, prominent encoding capacity in the mPFC was associated with switching across, but not within perceptual dimensions. We then showed the involvement of the ascending modulatory input from the locus coeruleus (LC), as inhibiting the LC impaired rule switching behavior and impeded mPFC dynamic processes and encoding. Our results highlight the pivotal role of the mPFC in set shifting processes and demonstrate the profound impact of ascending neuromodulation on shaping prefrontal neural dynamics and behavioral flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Nigro
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Lucas Silva Tortorelli
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Kevin Dinh
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Machhindra Garad
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Natalie E Zlebnik
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Hongdian Yang
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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Hassani SA, Womelsdorf T. Noradrenergic alpha-2a Receptor Stimulation Enhances Prediction Error Signaling in Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Striatum. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.25.564052. [PMID: 37961384 PMCID: PMC10634832 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.25.564052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
The noradrenergic system is implicated to support behavioral flexibility by increasing exploration during periods of uncertainty and by enhancing working memory for goal-relevant stimuli. Possible sources mediating these pro-cognitive effects are α2A adrenoceptors (α2AR) in prefrontal cortex or the anterior cingulate cortex facilitating fronto-striatal learning processes. We tested this hypothesis by selectively stimulating α2ARs using Guanfacine during feature-based attentional set shifting in nonhuman primates. We found that α2A stimulation improved learning from errors and facilitates updating the target feature of an attentional set. Neural recordings in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and the striatum showed that α2A stimulation selectively enhanced the neural representation of negative reward prediction errors in neurons of the ACC and of positive prediction errors in the striatum, but not in dlPFC. This modulation was accompanied by enhanced encoding of the feature and location of the attended target across the fronto-striatal network. Enhanced learning was paralleled by enhanced encoding of outcomes in putative fast-spiking interneurons in the ACC, dlPFC, and striatum but not in broad spiking cells, pointing to an interneuron mediated mechanism of α2AR action. These results illustrate that α2A receptors causally support the noradrenergic enhancement of updating attention sets through an enhancement of prediction error signaling in the ACC and the striatum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed A. Hassani
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN 37240
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20824
| | - Thilo Womelsdorf
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
- Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Nashville, TN 37240
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37240
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Stock AK, Werner A, Kuntke P, Petasch MS, Bensmann W, Zink N, Koyun AH, Quednow BB, Beste C. Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Glutamate Concentrations in the Striatum and Anterior Cingulate Cortex Not Found to Be Associated with Cognitive Flexibility. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1192. [PMID: 37626548 PMCID: PMC10452168 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13081192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility and goal-directed behavior heavily depend on fronto-striatal networks. Within these circuits, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate play an important role in (motor) response inhibition, but it has remained largely unclear whether they are also relevant for cognitive inhibition. We hence investigated the functional role of these transmitters for cognitive inhibition during cognitive flexibility. Healthy young adults performed two paradigms assessing different aspects of cognitive flexibility. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was used to quantify GABA+ and total glutamate/glutamine (Glx) levels in the striatum and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) referenced to N-acetylaspartate (NAA). We observed typical task switching and backward inhibition effects, but striatal and ACC concentrations of GABA+/NAA and Glx/NAA were not associated with cognitive flexibility in a functionally relevant manner. The assumption of null effects was underpinned by Bayesian testing. These findings suggest that behavioral and cognitive inhibition are functionally distinct faculties, that depend on (at least partly) different brain structures and neurotransmitter systems. While previous studies consistently demonstrated that motor response inhibition is modulated by ACC and striatal GABA levels, our results suggest that the functionally distinct cognitive inhibition required for successful switching is not, or at least to a much lesser degree, modulated by these factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Kathrin Stock
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, D-01309 Dresden, Germany; (M.-S.P.); (W.B.); (N.Z.); (A.H.K.); (C.B.)
- Biopsychology, Department of Psychology, School of Science, TU Dresden, D-01062 Dresden, Germany
| | - Annett Werner
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, TU Dresden, D-01309 Dresden, Germany; (A.W.); (P.K.)
| | - Paul Kuntke
- Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, TU Dresden, D-01309 Dresden, Germany; (A.W.); (P.K.)
| | - Miriam-Sophie Petasch
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, D-01309 Dresden, Germany; (M.-S.P.); (W.B.); (N.Z.); (A.H.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Wiebke Bensmann
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, D-01309 Dresden, Germany; (M.-S.P.); (W.B.); (N.Z.); (A.H.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Nicolas Zink
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, D-01309 Dresden, Germany; (M.-S.P.); (W.B.); (N.Z.); (A.H.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Anna Helin Koyun
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, D-01309 Dresden, Germany; (M.-S.P.); (W.B.); (N.Z.); (A.H.K.); (C.B.)
| | - Boris B. Quednow
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacopsychology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland;
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, University of Zurich, 8032 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, D-01309 Dresden, Germany; (M.-S.P.); (W.B.); (N.Z.); (A.H.K.); (C.B.)
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Li Y, Zhi W, Qi B, Wang L, Hu X. Update on neurobiological mechanisms of fear: illuminating the direction of mechanism exploration and treatment development of trauma and fear-related disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1216524. [PMID: 37600761 PMCID: PMC10433239 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1216524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Fear refers to an adaptive response in the face of danger, and the formed fear memory acts as a warning when the individual faces a dangerous situation again, which is of great significance to the survival of humans and animals. Excessive fear response caused by abnormal fear memory can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders. Fear memory has been studied for a long time, which is of a certain guiding effect on the treatment of fear-related disorders. With continuous technological innovations, the study of fear has gradually shifted from the level of brain regions to deeper neural (micro) circuits between brain regions and even within single brain regions, as well as molecular mechanisms. This article briefly outlines the basic knowledge of fear memory and reviews the neurobiological mechanisms of fear extinction and relapse, which aims to provide new insights for future basic research on fear emotions and new ideas for treating trauma and fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Weijia Zhi
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Bing Qi
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Hu
- College of Education, Hebei University, Baoding, China
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China
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Klem L, Nielsen MM, Gestsdóttir SB, Frandsen SL, Prichardt S, Andreasen JT. Assessing attention and impulsivity in the variable stimulus duration and variable intertrial interval rodent continuous performance test schedules using noradrenaline receptor antagonists in female C57BL/6JRj mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:1629-1650. [PMID: 37329343 PMCID: PMC10349758 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06385-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Noradrenergic dysfunction is associated with disorders of impulsivity and inattention. The rodent continuous performance test (rCPT) quantifies changes in attention and impulsivity. OBJECTIVE To use NA receptor antagonists to examine the roles of NA on attention and impulsivity behaviours measured in the rCPT variable stimulus duration (vSD) and the variable intertrial interval (vITI) schedules. METHODS Two cohorts of 36 female C57BL/6JRj mice were examined separately in the rCPT vSD and vITI schedules. Both cohorts received antagonists of the following adrenoceptors: α1 (doxazosin, DOX: 1.0, 3.0, 10.0 mg/kg), α2 (yohimbine, YOH: 0.1, 0.3, 1.0 mg/kg), and β1/2 (propranolol, PRO: 1.0, 3.0, 10.0 mg/kg) in consecutive balanced Latin square designs with flanking reference measurements. The antagonists were subsequently examined for effects on locomotor activity. RESULTS DOX showed similar effects in both schedules, improving discriminability and accuracy, and reducing responding and impulsivity, and DOX also reduced locomotor activity. YOH showed prominent effects in the vSD schedule to increase responding and impulsivity, while impairing discriminability and accuracy. YOH did not affect locomotor activity. PRO increased responding and impulsivity, decreased accuracy, but did not affect discriminability or locomotor activity. CONCLUSION Antagonism of α2 or β1/2 adrenoceptors caused similar increases in responding and impulsivity and worsened attentional performance, while α1 adrenoceptor antagonism showed the opposite effects. Our results suggest that endogenous NA exerts bidirectional control of most behaviours in the rCPT. The parallel vSD and vITI studies showed a substantial overlap in effects, but also some differences that indicate differing sensitivity towards noradrenergic manipulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Klem
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - M M Nielsen
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - S B Gestsdóttir
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - S L Frandsen
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - S Prichardt
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - J T Andreasen
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Athanason A, Nadav T, Cates-Gatto C, Roberts A, Roberto M, Varodayan F. Chronic ethanol alters adrenergic receptor gene expression and produces cognitive deficits in male mice. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 24:100542. [PMID: 37197395 PMCID: PMC10184141 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperkateifia and stress-induced alcohol cravings drive relapse in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). The brain stress signal norepinephrine (also known as noradrenaline) tightly controls cognitive and affective behavior and was thought to be broadly dysregulated with AUD. The locus coeruleus (LC) is a major source of forebrain norepinephrine, and it was recently discovered that the LC sends distinct projections to addiction-associated regions suggesting that alcohol-induced noradrenergic changes may be more brain region-specific than originally thought. Here we investigated whether ethanol dependence alters adrenergic receptor gene expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and central amgydala (CeA), as these regions mediate the cognitive impairment and negative affective state of ethanol withdrawal. We exposed male C57BL/6J mice to the chronic intermittent ethanol vapor-2 bottle choice paradigm (CIE-2BC) to induce ethanol dependence, and assessed reference memory, anxiety-like behavior and adrenergic receptor transcript levels during 3-6 days of withdrawal. Dependence bidirectionally altered mouse brain α1 and β receptor mRNA levels, potentially leading to reduced mPFC adrenergic signaling and enhanced noradrenergic influence over the CeA. These brain region-specific gene expression changes were accompanied by long-term retention deficits and a shift in search strategy in a modified Barnes maze task, as well as greater spontaneous digging behavior and hyponeophagia. Current clinical studies are evaluating adrenergic compounds as a treatment for AUD-associated hyperkatefia, and our findings can contribute to the refinement of these therapies by increasing understanding of the specific neural systems and symptoms that may be targeted.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.C. Athanason
