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Aspesi D, Cornil CA. Role of neuroestrogens in the regulation of social behaviors - From social recognition to mating. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105679. [PMID: 38642866 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
In this mini-review, we summarize the brain distribution of aromatase, the enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of estrogens from androgens, and the mechanisms responsible for regulating estrogen production within the brain. Understanding this local synthesis of estrogens by neurons is pivotal as it profoundly influences various facets of social behavior. Neuroestrogen action spans from the initial processing of socially pertinent sensory cues to integrating this information with an individual's internal state, ultimately resulting in the manifestation of either pro-affiliative or - aggressive behaviors. We focus here in particular on aggressive and sexual behavior as the result of correct individual recognition of intruders and potential mates. The data summarized in this review clearly point out the crucial role of locally synthesized estrogens in facilitating rapid adaptation to the social environment in rodents and birds of both sexes. These observations not only shed light on the evolutionary significance but also indicate the potential implications of these findings in the realm of human health, suggesting a compelling avenue for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Aspesi
- Center for Behavioral Neuroscience, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
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2
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Freiler MK, Deckard ML, Proffitt MR, Troy Smith G. Differential expression of steroid-related genes across electrosensory brain regions in two sexually dimorphic species of electric knifefish. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 355:114549. [PMID: 38797340 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The production of communication signals can be modulated by hormones acting on the brain regions that regulate these signals. However, less is known about how signal perception is regulated by hormones. The electrocommunication signals of weakly electric fishes are sexually dimorphic, sensitive to hormones, and vary across species. The neural circuits that regulate the production and perception of these signals are also well-characterized, and electric fishes are thus an excellent model to examine the neuroendocrine regulation of sensorimotor mechanisms of communication. We investigated (1) whether steroid-related genes are expressed in sensory brain regions that process communication signals; and (2) whether this expression differs across sexes and species that have different patterns of sexual dimorphism in their signals. Apteronotus leptorhynchus and Apteronotus albifrons produce continuous electric organ discharges (EODs) that are used for communication. Two brain regions, the electrosensory lateral line lobe (ELL) and the dorsal torus semicircularis (TSd), process inputs from electroreceptors to allow fish to detect and discriminate electrocommunication signals. We used qPCR to quantify the expression of genes for two androgen receptors (ar1, ar2), two estrogen receptors (esr1, esr2b), and aromatase (cyp19a1b). Four out of five steroid-related genes were expressed in both sensory brain regions, and their expression often varied between sexes and species. These results suggest that expression of steroid-related genes in the brain may differentially influence how EOD signals are encoded across species and sexes, and that gonadal steroids may coordinately regulate central circuits that control both the production and perception of EODs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K Freiler
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E 3(rd) St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Ave, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States.
| | - Mikayla L Deckard
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E 3(rd) St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - Melissa R Proffitt
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E 3(rd) St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Ave, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
| | - G Troy Smith
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, 1001 E 3(rd) St., Bloomington, IN 47405, United States; Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 409 N. Park Ave, Bloomington, IN 47405, United States
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3
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Coffin AB, Dale E, Molano O, Pederson A, Costa EK, Chen J. Age-related changes in the zebrafish and killifish inner ear and lateral line. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6670. [PMID: 38509148 PMCID: PMC10954678 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-57182-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is a debilitating disorder for millions worldwide. While there are multiple underlying causes of ARHL, one common factor is loss of sensory hair cells. In mammals, new hair cells are not produced postnatally and do not regenerate after damage, leading to permanent hearing impairment. By contrast, fish produce hair cells throughout life and robustly regenerate these cells after toxic insult. Despite these regenerative abilities, zebrafish show features of ARHL. Here, we show that aged zebrafish of both sexes exhibited significant hair cell loss and decreased cell proliferation in all inner ear epithelia (saccule, lagena, utricle). Ears from aged zebrafish had increased expression of pro-inflammatory genes and significantly more macrophages than ears from young adult animals. Aged zebrafish also had fewer lateral line hair cells and less cell proliferation than young animals, although lateral line hair cells still robustly regenerated following damage. Unlike zebrafish, African turquoise killifish (an emerging aging model) only showed hair cell loss in the saccule of aged males, but both sexes exhibit age-related changes in the lateral line. Our work demonstrates that zebrafish exhibit key features of auditory aging, including hair cell loss and increased inflammation. Further, our finding that aged zebrafish have fewer lateral line hair cells yet retain regenerative capacity, suggests a decoupling of homeostatic hair cell addition from regeneration following acute trauma. Finally, zebrafish and killifish show species-specific strategies for lateral line homeostasis that may inform further comparative research on aging in mechanosensory systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison B Coffin
- College of Arts and Sciences, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, WA, 98686, USA.