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center and Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University-SUNY, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - T. Nadav
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - C. Cates-Gatto
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - A.J. Roberts
- Animal Models Core Facility, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - M. Roberto
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - F.P. Varodayan
- Developmental Exposure Alcohol Research Center and Behavioral Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University-SUNY, 4400 Vestal Parkway East, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
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Pulido LN, Pochapski JA, Sugi A, Esaki JY, Stresser JL, Sanchez WN, Baltazar G, Levcik D, Fuentes R, Da Cunha C. Pre-clinical evidence that methylphenidate increases motivation and/or reward preference to search for high value rewards. Behav Brain Res 2023; 437:114065. [PMID: 36037842 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Methylphenidate is a stimulant used to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In the last decade, illicit use of methylphenidate has increased among healthy young adults, who consume the drug under the assumption that it will improve cognitive performance. However, the studies that aimed to assess the methylphenidate effects on memory are not consistent. Here, we tested whether the effect of methylphenidate on a spatial memory task can be explained as a motivational and/or a reward effect. We tested the effects of acute and chronic i.p. administration of 0.3, 1 or 3 mg/kg of methylphenidate on motivation, learning and memory by using the 8-arm radial maze task. Adult male Wistar rats learned that 3 of the 8 arms of the maze were consistently baited with 1, 3, or 6 sucrose pellets, and the number of entries and reentries into reinforced and non-reinforced arms of the maze were scored. Neither acute nor chronic (20 days) methylphenidate treatment affected the number of entries in the non-baited arms. However, chronic, but not acute, 1-3 mg/kg methylphenidate increased the number of reentries in the higher reward arms, which suggests a motivational/rewarding effect rather than a working memory deficit. In agreement with this hypothesis, the methylphenidate treatment also decreased the approach latency to the higher reward arms, increased the approach latency to the low reward arm, and increased the time spent in the high, but not low, reward arm. These findings suggest that methylphenidate may act more as a motivational enhancer rather than a cognitive enhancer in healthy people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura N Pulido
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Jose A Pochapski
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Adam Sugi
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Julie Y Esaki
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Joao L Stresser
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - William N Sanchez
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil; Integrative Neurobiology Section, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gabriel Baltazar
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - David Levcik
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Romulo Fuentes
- Departamento de Neurociencias, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Claudio Da Cunha
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Farmacologia do Sistema Nervoso Central, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil.
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Moses TE, Gray E, Mischel N, Greenwald MK. Effects of neuromodulation on cognitive and emotional responses to psychosocial stressors in healthy humans. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 22:100515. [PMID: 36691646 PMCID: PMC9860364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100515] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Physiological and psychological stressors can exert wide-ranging effects on the human brain and behavior. Research has improved understanding of how the sympatho-adreno-medullary (SAM) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axes respond to stressors and the differential responses that occur depending on stressor type. Although the physiological function of SAM and HPA responses is to promote survival and safety, exaggerated psychobiological reactivity can occur in psychiatric disorders. Exaggerated reactivity may occur more for certain types of stressors, specifically, psychosocial stressors. Understanding stressor effects and how the body regulates these responses can provide insight into ways that psychobiological reactivity can be modulated. Non-invasive neuromodulation is one way that responding to stressors may be altered; research into these interventions may provide further insights into the brain circuits that modulate stress reactivity. This review focuses on the effects of acute psychosocial stressors and how neuromodulation might be effective in altering stress reactivity. Although considerable research into stress interventions focuses on treating pathology, it is imperative to first understand these mechanisms in non-clinical populations; therefore, this review will emphasize populations with no known pathology and consider how these results may translate to those with psychiatric pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mark K. Greenwald
- Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Tolan Park Medical Building, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Suite 2A, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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Craine TJ, Race NS, Kutash LA, Iouchmanov AL, Moschonas EH, O'Neil DA, Sunleaf CR, Patel A, Patel N, Grobengeiser KO, Marshall IP, Magdelinic TN, Cheng JP, Bondi CO. Milnacipran Ameliorates Executive Function Impairments following Frontal Lobe Traumatic Brain Injury in Male Rats: A Multimodal Behavioral Assessment. J Neurotrauma 2023; 40:112-124. [PMID: 35979888 PMCID: PMC10024072 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2022.0289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) affect more than 10 million patients annually worldwide, causing long-term cognitive and psychosocial impairments. Frontal lobe TBIs commonly impair executive function, but laboratory models typically focus primarily on spatial learning and declarative memory. We implemented a multi-modal approach for clinically relevant cognitive-behavioral assessments of frontal lobe function in rats with TBI and assessed treatment benefits of the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, milnacipran (MLN). Two attentional set-shifting tasks (AST) evaluated cognitive flexibility via the rats' ability to locate food-based rewards by learning, unlearning, and relearning sequential rule sets with shifting salient cues. Adult male rats reached stable pre-injury operant AST (oAST) performance in 3-4 weeks, then were isoflurane-anesthetized, subjected to a unilateral frontal lobe controlled cortical impact (2.4 mm depth, 4 m/sec velocity) or Sham injury, and randomized to treatment conditions. Milnacipran (30 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (VEH; 10% ethanol in saline) was administered intraperitoneally via implanted osmotic minipumps (continuous infusions post-surgery, 60 μL/h). Rats had a 10-day recovery post-TBI/Sham before performing light/location-based oAST for 10 days and, subsequently, odor/media-based digging AST (dAST) on the last test day (26-27 days post-injury) before sacrifice. Both AST tests revealed significant deficits in TBI+VEH rats, seen as elevated total trials and errors (p < 0.05), which generally normalized in MLN-treated rats (p < 0.05). This first simultaneous dual AST assessment demonstrates oAST and dAST are sufficiently sensitive and robust to detect subtle attentional and cognitive flexibility executive impairments after frontal lobe TBI in rats. Chronic MLN administration shows promise for attenuation of post-TBI executive function deficits, thus meriting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Craine
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas S. Race
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Association of Academic Physiatrists Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program, Owings Mills, Maryland, USA
| | - Lindsay A. Kutash
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Anna L. Iouchmanov
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eleni H. Moschonas
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Darik A. O'Neil
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Carlson R. Sunleaf
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aarti Patel
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nima Patel
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Katherine O. Grobengeiser
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ian P. Marshall
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Taylor N. Magdelinic
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jeffrey P. Cheng
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Corina O. Bondi
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, and University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Children's Neuroscience Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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13
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Bouras NN, Mack NR, Gao WJ. Prefrontal modulation of anxiety through a lens of noradrenergic signaling. Front Syst Neurosci 2023; 17:1173326. [PMID: 37139472 PMCID: PMC10149815 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2023.1173326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are the most common class of mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million individuals annually. Anxiety is an adaptive response to a stressful or unpredictable life event. Though evolutionarily thought to aid in survival, excess intensity or duration of anxiogenic response can lead to a plethora of adverse symptoms and cognitive dysfunction. A wealth of data has implicated the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the regulation of anxiety. Norepinephrine (NE) is a crucial neuromodulator of arousal and vigilance believed to be responsible for many of the symptoms of anxiety disorders. NE is synthesized in the locus coeruleus (LC), which sends major noradrenergic inputs to the mPFC. Given the unique properties of LC-mPFC connections and the heterogeneous subpopulation of prefrontal neurons known to be involved in regulating anxiety-like behaviors, NE likely modulates PFC function in a cell-type and circuit-specific manner. In working memory and stress response, NE follows an inverted-U model, where an overly high or low release of NE is associated with sub-optimal neural functioning. In contrast, based on current literature review of the individual contributions of NE and the PFC in anxiety disorders, we propose a model of NE level- and adrenergic receptor-dependent, circuit-specific NE-PFC modulation of anxiety disorders. Further, the advent of new techniques to measure NE in the PFC with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution will significantly help us understand how NE modulates PFC function in anxiety disorders.
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Hervig MES, Toschi C, Petersen A, Vangkilde S, Gether U, Robbins TW. Theory of visual attention (TVA) applied to rats performing the 5-choice serial reaction time task: differential effects of dopaminergic and noradrenergic manipulations. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:41-58. [PMID: 36434307 PMCID: PMC9816296 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06269-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Attention is compromised in many psychiatric disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While dopamine and noradrenaline systems have been implicated in ADHD, their exact role in attentional processing is yet unknown. OBJECTIVES We applied the theory of visual attention (TVA) model, adapted from human research, to the rat 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT) to investigate catecholaminergic modulation of visual attentional processing in healthy subjects of high- and low-attention phenotypes. METHODS Rats trained on the standard 5CSRTT and tested with variable stimulus durations were treated systemically with noradrenergic and/or dopaminergic agents (atomoxetine, methylphenidate, amphetamine, phenylephrine and atipamezole). TVA modelling was applied to estimate visual processing speed for correct and incorrect visual perceptual categorisations, independent of motor reaction times, as measures of attentional capacity. RESULTS Atomoxetine and phenylephrine decreased response frequencies, including premature responses, increased omissions and slowed responding. In contrast, methylphenidate, amphetamine and atipamezole sped up responding and increased premature responses. Visual processing speed was also affected differentially. Atomoxetine and phenylephrine slowed, whereas methylphenidate and atipamezole sped up, visual processing, both for correct and incorrect categorisations. Amphetamine selectively improved visual processing for correct, though not incorrect, responses in high-attention rats only, possibly reflecting improved attention. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that the application of TVA to the 5CSRTT provides an enhanced sensitivity to capturing attentional effects. Unexpectedly, we found overall slowing effects, including impaired visual processing, following drugs either increasing extracellular noradrenaline (atomoxetine) or activating the α1-adrenoceptor (phenylephrine), while also ameliorating premature responses (impulsivity). In contrast, amphetamine had potential pro-attentional effects by enhancing visual processing, probably due to central dopamine upregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona El-Sayed Hervig
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. .,Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Chiara Toschi
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Anders Petersen
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Signe Vangkilde
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ulrik Gether
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trevor W. Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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15
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McBurney-Lin J, Vargova G, Garad M, Zagha E, Yang H. The locus coeruleus mediates behavioral flexibility. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111534. [PMID: 36288712 PMCID: PMC9662304 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111534] [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: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility is the ability to adjust behavioral strategies in response to changing environmental contingencies. A major hypothesis in the field posits that the activity of neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) plays an important role in mediating behavioral flexibility. To test this hypothesis, we developed a tactile-based rule-shift detection task in which mice responded to left and right whisker deflections in a context-dependent manner and exhibited varying degrees of switching behavior. Recording spiking activity from optogenetically tagged neurons in the LC at millisecond precision during task performance revealed a prominent graded correlation between baseline LC activity and behavioral flexibility, where higher baseline activity following a rule change was associated with faster behavioral switching to the new rule. Increasing baseline LC activity with optogenetic activation accelerated task switching and improved task performance. Overall, our study provides important evidence to reveal the link between LC activity and behavioral flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim McBurney-Lin
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA,These authors contributed equally
| | - Greta Vargova
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA,These authors contributed equally
| | - Machhindra Garad
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Edward Zagha
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA,Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Hongdian Yang
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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16
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Gargiulo AT, Hu J, Ravaglia IC, Hawks A, Li X, Sweasy K, Grafe L. Sex differences in cognitive flexibility are driven by the estrous cycle and stress-dependent. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:958301. [PMID: 35990724 PMCID: PMC9386277 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.958301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is associated with psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, and panic disorders. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with these stress-related psychiatric disorders than men. A key phenotype in stress-related psychiatric disorders is impairment in cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to develop new strategies to respond to different patterns in the environment. Because gonadal hormones can contribute to sex differences in response to stress, it is important to consider where females are in their cycle when exposed to stress and cognitive flexibility testing. Moreover, identifying neural correlates involved in cognitive flexibility could not only build our understanding of the biological mechanisms behind this crucial skill but also leads to more targeted treatments for psychiatric disorders. Although previous studies have separately examined sex differences in cognitive flexibility, stress effects on cognitive flexibility, and the effect of gonadal hormones on cognitive flexibility, many of the findings were inconsistent, and the role of the estrous cycle in stress-induced impacts on cognitive flexibility is still unknown. This study explored potential sex differences in cognitive flexibility using an operant strategy shifting-paradigm after either control conditions or restraint stress in freely cycling female and male rats (with estrous cycle tracking in the female rats). In addition, we examined potential neural correlates for any sex differences observed. In short, we found that stress impaired certain aspects of cognitive flexibility and that there were sex differences in cognitive flexibility that were driven by the estrous cycle. Specifically, stress increased latency to first press and trials to criterion in particular tasks. The female rats demonstrated more omissions and perseverative errors than the male rats; the sex differences were mostly driven by proestrus female rats. Interestingly, the number of orexinergic neurons was higher in proestrus female rats than in the male rats under control conditions. Moreover, orexin neural count was positively correlated with number of perseverative errors made in cognitive flexibility testing. In sum, there are sex differences in cognitive flexibility that are driven by the estrous cycle and are stress-dependent, and orexin neurons may underlie some of the sex differences observed.
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17
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Britten RA, Fesshaye A, Tidmore A, Blackwell AA. Similar Loss of Executive Function Performance after Exposure to Low (10 cGy) Doses of Single (4He) Ions and the Multi-Ion GCRSim Beam. Radiat Res 2022; 198:375-383. [DOI: 10.1667/rade-22-00022.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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18
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Monoaminergic system involvement in the antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like properties of novel β-dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpene alkaloid and triterpenes isolated from Gymnosporia heterophylla aerial parts in mice. Neurochem Int 2022; 158:105379. [PMID: 35724873 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Gymnosporia heterophylla (synonym Maytenus) is widely used in folk medicine for the treatment of various illness including neurological diseases. This study presents the antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects of novel bioactive constituents; 3,4-seco-1-hydroxy-21-oxoolean-3,11-olide (A2), 1β,2β-diacetoxy-9β-benzoyloxy-6α-nicotinoyloxy-β-dihydroagarofuran (A5) as well as known 3-acetoxy-1β-hydroxyLupe-20(29)-ene (selective COX-2; A4) from the aerial parts of G. heterophylla. The antidepressant-like effect was studied using the forced swim test (FST) while the elevated plus maze test (EPMT) and open field test (OFT) were employed for anxiolytic-like effect. Acute treatment with A4 and A5 (0.5, 5 or 10 mg/kg) significantly reduced the duration of immobility and immobile episodes with prolongation of immobility latency in the FST with peak effects observed at 10 and 0.5 mg/kg, respectively. Moreover, antidepressant-like effect of A4 and A5 were relatively better than that of fluoxetine. Conversely, the pretreatment of mice with prazosin (1 mg/kg, α1-adrenoceptor antagonist), yohimbine (1 mg/kg; α2-adrenoceptor antagonist), or sulpiride (50 mg/kg; dopamine D2-receptor antagonist) reversed antidepressant-like effect of A4 and A5 but not WAY 100635 (10 mg/kg, i.p., selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist), GR 127935 (5 mg/kg, i.p., selective 5-HT1B receptor antagonist), metergoline (4 mg/kg, i.p, non-selective 5-HT2 receptor antagonist), ketanserin (5 mg/kg, i.p., a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist) or p-chlorophenylalanine (pCPA) (100 mg/kg, i.p., tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor) in the FST. Interestingly, A2, A4 and A5 significantly increased the time spent in the open arms of the EPM suggestive of anxiolytic-like action. Findings from this study showed that the novel β-dihydroagarofuran sesquiterpene alkaloid and triterpenes possesses antidepressant-like and anxiolytic-like effects through enhancement of monoaminergic signaling.