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Neuroscience, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, WA, 98686, USA.
| | - Emily Dale
- College of Arts and Sciences, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, WA, 98686, USA
- Neuroimmunology Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55902, USA
| | - Olivia Molano
- College of Arts and Sciences, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, WA, 98686, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02912, USA
| | - Alexandra Pederson
- College of Arts and Sciences, Washington State University Vancouver, Vancouver, WA, 98686, USA
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Emma K Costa
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Neurosciences Interdepartmental Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jingxun Chen
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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Abstract
In recent years, the impact of prenatal sound on development, notably for programming individual phenotypes for postnatal conditions, has increasingly been revealed. However, the mechanisms through which sound affects physiology and development remain mostly unexplored. Here, I gather evidence from neurobiology, developmental biology, cellular biology and bioacoustics to identify the most plausible modes of action of sound on developing embryos. First, revealing often-unsuspected plasticity, I discuss how prenatal sound may shape auditory system development and determine individuals' later capacity to receive acoustic information. I also consider the impact of hormones, including thyroid hormones, glucocorticoids and androgen, on auditory plasticity. Second, I review what is known about sound transduction to other - non-auditory - brain regions, and its potential to input on classical developmental programming pathways. Namely, the auditory pathway has direct anatomical and functional connectivity to the hippocampus, amygdala and/or hypothalamus, in mammals, birds and anurans. Sound can thus trigger both immediate and delayed responses in these limbic regions, which are specific to the acoustic stimulus and its biological relevance. Third, beyond the brain, I briefly consider the possibility for sound to directly affect cellular functioning, based on evidence in earless organisms (e.g. plants) and cell cultures. Together, the multi-disciplinary evidence gathered here shows that the brain is wired to allow multiple physiological and developmental effects of sound. Overall, there are many unexplored, but possible, pathways for sound to impact even primitive or immature organisms. Throughout, I identify the most promising research avenues for unravelling the processes of acoustic developmental programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mylene M Mariette
- Doñana Biological Station EBD-CSIC, 41092 Seville, Spain
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC 3216, Australia
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Yam C, McGovern B, Boyajieff E, Maxwell P, Little K, Sataloff RT. The impact of menopausal status on auditory brainstem responses. Am J Otolaryngol 2024; 45:104067. [PMID: 37778111 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2023.104067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of decreased estrogen levels due to menopause on auditory brainstem response measurements (ABR). STUDY DESIGN Retrospective chart review. SETTING Academic. PATIENTS Pre- and post-menopausal females (pre-M, post-M) and age-matched males. METHODS ABR measurements of wave I, III, and V latencies, and interpeak latencies; amplitudes of waves I, III, V, and V/I ratio. OUTCOME MEASURE Differences in ABR measurements between pre-M and post-M. RESULTS 164 subjects (101 female and 64 male) were included. Post-M had significantly greater latencies (msec) than pre-M of wave V. Post-M had a significantly smaller wave I amplitude (uV) than pre-M. Post-M had a significantly higher wave V/I amplitude ratio than pre-M. Pre-M had significantly shorter latencies than young males for wave III, and wave V. Post-M had significantly shorter latencies than older males at wave III, and wave V. A two-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between the effects of age category and gender on V/I amplitude. CONCLUSION Post-M group showed a significant drop in wave I amplitude compared with pre-M group, even in the absence of hearing loss, suggesting that the gender differences in hearing are related to estrogen signaling along the auditory pathway. If wave I amplitude changes between older and younger groups resulted from decreased peripheral hearing sensitivity, we would expect larger drops in amplitude in males since rates of presbycusis are higher. We observed much larger drops in wave I amplitude in females, which cannot be attributed to peripheral hearing loss. These results may assist in understanding gender differences in presbycusis and a possible protective effect of estrogen on the auditory system. Knowledge of gender differences in wave I may be important when ABR is used to assess possible synaptopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Yam
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
| | - Brian McGovern
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
| | - Emma Boyajieff
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
| | - Philip Maxwell
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
| | - Kara Little
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
| | - Robert T Sataloff
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America; Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Academic Specialties, Drexel University College of Medicine, United States of America.