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Siddik MAB, Fendt M. D-cycloserine rescues scopolamine-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility in rats measured by the attentional set-shifting task. Behav Brain Res 2022; 431:113961. [PMID: 35691513 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.113961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility facilitates adaptions to a changing environment in humans and animals and can be assessed with the attentional set shifting task (ASST). In various learning paradigms for laboratory rodents, the partial NMDA receptor agonist D-cycloserine has been found to have pro-cognitive effects. However, D-cycloserine has not yet been investigated for its effects on cognitive flexibility. The aim of the present study was to determine whether D-cycloserine is able to improve cognitive flexibility measured by the ASST in rats. Rats were first pre-treated with the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg) before the D-cycloserine administrations (20 mg/kg) to induce deficits in ASST performance. Our findings showed impaired ASST performance after scopolamine administration with significant effects on reversal phases and extra-dimensional shift. D-cycloserine treatment selectively improved the performance in the extra-dimensional shift and the last reversal phase, where scopolamine effects were most pronounced. These findings suggest that D-cycloserine can rescue deficits in cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Abu Bokor Siddik
- Department of Psychology, Govt. Azizul Haque College, Bogura, Bangladesh; Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Markus Fendt
- Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
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20
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Functional neuroanatomy of cognition in Parkinson's disease. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2022; 269:289-307. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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21
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Bornert P, Bouret S. Locus coeruleus neurons encode the subjective difficulty of triggering and executing actions. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001487. [PMID: 34874935 PMCID: PMC8683033 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain stem noradrenergic nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) is involved in various costly processes: arousal, stress, and attention. Recent work has pointed toward an implication in physical effort, and indirect evidence suggests that the LC could be also involved in cognitive effort. To assess the dynamic relation between LC activity, effort production, and difficulty, we recorded the activity of 193 LC single units in 5 monkeys performing 2 discounting tasks (a delay discounting task and a force discounting task), as well as a simpler target detection task where conditions were matched for difficulty and only differed in terms of sensory-motor processes. First, LC neurons displayed a transient activation both when monkeys initiated an action and when exerting force. Second, the magnitude of the activation scaled with the associated difficulty, and, potentially, the corresponding amount of effort produced, both for decision and force production. Indeed, at action initiation in both discounting tasks, LC activation increased in conditions associated with lower average engagement rate, i.e., those requiring more cognitive control to trigger the response. Decision-related activation also scaled with response time (RT), over and above task parameters, in line with the idea that it reflects the amount of resources (here time) spent on the decision process. During force production, LC activation only scaled with the amount of force produced in the force discounting task, but not in the control target detection task, where subjective difficulty was equivalent across conditions. Our data show that LC neurons dynamically track the amount of effort produced to face both cognitive and physical challenges with a subsecond precision. This works provides key insight into effort processing and the contribution of the noradrenergic system, which is affected in several pathologies where effort is impaired, including Parkinson disease and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Bornert
- Motivation, Brain and Behavior Team, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), INSERM UMRS 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Sebastien Bouret
- Motivation, Brain and Behavior Team, Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle épinière (ICM), INSERM UMRS 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
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22
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Nakamoto C, Goto Y, Tomizawa Y, Fukata Y, Fukata M, Harpsøe K, Gloriam DE, Aoki K, Takeuchi T. A novel red fluorescence dopamine biosensor selectively detects dopamine in the presence of norepinephrine in vitro. Mol Brain 2021; 14:173. [PMID: 34872607 PMCID: PMC8647500 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00882-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) are pivotal neuromodulators that regulate a broad range of brain functions, often in concert. Despite their physiological importance, untangling the relationship between DA and NE in the fine control of output function is currently challenging, primarily due to a lack of techniques to allow the observation of spatiotemporal dynamics with sufficiently high selectivity. Although genetically encoded fluorescent biosensors have been developed to detect DA, their poor selectivity prevents distinguishing DA from NE. Here, we report the development of a red fluorescent genetically encoded GPCR (G protein-coupled receptor)-activation reporter for DA termed 'R-GenGAR-DA'. More specifically, a circular permutated red fluorescent protein (cpmApple) was replaced by the third intracellular loop of human DA receptor D1 (DRD1) followed by the screening of mutants within the linkers between DRD1 and cpmApple. We developed two variants: R-GenGAR-DA1.1, which brightened following DA stimulation, and R-GenGAR-DA1.2, which dimmed. R-GenGAR-DA1.2 demonstrated a reasonable dynamic range (ΔF/F0 = - 43%), DA affinity (EC50 = 0.92 µM) and high selectivity for DA over NE (66-fold) in HeLa cells. Taking advantage of the high selectivity of R-GenGAR-DA1.2, we monitored DA in presence of NE using dual-color fluorescence live imaging, combined with the green-NE biosensor GRABNE1m, which has high selectivity for NE over DA (> 350-fold) in HeLa cells and hippocampal neurons grown from primary culture. Thus, this is a first step toward the multiplex imaging of these neurotransmitters in, for example, freely moving animals, which will provide new opportunities to advance our understanding of the high spatiotemporal dynamics of DA and NE in normal and abnormal brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chihiro Nakamoto
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Proteins in Memory - PROMEMO, Danish National Research Foundation, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Yuhei Goto
- Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
- Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
| | - Yoko Tomizawa
- Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, 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, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
| | - Masaki Fukata
- Division of Membrane Physiology, Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
| | - Kasper Harpsøe
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David E. Gloriam
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kazuhiro Aoki
- Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
- Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
- Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787 Japan
| | - Tomonori Takeuchi
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Danish Research Institute of Translational Neuroscience - DANDRITE, Nordic-EMBL Partnership for Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Center for Proteins in Memory - PROMEMO, Danish National Research Foundation, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergsgade 10, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Burket JA, Matar M, Fesshaye A, Pickle JC, Britten RA. Exposure to Low (≤10 cGy) Doses of 4He Particles Leads to Increased Social Withdrawal and Loss of Executive Function Performance. Radiat Res 2021; 196:345-354. [PMID: 34270762 DOI: 10.1667/rade-20-00251.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Astronauts on the planned mission to Mars will be exposed to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR), with proton and He particles accounting (in approximately equal amounts) for ∼75% of the equivalent dose. Exposure to ≤15 cGy of space radiation ions with Z ≥ 15 particles has been shown to impair various executive functions, including attentional set shifting and creative problem-solving in rats. Executive functions also regulate social interactions and mood. Should space radiation exposure alter these executive functions as it does cognitive flexibility, there is the possibility of altered interactions among crew members and team cooperativity during prolonged space exploration. This study characterized the effects of ≤10 cGy 400 MeV/n of 4He particles on cognitive flexibility and social interaction (within freely interacting dyads) in male Wistar rats. Exposure to ≥1 cGy 4He ions induced deficits in the SD and/or CD stages of the attentional set shifting (ATSET) task, as reported after exposure to Z ≥ 15 space radiation ions. Should similar effects occur in astronauts, these data suggest that they would have a reduced ability to identify key events in a new situation and would be more easily distracted by extraneous variables. The irradiated rats were also screened for performance in a task for unconstrained cognitive flexibility (UCFlex), often referred to as creative problem-solving. There was a marked dose-dependent change in UCFlex performance with ∼30% of rats exposed to 10 cGy being unable to solve the problem, while the remaining rats took longer than the sham-irradiated animals to resolve the problem. Importantly, performance in the ATSET test was not indicative of UCFlex performance. From a risk assessment perspective, these findings suggest that a value based on a single behavioral end point may not fully represent the cognitive deficits induced by space radiation, even within the cognitive flexibility domain. Rats that received 5 cGy 4He ion irradiation had a significantly lower level of interaction toward their sham-irradiated partners in a non-anxiogenic (uncaged) dyad interactions study. This is consistent with the social withdrawal previously observed in space radiation-exposed male mice in a three-chamber test. 4He-irradiated rats exhibited a significantly higher incidence and duration of self-grooming, which is even more concerning, given that their dyad partners were able to physically interact with the irradiated rats (i.e., touching/climbing over them). This study has established that exposure of male rats to "light" ions such as He affects multiple executive functions resulting in deficits in both sociability and cognitive flexibility, and possibly affective behavior (reward valuation). Further studies are needed to determine if these space radiation-induced co-morbidities are concomitantly induced within individual rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Burket
- Department of Molecular Biology and Chemistry, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia 23606
- Department of Program in Neuroscience, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia 23606
| | - Mona Matar
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration, John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio 44135
| | - Arriyam Fesshaye
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23507
| | - Jerrah C Pickle
- School of Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23507
| | - Richard A Britten
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23507
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Cell Biology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23507
- Leroy T Canoles Jr. Cancer Center, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23507
- Center for Integrative Neuroinflammatory and Inflammatory diseases, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, Virginia 23507
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24
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Holland N, Robbins TW, Rowe JB. The role of noradrenaline in cognition and cognitive disorders. Brain 2021; 144:2243-2256. [PMID: 33725122 PMCID: PMC8418349 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awab111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Many aspects of cognition and behaviour are regulated by noradrenergic projections to the forebrain originating from the locus coeruleus, acting through alpha and beta adrenoreceptors. Loss of these projections is common in neurodegenerative diseases and contributes to their cognitive and behavioural deficits. We review the evidence for a noradrenergic modulation of cognition in its contribution to Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and other cognitive disorders. We discuss the advances in human imaging and computational methods that quantify the locus coeruleus and its function in humans, and highlight the potential for new noradrenergic treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Negin Holland
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - James B Rowe
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
- Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 7EF, UK
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25
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Minchew HM, Radabaugh HL, LaPorte ML, Free KE, Cheng JP, Bondi CO. A combined therapeutic regimen of citalopram and environmental enrichment ameliorates attentional set-shifting performance after brain trauma. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 904:174174. [PMID: 34004206 PMCID: PMC8906929 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) have led to lasting deficits for an estimated 5.3 million American patients. Effective therapies for these patients remain scarce and each of the clinical trials stemming from success in experimental models has failed. We believe that the failures may be, in part, due to the lack of preclinical assessment of cognitive domains that widely affect clinical TBI. Specifically, the behavioral tasks in the TBI literature often do not focus on common executive impairments related to the frontal lobe such as cognitive flexibility. In previous work, we have demonstrated that the attentional set-shifting test (AST), a task analogous to the clinically-employed Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), could be used to identify cognitive flexibility impairments following controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury. In this study, we hypothesized that both the administration of the antidepressant drug citalopram (CIT) and exposure to a preclinical model of neurorehabilitation, environmental enrichment (EE), would attenuate cognitive performance deficits on AST when provided alone and lead to greater benefits when administered in combination. Adult male rats were subjected to a moderate-severe CCI or sham injury. Rats were randomly divided into experimental groups that included surgical injury, drug therapy, and housing condition. We observed that both CIT and EE provided significant cognitive recovery when administered alone and reversal learning performance recovery increased the most when the therapies were combined (p < 0.05). Ongoing studies continue to evaluate novel ways of assessing more clinically relevant measurements of high order cognitive TBI-related impairments in the rat model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather M Minchew
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Hannah L Radabaugh
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Megan L LaPorte
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Kristin E Free
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Cheng
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Corina O Bondi
- Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.