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Fukutomi M, Carlson BA. Hormonal coordination of motor output and internal prediction of sensory consequences in an electric fish. Curr Biol 2023; 33:3350-3359.e4. [PMID: 37490922 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.06.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Abstract
Steroid hormones remodel neural networks to induce seasonal or developmental changes in behavior. Hormonal changes in behavior likely require coordinated changes in sensorimotor integration. Here, we investigate hormonal effects on a predictive motor signal, termed corollary discharge, that modulates sensory processing in weakly electric mormyrid fish. In the electrosensory pathway mediating communication behavior, inhibition activated by a corollary discharge blocks sensory responses to self-generated electric pulses, allowing the downstream circuit to selectively analyze communication signals from nearby fish. These pulses are elongated by increasing testosterone levels in males during the breeding season. We induced electric-pulse elongation using testosterone treatment and found that the timing of electroreceptor responses to self-generated pulses was delayed as electric-pulse duration increased. Simultaneous recordings from an electrosensory nucleus and electromotor neurons revealed that the timing of corollary discharge inhibition was delayed and elongated by testosterone. Furthermore, this shift in the timing of corollary discharge inhibition was precisely matched to the shift in timing of receptor responses to self-generated pulses. We then asked whether the shift in inhibition timing was caused by direct action of testosterone on the corollary discharge circuit or by plasticity acting on the circuit in response to altered sensory feedback. We surgically silenced the electric organ of fish and found similar hormonal modulation of corollary discharge timing between intact and silent fish, suggesting that sensory feedback was not required for this shift. Our findings demonstrate that testosterone directly regulates motor output and internal prediction of the resulting sensory consequences in a coordinated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matasaburo Fukutomi
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Bruce A Carlson
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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7
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Ibrahim BA, Louie JJ, Shinagawa Y, Xiao G, Asilador AR, Sable HJK, Schantz SL, Llano DA. Developmental Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls Prevents Recovery from Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Disrupts the Functional Organization of the Inferior Colliculus. J Neurosci 2023; 43:4580-4597. [PMID: 37147134 PMCID: PMC10286948 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0030-23.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to combinations of environmental toxins is growing in prevalence; and therefore, understanding their interactions is of increasing societal importance. Here, we examined the mechanisms by which two environmental toxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and high-amplitude acoustic noise, interact to produce dysfunction in central auditory processing. PCBs are well established to impose negative developmental impacts on hearing. However, it is not known whether developmental exposure to this ototoxin alters the sensitivity to other ototoxic exposures later in life. Here, male mice were exposed to PCBs in utero, and later as adults were exposed to 45 min of high-intensity noise. We then examined the impacts of the two exposures on hearing and the organization of the auditory midbrain using two-photon imaging and analysis of the expression of mediators of oxidative stress. We observed that developmental exposure to PCBs blocked hearing recovery from acoustic trauma. In vivo two-photon imaging of the inferior colliculus (IC) revealed that this lack of recovery was associated with disruption of the tonotopic organization and reduction of inhibition in the auditory midbrain. In addition, expression analysis in the inferior colliculus revealed that reduced GABAergic inhibition was more prominent in animals with a lower capacity to mitigate oxidative stress. These data suggest that combined PCBs and noise exposure act nonlinearly to damage hearing and that this damage is associated with synaptic reorganization, and reduced capacity to limit oxidative stress. In addition, this work provides a new paradigm by which to understand nonlinear interactions between combinations of environmental toxins.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Exposure to common environmental toxins is a large and growing problem in the population. This work provides a new mechanistic understanding of how the prenatal and postnatal developmental changes induced by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) could negatively impact the resilience of the brain to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) later in adulthood. The use of state-of-the-art tools, including in vivo multiphoton microscopy of the midbrain helped in identifying the long-term central changes in the auditory system after the peripheral hearing damage induced by such environmental toxins. In addition, the novel combination of methods employed in this study will lead to additional advances in our understanding of mechanisms of central hearing loss in other contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baher A Ibrahim
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Jeremy J Louie
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Yoshitaka Shinagawa
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Gang Xiao
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Alexander R Asilador
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Helen J K Sable