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26
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Nassar MR, Scott D, Bhandari A. Noise Correlations for Faster and More Robust Learning. J Neurosci 2021; 41:6740-6752. [PMID: 34193556 PMCID: PMC8336712 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3045-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Distributed population codes are ubiquitous in the brain and pose a challenge to downstream neurons that must learn an appropriate readout. Here we explore the possibility that this learning problem is simplified through inductive biases implemented by stimulus-independent noise correlations that constrain learning to task-relevant dimensions. We test this idea in a set of neural networks that learn to perform a perceptual discrimination task. Correlations among similarly tuned units were manipulated independently of an overall population signal-to-noise ratio to test how the format of stored information affects learning. Higher noise correlations among similarly tuned units led to faster and more robust learning, favoring homogenous weights assigned to neurons within a functionally similar pool, and could emerge through Hebbian learning. When multiple discriminations were learned simultaneously, noise correlations across relevant feature dimensions sped learning, whereas those across irrelevant feature dimensions slowed it. Our results complement the existing theory on noise correlations by demonstrating that when such correlations are produced without significant degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio, they can improve the speed of readout learning by constraining it to appropriate dimensions.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Positive noise correlations between similarly tuned neurons theoretically reduce the representational capacity of the brain, yet they are commonly observed, emerge dynamically in complex tasks, and persist even in well-trained animals. Here we show that such correlations, when embedded in a neural population with a fixed signal-to-noise ratio, can improve the speed and robustness with which an appropriate readout is learned. In a simple discrimination task such correlations can emerge naturally through Hebbian learning. In more complex tasks that require multiple discriminations, correlations between neurons that similarly encode the task-relevant feature improve learning by constraining it to the appropriate task dimension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Nassar
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-1821
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-1821
| | - Daniel Scott
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-1821
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-1821
| | - Apoorva Bhandari
- Robert J. and Nancy D. Carney Institute for Brain Science, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-1821
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912-1821
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27
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Perez DM. Current Developments on the Role of α 1-Adrenergic Receptors in Cognition, Cardioprotection, and Metabolism. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:652152. [PMID: 34113612 PMCID: PMC8185284 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.652152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The α1-adrenergic receptors (ARs) are G-protein coupled receptors that bind the endogenous catecholamines, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. They play a key role in the regulation of the sympathetic nervous system along with β and α2-AR family members. While all of the adrenergic receptors bind with similar affinity to the catecholamines, they can regulate different physiologies and pathophysiologies in the body because they couple to different G-proteins and signal transduction pathways, commonly in opposition to one another. While α1-AR subtypes (α1A, α1B, α1C) have long been known to be primary regulators of vascular smooth muscle contraction, blood pressure, and cardiac hypertrophy, their role in neurotransmission, improving cognition, protecting the heart during ischemia and failure, and regulating whole body and organ metabolism are not well known and are more recent developments. These advancements have been made possible through the development of transgenic and knockout mouse models and more selective ligands to advance their research. Here, we will review the recent literature to provide new insights into these physiological functions and possible use as a therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianne M Perez
- The Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, United States
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28
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Hupalo S, Spencer RC, Berridge CW. Prefrontal corticotropin-releasing factor neurons impair sustained attention via distal transmitter release. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 54:10.1111/ejn.15260. [PMID: 33949025 PMCID: PMC9215710 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) supports cognitive processes critical for goal-directed behavior. Although the PFC contains a high density of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons, their role in cognition has been largely unexplored. We recently demonstrated that CRF neurons in the caudal dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC) of rats act to impair working memory via activation of local CRF receptors. However, there is heterogeneity in the neural mechanisms that support the diversity of PFC-dependent cognitive processes. Currently, the degree to which PFC CRF neurons impact other forms of PFC-dependent cognition is unknown. To address this issue, the current studies examined the effects of chemogenetic manipulations of PFC CRF neurons on sustained attention in male rats. Similar to working memory, activation of caudal dmPFC CRF neurons impaired, while inhibition of these neurons or global CRF receptor antagonism improved, sustained attention. However, unlike working memory, the sustained attention-impairing effect of PFC CRF neurons was not dependent on local CRF receptors. Moreover, CRF infusion into the caudal dmPFC or other medial PFC subregions had no effect on task performance. Together, these observations demonstrate that while caudal dmPFC CRF neurons impair both working memory and sustained attention, these actions involve distinct neural circuits (local CRF release for working memory and extra-PFC release for sustained attention). Nonetheless, the procognitive actions of systemically administered CRF antagonists across both tasks are similar to those seen with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-related treatments. Thus, CRF antagonists may have potential for use in the treatment of PFC cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert C. Spencer
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Craig W. Berridge
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
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29
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Lockhofen DEL, Mulert C. Neurochemistry of Visual Attention. Front Neurosci 2021; 15:643597. [PMID: 34025339 PMCID: PMC8133366 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.643597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual attention is the cognitive process that mediates the selection of important information from the environment. This selection is usually controlled by bottom-up and top-down attentional biasing. Since for most humans vision is the dominant sense, visual attention is critically important for higher-order cognitive functions and related deficits are a core symptom of many neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Here, we summarize the importance and relative contributions of different neuromodulators and neurotransmitters to the neural mechanisms of top-down and bottom-up attentional control. We will not only review the roles of widely accepted neuromodulators, such as acetylcholine, dopamine and noradrenaline, but also the contributions of other modulatory substances. In doing so, we hope to shed some light on the current understanding of the role of neurochemistry in shaping neuron properties contributing to the allocation of attention in the visual field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christoph Mulert
- Center for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Justus-Liebig University, Hessen, Germany
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30
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Chen X, Ma Y, Mou X, Liu H, Ming H, Chen Y, Liu Y, Liu S. Synergistic Effect of Several Neurotransmitters in PFC-NAc-VTA Neural Circuit for the Anti-Depression Effect of Shuganheweitang in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Model. Nat Prod Commun 2021. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x211002415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression, a major worldwide mental disorder, leads to massive disability and can result in death. The PFC-NAc-VTA neuro circuit is related to emotional, neurovegetative, and cognitive functions, which emerge as a circuit-level framework for understanding reward deficits in depression. Neurotransmitters, which are widely distributed in different brain regions, are important detected targets for the evaluation of depression. Shuganheweitang (SGHWT) is a popular prescription in clinical therapy for depression. In order to investigate its possible pharmacodynamics and anti-depressive mechanism, the complex plant material was separated into different fractions. These in low and high doses, along with low and high doses of SGHWT were tested in animal behavior tests. The low and high doses of SGHWT were more effective than the various fractions, which indicate the importance of synergistic function in traditional Chinese medicine. Furthermore, amino acid (GABA, Glu) and monoamine neurotransmitters (DA, 5-HT, NA, 5-HIAA) in the PFC-NAc-VTA neuro circuit were investigated by UPLC-MS/MS. The level trend of DA and 5-HT were consistent in the PFC-NAc-VTA neuro circuit, whereas 5-HIAA was decreased in the PFC, Glu was decreased in the PFC and VTA, and NA and GABA were decreased in the NAc. The results indicate that the pathogenesis of depression is associated with dysfunction of the PFC-NAc-VTA neural circuit, mainly through the neural projection effects of neurotransmitters associated with various brain regions in the neural circuit. PCA and OPLS-DA score plots demonstrated the similarities of individuals within each group and the differences among the groups. In this study, SGHWT could regulate the concentration level of different neurotransmitters in the PFC-NAc-VTA neuro circuit to improve the depression, which benefitted from the recognition of the brain reward circuitry in mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Hubei Province Resource and Chemistry of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Yuanchun Ma
- Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, P. R. China
- Dr Ma’s Laboratories Inc., VancouverBC, Canada
| | - Xiongjun Mou
- Key Laboratory of Hubei Province Resource and Chemistry of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Hao Liu
- Clinical College of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan P. R. China
| | - Hao Ming
- Clinical College of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan P. R. China
| | - Yu Chen
- Clinical College of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan P. R. China
| | - Yanwen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Hubei Province Resource and Chemistry of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan, P. R. China
| | - Songlin Liu
- Clinical College of Chinese Medicine, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan P. R. China
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31
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Ross JA, Van Bockstaele EJ. The Locus Coeruleus- Norepinephrine System in Stress and Arousal: Unraveling Historical, Current, and Future Perspectives. Front Psychiatry 2021; 11:601519. [PMID: 33584368 PMCID: PMC7873441 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.601519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Arousal may be understood on a spectrum, with excessive sleepiness, cognitive dysfunction, and inattention on one side, a wakeful state in the middle, and hypervigilance, panic, and psychosis on the other side. However, historically, the concepts of arousal and stress have been challenging to define as measurable experimental variables. Divergent efforts to study these subjects have given rise to several disciplines, including neurobiology, neuroendocrinology, and cognitive neuroscience. We discuss technological advancements that chronologically led to our current understanding of the arousal system, focusing on the multifaceted nucleus locus coeruleus. We share our contemporary perspective and the hypotheses of others in the context of our current technological capabilities and future developments that will be required to move forward in this area of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. Ross
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, College of Medicine, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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32
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Bachman SL, Dahl MJ, Werkle-Bergner M, Düzel S, Forlim CG, Lindenberger U, Kühn S, Mather M. Locus coeruleus MRI contrast is associated with cortical thickness in older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2020; 100:72-82. [PMID: 33508564 PMCID: PMC7920995 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that neuronal integrity of the noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) is important for later-life cognition. Less understood is how LC integrity relates to brain correlates of cognition, such as brain structure. Here, we examined the relationship between cortical thickness and a measure reflecting LC integrity in older (n = 229) and younger adults (n = 67). Using a magnetic resonance imaging sequence which yields high signal intensity in the LC, we assessed the contrast between signal intensity of the LC and that of neighboring pontine reference tissue. The Freesurfer software suite was used to quantify cortical thickness. LC contrast was positively related to cortical thickness in older adults, and this association was prominent in parietal, frontal, and occipital regions. Brain regions where LC contrast was related to cortical thickness include portions of the frontoparietal network which have been implicated in noradrenergically modulated cognitive functions. These findings provide novel evidence for a link between LC structure and cortical brain structure in later adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelby L Bachman
- Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Martin J Dahl
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Markus Werkle-Bergner
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sandra Düzel
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Caroline Garcia Forlim
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ulman Lindenberger
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany; Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, London, UK
| | - Simone Kühn
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Clinic Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany; Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Mara Mather
- Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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33
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Beversdorf DQ. The Role of the Noradrenergic System in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Implications for Treatment. Semin Pediatr Neurol 2020; 35:100834. [PMID: 32892961 PMCID: PMC7477304 DOI: 10.1016/j.spen.2020.100834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with anxiety and hyperarousal. While the pathological changes in the noradrenergic system in ASD are not entirely clear, a number of functional indices of the sympathetic/parasympathetic balance are altered in individuals with ASD, often with a high degree of inter-individual variability. The neuropsychopharmacological effects of α2 agonists and β-adrenergic antagonists make agents targeting these receptors of particular interest. α2 agonists have shown beneficial effects for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in other domains in individuals with ASD, but effects on core ASD symptoms are less clear. Case series and single dose psychopharmacological challenges suggest that treatment with β-adrenergic antagonists has beneficial effects on language and social domains. Additionally, psychophysiological markers and premorbid anxiety may predict response to these medications. As a result, β-adrenergic antagonists are currently being utilized in a clinical trial for improving core symptoms as well as anxiety in individuals with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Q Beversdorf
- Departments of Radiology, Neurology, and Psychological Sciences, and the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO, William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in Radiology..
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34
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Perez DM. α 1-Adrenergic Receptors in Neurotransmission, Synaptic Plasticity, and Cognition. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:581098. [PMID: 33117176 PMCID: PMC7553051 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.581098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
α1-adrenergic receptors are G-Protein Coupled Receptors that are involved in neurotransmission and regulate the sympathetic nervous system through binding and activating the neurotransmitter, norepinephrine, and the neurohormone, epinephrine. There are three α1-adrenergic receptor subtypes (α1A, α1B, α1D) that are known to play various roles in neurotransmission and cognition. They are related to two other adrenergic receptor families that also bind norepinephrine and epinephrine, the β- and α2-, each with three subtypes (β1, β2, β3, α2A, α2B, α2C). Previous studies assessing the roles of α1-adrenergic receptors in neurotransmission and cognition have been inconsistent. This was due to the use of poorly-selective ligands and many of these studies were published before the characterization of the cloned receptor subtypes and the subsequent development of animal models. With the availability of more-selective ligands and the development of animal models, a clearer picture of their role in cognition and neurotransmission can be assessed. In this review, we highlight the significant role that the α1-adrenergic receptor plays in regulating synaptic efficacy, both short and long-term synaptic plasticity, and its regulation of different types of memory. We will also present evidence that the α1-adrenergic receptors, and particularly the α1A-adrenergic receptor subtype, are a potentially good target to treat a wide variety of neurological conditions with diminished cognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianne M Perez
- The Lerner Research Institute, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, United States
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35
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Burmeister SS, Rodriguez Moncalvo VG, Pfennig KS. Differential encoding of signals and preferences by noradrenaline in the anuran brain. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb214148. [PMID: 32647019 PMCID: PMC7522018 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.214148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Social preferences enable animals to selectively interact with some individuals over others. One influential idea for the evolution of social preferences is that preferred signals evolve because they elicit greater neural responses from sensory systems. However, in juvenile plains spadefoot toad (Spea bombifrons), a species with condition-dependent mating preferences, responses of the preoptic area, but not of the auditory midbrain, mirror adult social preferences. To examine whether this separation of signal representation from signal valuation generalizes to other anurans, we compared the relative contributions of noradrenergic signalling in the preoptic area and auditory midbrain of S. bombifrons and its close relative Spea multiplicata We manipulated body condition in juvenile toads by controlling diet and used high pressure liquid chromatography to compare call-induced levels of noradrenaline and its metabolite MHPG in the auditory midbrain and preoptic area of the two species. We found that calls from the two species induced different levels of noradrenaline and MHPG in the auditory system, with higher levels measured in both species for the more energetic S. bombifrons call. In contrast, noradrenaline levels in the preoptic area mirrored patterns of social preferences in both S. bombifrons and S. multiplicata That is, noradrenaline levels were higher in response to the preferred calls within each species and were modified by diet in S. bombifrons (with condition-dependent preferences) but not S. multiplicata (with condition-independent preferences). Our results are consistent with a potentially important role for preoptic noradrenaline in the development of social preferences and indicate that it could be a target of selection in the evolution of condition-dependent social preferences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Karin S Pfennig
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Salvi C, Simoncini C, Grafman J, Beeman M. Oculometric signature of switch into awareness? Pupil size predicts sudden insight whereas microsaccades predict problem-solving via analysis. Neuroimage 2020; 217:116933. [PMID: 32413459 PMCID: PMC7440842 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
According to the Gestalt theorists, restructuring is an essential component of insight problem-solving, contributes to the "Aha!" experience, and is similar to the perceptual switch experienced when reinterpreting ambiguous figures. Previous research has demonstrated that pupil diameter increases during the perceptual switch of ambiguous figures, and indexes norepeinephrine functioning mediated by the locus coeruleus. In this study, we investigated if pupil diameter similarly predicts the switch into awareness people experience when solving a problem via insight. Additionally, we explored eye movement dynamics during the same task to investigate if the problem-solving strategies used are linked to specific oculomotor behaviors. In 38 participants, pupil diameter increased about 500 msec prior to solution only in trials for which subjects report having an insight. In contrast, participants increased their microsaccade rate only prior to non-insight solutions. Pupil dilation and microsaccades were not reliably related, but both appear to be robust markers of how people solve problems (with or without insight). The pupil size change seen when people have an "Aha!" moment represents an indicator of the switch into awareness of unconscious processes humans depend upon for insight, and suggests important involvement of norepinephrine, via the locus coeruleus, in sudden insight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carola Salvi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Claudio Simoncini
- Institut de Neurosciences de La Timone, UMR 7289, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Jordan Grafman
- Shirley Ryan Ability Lab, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mark Beeman
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
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Tona KD, Revers H, Verkuil B, Nieuwenhuis S. Noradrenergic Regulation of Cognitive Flexibility: No Effects of Stress, Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation, and Atomoxetine on Task-switching in Humans. J Cogn Neurosci 2020; 32:1881-1895. [PMID: 32644883 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility allows us to adaptively switch between different responsibilities in important domains of our daily life. Previous work has elucidated the neurochemical basis underlying the ability to switch responses to a previously nonreinforced exemplar and to switch between attentional sets. However, the role of neuromodulators in task switching, the ability to rapidly switch between two or more cognitive tasks afforded by the same stimuli, is still poorly understood. We attempted to fill this gap by manipulating norepinephrine levels using stress manipulation (Study 1a, n = 48; between-group design), transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation at two different intensities (Study 1b, n = 48; sham-controlled between-group design), and pharmacological manipulation (Study 2, n = 24; double-blind crossover design), all of which increased salivary cortisol measures. Participants repeatedly switched between two cognitive tasks (classifying a digit as high/low [Task 1] or as odd/even [Task 2]), depending on the preceding cue. On each trial, a cue indicated the task to be performed. The cue-stimulus interval was varied to manipulate the time to prepare for the switch. Participants showed typical switch costs, which decreased with the time available for preparation. None of the manipulations modulated the size of the switch costs or the preparation effect, as supported by frequentist and Bayesian model comparisons. Task-switching performance reflects a complex mix of cognitive control and bottom-up dynamics of task-set representations. Our findings suggest that norepinephrine does not affect either of these aspects of cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bart Verkuil