- The Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee 38152
| | - Susan L Schantz
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
| | - Daniel A Llano
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Neuroscience Program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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Capshaw G, Brown AD, Peña JL, Carr CE, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Tollin DJ, Womack MC, McCullagh EA. The continued importance of comparative auditory research to modern scientific discovery. Hear Res 2023; 433:108766. [PMID: 37084504 PMCID: PMC10321136 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2023.108766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
A rich history of comparative research in the auditory field has afforded a synthetic view of sound information processing by ears and brains. Some organisms have proven to be powerful models for human hearing due to fundamental similarities (e.g., well-matched hearing ranges), while others feature intriguing differences (e.g., atympanic ears) that invite further study. Work across diverse "non-traditional" organisms, from small mammals to avians to amphibians and beyond, continues to propel auditory science forward, netting a variety of biomedical and technological advances along the way. In this brief review, limited primarily to tetrapod vertebrates, we discuss the continued importance of comparative studies in hearing research from the periphery to central nervous system with a focus on outstanding questions such as mechanisms for sound capture, peripheral and central processing of directional/spatial information, and non-canonical auditory processing, including efferent and hormonal effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Capshaw
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.
| | - Andrew D Brown
- Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - José L Peña
- Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Catherine E Carr
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Daniel J Tollin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Molly C Womack
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA.
| | - Elizabeth A McCullagh
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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9
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Ibrahim BA, Louie J, Shinagawa Y, Xiao G, Asilador AR, Sable HJK, Schantz SL, Llano DA. Developmental exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls prevents recovery from noise-induced hearing loss and disrupts the functional organization of the inferior colliculus. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.23.534008. [PMID: 36993666 PMCID: PMC10055398 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.23.534008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to combinations of environmental toxins is growing in prevalence, and therefore understanding their interactions is of increasing societal importance. Here, we examined the mechanisms by which two environmental toxins - polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and high-amplitude acoustic noise - interact to produce dysfunction in central auditory processing. PCBs are well-established to impose negative developmental impacts on hearing. However, it is not known if developmental exposure to this ototoxin alters the sensitivity to other ototoxic exposures later in life. Here, male mice were exposed to PCBs in utero, and later as adults were exposed to 45 minutes of high-intensity noise. We then examined the impacts of the two exposures on hearing and the organization of the auditory midbrain using two-photon imaging and analysis of the expression of mediators of oxidative stress. We observed that developmental exposure to PCBs blocked hearing recovery from acoustic trauma. In vivo two-photon imaging of the inferior colliculus revealed that this lack of recovery was associated with disruption of the tonotopic organization and reduction of inhibition in the auditory midbrain. In addition, expression analysis in the inferior colliculus revealed that reduced GABAergic inhibition was more prominent in animals with a lower capacity to mitigate oxidative stress. These data suggest that combined PCBs and noise exposure act nonlinearly to damage hearing and that this damage is associated with synaptic reorganization, and reduced capacity to limit oxidative stress. In addition, this work provides a new paradigm by which to understand nonlinear interactions between combinations of environmental toxins. Significance statement Exposure to common environmental toxins is a large and growing problem in the population. This work provides a new mechanistic understanding of how the pre-and postnatal developmental changes induced by polychlorinated biphenyls could negatively impact the resilience of the brain to noise-induced hearing loss later in adulthood. The use of state-of-the-art tools, including in vivo multiphoton microscopy of the midbrain helped in identifying the long-term central changes in the auditory system after the peripheral hearing damage induced by such environmental toxins. In addition, the novel combination of methods employed in this study will lead to additional advances in our understanding of mechanisms of central hearing loss in other contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baher A. Ibrahim
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jeremy Louie
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yoshitaka Shinagawa
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Gang Xiao
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Alexander R. Asilador
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Helen J. K. Sable
- The Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Susan L. Schantz
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Daniel A. Llano