- Leiden University.,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition
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38
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Affiliation(s)
- Quenten Highgate
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Susan Schenk
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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Hjorth S, Waters S, Waters N, Tedroff J, Svensson P, Fagerberg A, Edling M, Svanberg B, Ljung E, Gunnergren J, McLean S, Grayson B, Idris N, Neill J, Sonesson C. (3S)‐3‐(2,3‐difluorophenyl)‐3‐methoxypyrrolidine (IRL752) —a Novel Cortical-Preferring Catecholamine Transmission- and Cognition-Promoting Agent. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2020; 374:404-419. [DOI: 10.1124/jpet.120.000037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
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Robbins TW. Pharmacological treatment of cognitive deficits in nondementing mental health disorders
. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2020; 21:301-308. [PMID: 31749654 PMCID: PMC6829171 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2019.21.3/trobbins] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Evidence for pharmacological remediation of cognitive deficits in three major
psychiatric disorders—attention deficit- hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia,
and depression—is reviewed. ADHD is effectively treated with the stimulant medications
methylphenidate and d-amphetamine, as well as nonstimulants such as atomoxetine,
implicating cognitive enhancing effects mediated by noradrenaline and dopamine. However,
the precise mechanisms underlying these effects remains unclear. Cognitive deficits in
schizophrenia are less effectively treated, but attempts via a variety of
neurotransmitter strategies are surveyed. The possibility of treating cognitive deficits
in depression via antidepressant medication (eg, selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors) and by adjunctive drug treatment has only recently received attention
because of confounding, or possibly interactive, effects on mood. Prospects for future
advances in this important area may need to take into account transdiagnostic
perspectives on cognition (including neurodegenerative diseases) as well as improvements
in neuropsychological, neurobiological, and clinical trial design approaches to
cognitive enhancement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology and Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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41
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Krause-Sorio B, Kilpatrick L, Siddarth P, Ercoli L, Laird KT, Aguilar-Faustino Y, Milillo MM, Narr KL, Lavretsky H. Cortical thickness increases with levomilnacipran treatment in a pilot randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial in late-life depression. Psychogeriatrics 2020; 20:140-148. [PMID: 31332902 DOI: 10.1111/psyg.12475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Late-life depression (LLD) is associated with significant medical comorbidity, cognitive impairment, and suboptimal treatment response compared to depression experienced earlier in life. Levomilnacipran (LVM) is a novel antidepressant the effects of which on neuroplasticity have not yet been investigated. We investigated the effect of LVM on cortical thickness in a pilot randomised placebo-controlled trial in LLD. METHODS Twenty-nine adults (≥ 60 years) with major depression (48.3% female; mean age = 71.5 ± 5.8 years; mean education = 16.0 ± 1.7 years) were randomised to either LVM or placebo for 12 weeks. T1-weighted images were acquired at baseline and 12 weeks. Thirteen subjects (six LVM and seven placebo) completed the study. Group differences in cortical thickness change across the study period were evaluated, with age and total intracranial volume included as covariates. RESULTS Dropout rates did not differ significantly between groups. The LVM group had significantly more side effects, but no serious adverse events were reported. Lower LVM dose (≤ 40 mg) was better tolerated than higher doses (80-120 mg). Additionally, the LVM group showed a larger increase in cortical thickness in the right postcentral gyrus (primary somatosensory), supramarginal gyrus (sensory association region), and lateral occipital cortex (visual cortex) compared to the placebo group and greater reductions in the left insula. CONCLUSIONS LVM may be less tolerable by older adults with depression and the effects on cortical thickness across sensory and sensory association regions may be related to the experience of side effects. Larger studies are necessary to evaluate treatment efficacy, tolerability, and neural effects of LVM in LLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrix Krause-Sorio
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Lisa Kilpatrick
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Prabha Siddarth
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Linda Ercoli
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kelsey T Laird
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Yesenia Aguilar-Faustino
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Michaela M Milillo
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Katherine L Narr
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Helen Lavretsky
- Department of Psychiatry, Semel Institute for Neuroscience, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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42
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Cook JL, Swart JC, Froböse MI, Diaconescu AO, Geurts DEM, den Ouden HEM, Cools R. Catecholaminergic modulation of meta-learning. eLife 2019; 8:e51439. [PMID: 31850844 PMCID: PMC6974360 DOI: 10.7554/elife.51439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The remarkable expedience of human learning is thought to be underpinned by meta-learning, whereby slow accumulative learning processes are rapidly adjusted to the current learning environment. To date, the neurobiological implementation of meta-learning remains unclear. A burgeoning literature argues for an important role for the catecholamines dopamine and noradrenaline in meta-learning. Here, we tested the hypothesis that enhancing catecholamine function modulates the ability to optimise a meta-learning parameter (learning rate) as a function of environmental volatility. 102 participants completed a task which required learning in stable phases, where the probability of reinforcement was constant, and volatile phases, where probabilities changed every 10-30 trials. The catecholamine transporter blocker methylphenidate enhanced participants' ability to adapt learning rate: Under methylphenidate, compared with placebo, participants exhibited higher learning rates in volatile relative to stable phases. Furthermore, this effect was significant only with respect to direct learning based on the participants' own experience, there was no significant effect on inferred-value learning where stimulus values had to be inferred. These data demonstrate a causal link between catecholaminergic modulation and the adjustment of the meta-learning parameter learning rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Cook
- School of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamUnited Kingdom
| | - Jennifer C Swart
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive NeuroimagingRadboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Monja I Froböse
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive NeuroimagingRadboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Andreea O Diaconescu
- Translational Neuromodeling Unit, Institute for Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Zurich and ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of BaselBaselSwitzerland
- Krembil Centre for Neuroinformatics,CAMHUniversity of TorontoTorontoCanada
| | - Dirk EM Geurts
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive NeuroimagingRadboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
- Department of PsychiatryRadboud University Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Hanneke EM den Ouden
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive NeuroimagingRadboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Roshan Cools
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Centre for Cognitive NeuroimagingRadboud UniversityNijmegenNetherlands
- Department of PsychiatryRadboud University Medical CentreNijmegenNetherlands
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43
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Sharp AM, Lertphinyowong S, Yee SS, Paredes D, Gelfond J, Johnson-Pais TL, Leach RJ, Liss M, Risinger AL, Sullivan AC, Thompson IM, Morilak DA. Vortioxetine reverses medial prefrontal cortex-mediated cognitive deficits in male rats induced by castration as a model of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:3183-3195. [PMID: 31139875 PMCID: PMC6832770 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05274-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, but induces profound cognitive impairment. Little research has addressed mechanisms underlying these deficits or potential treatments. This is an unmet need to improve quality of life for prostate cancer survivors. OBJECTIVES We investigated mechanisms of cognitive impairment after ADT in rats and potential utility of the multimodal serotonin-targeting drug, vortioxetine, to improve the impairment, as vortioxetine has specific efficacy against cognitive impairment in depression. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were surgically castrated. Vortioxetine (28 mg/kg/day) was administered in the diet. The attentional set-shifting test was used to assess medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) executive function. Afferent-evoked field potentials were recorded in the mPFC of anesthetized rats after stimulating the ventral hippocampus (vHipp) or medial dorsal thalamus (MDT). Gene expression changes were assessed by microarray. Effects of vortioxetine on growth of prostate cancer cells were assessed in vitro. RESULTS ADT impaired cognitive set shifting and attenuated responses evoked in the mPFC by the vHipp afferent, but not the MDT. Both the cognitive impairment and attenuated vHipp-evoked responses were reversed by chronic vortioxetine treatment. Preliminary investigation of gene expression in the mPFC indicates that factors involved in neuronal plasticity and synaptic transmission were down-regulated by castration and up-regulated by vortioxetine in castrated animals. Vortioxetine neither altered the growth of prostate cancer cells in vitro nor interfered with the antiproliferative effects of the androgen antagonist, enzalutamide. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that vortioxetine may be useful in mitigating cognitive impairment associated with ADT for prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Sharp
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Suphada Lertphinyowong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Samantha S Yee
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Denisse Paredes
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Jonathan Gelfond
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Teresa L Johnson-Pais
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Robin J Leach
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Michael Liss
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- South Texas Veterans Health Care Service, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - April L Risinger
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Anna C Sullivan
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Ian M Thompson
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - David A Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- South Texas Veterans Health Care Service, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
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Perez SM, Boley A, Lodge DJ. Region specific knockdown of Parvalbumin or Somatostatin produces neuronal and behavioral deficits consistent with those observed in schizophrenia. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:264. [PMID: 31636253 PMCID: PMC6803626 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0603-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The anterior hippocampus and prefrontal cortex are regions linked to symptoms of schizophrenia. The anterior hippocampus is believed to be a key regulator of the mesolimbic dopamine system and is thought to be the driving force contributing to positive symptoms, while the prefrontal cortex is involved in cognitive flexibility and negative symptoms. Aberrant activity in these regions is associated with decreases in GABAergic markers, indicative of an interneuron dysfunction. Specifically, selective decreases are observed in interneurons that contain parvalbumin (PV) or somatostatin (SST). Here, we used viral knockdown in rodents to recapitulate this finding and examine the region-specific roles of PV and SST on neuronal activity and behaviors associated with positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. We found that PV and SST had differential effects on neuronal activity and behavior when knocked down in the ventral hippocampus (vHipp) or medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Specifically, SST or PV knockdown in the vHipp increased pyramidal cell activity of the region and produced downstream effects on dopamine neuron activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In contrast, mPFC knockdown did not affect the activity of VTA dopamine neuron activity; however, it did produce deficits in negative (social interaction) and cognitive (reversal learning) domains. Taken together, decreases in PV and/or SST were sufficient to produce schizophrenia-like deficits that were dependent on the region targeted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie M Perez
- UT Health San Antonio, Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7764, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
| | - Angela Boley
- UT Health San Antonio, Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7764, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Daniel J Lodge
- UT Health San Antonio, Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7764, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
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45
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Cools R. Chemistry of the Adaptive Mind: Lessons from Dopamine. Neuron 2019; 104:113-131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Receptor and circuit mechanisms underlying differential procognitive actions of psychostimulants. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1820-1827. [PMID: 30683912 PMCID: PMC6785708 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0314-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Revised: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Psychostimulants, including methylphenidate (MPH), improve cognitive processes dependent on the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and extended frontostriatal circuitry. In both humans and animals, systemic MPH improves certain cognitive processes, such as working memory, in a narrow inverted-U-shaped manner. In contrast, other processes, including attention-related, are improved over a broader/right-shifted dose range. The current studies sought to elucidate the potential circuit and receptor mechanisms underlying the divergent dose-dependent procognitive effects of psychostimulants. We first observed that, as with working memory, although sustained attention testing was highly dependent on multiple frontostriatal regions, only MPH infusion into the dorsomedial PFC improved task performance. Importantly, the dose-response curve for this action was right-shifted relative to working memory, as seen with systemic administration. Additional studies examined the receptor mechanisms within the PFC associated with the procognitive actions of MPH across working memory and sustained attention tasks. We observed that PFC α2 and D1 receptors contributed to the beneficial effects of MPH across both cognitive tasks. However, α1 receptors only contributed to MPH-induced improvement in sustained attention. Moreover, activation of PFC α1 receptors was sufficient to improve sustained attention. This latter action contrasts with the impairing actions of PFC α1 receptors reported previously for working memory. These results provide further evidence for a prominent role of the PFC in the procognitive actions of MPH and demonstrate the divergent dose sensitivity across cognitive processes aligns with the differential involvement of PFC α1 receptors.
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47
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Hassani SA, Lendor S, Boyaci E, Pawliszyn J, Womelsdorf T. Multineuromodulator measurements across fronto-striatal network areas of the behaving macaque using solid-phase microextraction. J Neurophysiol 2019; 122:1649-1660. [PMID: 31433731 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00321.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Different neuromodulators rarely act independent from each other to modify neural processes but are instead coreleased, gated, or modulated. To understand this interdependence of neuromodulators and their collective influence on local circuits during different brain states, it is necessary to reliably extract local concentrations of multiple neuromodulators in vivo. Here we describe results using solid-phase microextraction (SPME), a method providing sensitive, multineuromodulator measurements. SPME is a sampling method that is coupled with mass spectrometry to quantify collected analytes. Reliable measurements of glutamate, dopamine, acetylcholine, and choline were made simultaneously within frontal cortex and striatum of two macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta) during goal-directed behavior. We find glutamate concentrations several orders of magnitude higher than acetylcholine and dopamine in all brain regions. Dopamine was reliably detected in the striatum at tenfold higher concentrations than acetylcholine. Acetylcholine and choline concentrations were detected with high consistency across brain areas within monkeys and between monkeys. These findings illustrate that SPME microprobes provide a versatile novel tool to characterize multiple neuromodulators across different brain areas in vivo to understand the interdependence and covariation of neuromodulators during goal-directed behavior. Such data would be important to better distinguish between different behavioral states and characterize dysfunctional brain states that may be evident in psychiatric disorders.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our paper reports a reliable and sensitive novel method for measuring the absolute concentrations of glutamate, acetylcholine, choline, dopamine, and serotonin in brain circuits in vivo. We show that this method reliably samples multiple neurochemicals in three brain areas simultaneously while nonhuman primates are engaged in goal-directed behavior. We further describe how the methodology we describe here may be used by electrophysiologists as a low-barrier-to-entry tool for measuring multiple neurochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed-Alireza Hassani
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sofia Lendor
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ezel Boyaci
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Janusz Pawliszyn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thilo Womelsdorf
- Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.,Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Deficiencies of microglia and TNFα in the mPFC-mediated cognitive inflexibility induced by social stress during adolescence. Brain Behav Immun 2019; 79:256-266. [PMID: 30772475 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The crucial roles played by microglia and their release of cytokines in the regulation of brain maturation are increasingly being recognized. Adolescence is a unique period characterized by continued brain maturation, especially in the area of the prefrontal cortex. Our previous studies showed that adolescent social stress induced impairment in extradimensional set-shifting (EDS), a core component of cognitive flexibility mediated by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in adult mice. The present study further determined the role of microglia and the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in cognitive dysfunction. Accompanied by a deficit in EDS in adulthood, previously stressed mice showed significant reductions in the expression of the microglial molecular biomarker Iba1, cell numbers, and the levels of TNFα mRNA and protein in the mPFC. Pharmacological inhibition of TNFα signaling by direct injection of a neutralizer into the mPFC also specifically impaired EDS performance. Moreover, the cognitive and immune alterations in previously stressed adult mice were ameliorated by both acute LPS and chronic antidepressant treatment. Together, our data suggest that microglia and TNFα play important roles in cognitive flexibility and can provide attractive therapeutic targets for the treatment of cognitive deficits in psychiatric disorders.
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49
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Hupalo S, Bryce CA, Bangasser DA, Berridge CW, Valentino RJ, Floresco SB. Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF) circuit modulation of cognition and motivation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 103:50-59. [PMID: 31212019 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptide, corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), is a key modulator of physiological, endocrine, and behavioral responses during stress. Dysfunction of the CRF system has been observed in stress-related affective disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety. Beyond affective symptoms, these disorders are also characterized by impaired cognition, for which current pharmacological treatments are lacking. Thus, there is a need for pro-cognitive treatments to improve quality of life for individuals suffering from mental illness. In this review, we highlight research demonstrating that CRF elicits potent modulatory effects on higher-order cognition via actions within the prefrontal cortex and subcortical monoaminergic and cholinergic systems. Additionally, we identify questions for future preclinical research on this topic, such as the need to investigate sex differences in the cognitive and microcircuit actions of CRF, and whether CRF may represent a pharmacological target to treat cognitive dysfunction. Addressing these questions will provide new insight into pathophysiology underlying cognitive dysfunction and may lead to improved treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofiya Hupalo
- Integrative Neuroscience Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States.
| | - Courtney A Bryce
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Psychology Department and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States
| | - Craig W Berridge
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, United States
| | - Rita J Valentino
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Stan B Floresco
- Department of Psychology and Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Beversdorf DQ. Neuropsychopharmacological regulation of performance on creativity-related tasks. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2019; 27:55-63. [PMID: 31106256 PMCID: PMC6519931 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2018.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A number of factors affect performance on tasks associated with creativity. Two pharmacological systems in particularly been identified as important for their impact on creativity, the noradrenergic system and the dopaminergic systems. Furthermore, stress is also established as an important factor impacting performance, most likely mediated by its effects on these neurotransmitter systems. Herein, we review the current literature on the relationships between stress, the noradrenergic system, the dopaminergic system, and other pharmacological factors and their effects on performance on tasks associated with creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Q Beversdorf
- William and Nancy Thompson Endowed Chair in Radiology, University of Missouri
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