- Department of Molecular & Integrative Physiology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Neuroscience Program, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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Hearing Vocalizations during First Social Experience with Pups Increase Bdnf Transcription in Mouse Auditory Cortex. Neural Plast 2023; 2023:5225952. [PMID: 36845359 PMCID: PMC9946766 DOI: 10.1155/2023/5225952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
While infant cues are often assumed to innately motivate maternal response, recent research highlights how the neural coding of infant cues is altered through maternal care. Infant vocalizations are important social signals for caregivers, and evidence from mice suggests that experience caring for mouse pups induces inhibitory plasticity in the auditory cortex (AC), though the molecular mediators for such AC plasticity during the initial pup experience are not well delineated. Here, we used the maternal mouse communication model to explore whether transcription in AC of a specific, inhibition-linked, memory-associated gene, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) changes due to the very first pup caring experience hearing vocalizations, while controlling for the systemic influence of the hormone estrogen. Ovariectomized and estradiol or blank-implanted virgin female mice hearing pup calls with pups present had significantly higher AC exon IV Bdnf mRNA compared to females without pups present, suggesting that the social context of vocalizations induces immediate molecular changes at the site of auditory cortical processing. E2 influenced the rate of maternal behavior but did not significantly affect Bdnf mRNA transcription in the AC. To our knowledge, this is the first time Bdnf has been associated with processing social vocalizations in the AC, and our results suggest that it is a potential molecular component responsible for enhancing future recognition of infant cues by contributing to AC plasticity.
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11
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Fukui H, Toyoshima K. Testosterone, oxytocin and co-operation: A hypothesis for the origin and function of music. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1055827. [PMID: 36860786 PMCID: PMC9968751 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1055827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the time of Darwin, theories have been proposed on the origin and functions of music; however, the subject remains enigmatic. The literature shows that music is closely related to important human behaviours and abilities, namely, cognition, emotion, reward and sociality (co-operation, entrainment, empathy and altruism). Notably, studies have deduced that these behaviours are closely related to testosterone (T) and oxytocin (OXT). The association of music with important human behaviours and neurochemicals is closely related to the understanding of reproductive and social behaviours being unclear. In this paper, we describe the endocrinological functions of human social and musical behaviour and demonstrate its relationship to T and OXT. We then hypothesised that the emergence of music is associated with behavioural adaptations and emerged as humans socialised to ensure survival. Moreover, the proximal factor in the emergence of music is behavioural control (social tolerance) through the regulation of T and OXT, and the ultimate factor is group survival through co-operation. The "survival value" of music has rarely been approached from the perspective of musical behavioural endocrinology. This paper provides a new perspective on the origin and functions of music.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hajime Fukui
- Nara University of Education, Nara, Japan,*Correspondence: Hajime Fukui, ✉
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12
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Hu H, Li J, He S, Zhao Y, Liu P, Liu H. Aging-related decline in the neuromotor control of speech production: current and future. Front Aging Neurosci 2023; 15:1172277. [PMID: 37151845 PMCID: PMC10156980 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2023.1172277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Huijing Hu
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jingting Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sixuan He
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peng Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hanjun Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hanjun Liu
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13
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Scarpa GB, Starrett JR, Li GL, Brooks C, Morohashi Y, Yazaki-Sugiyama Y, Remage-Healey L. Estrogens rapidly shape synaptic and intrinsic properties to regulate the temporal precision of songbird auditory neurons. Cereb Cortex 2022; 33:3401-3420. [PMID: 35849820 PMCID: PMC10068288 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac280] [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: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory neurons parse millisecond-variant sound streams like birdsong and speech with exquisite precision. The auditory pallial cortex of vocal learners like humans and songbirds contains an unconventional neuromodulatory system: neuronal expression of the estrogen synthesis enzyme aromatase. Local forebrain neuroestrogens fluctuate when songbirds hear a song, and subsequently modulate bursting, gain, and temporal coding properties of auditory neurons. However, the way neuroestrogens shape intrinsic and synaptic properties of sensory neurons remains unknown. Here, using a combination of whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology and calcium imaging, we investigate estrogenic neuromodulation of auditory neurons in a region resembling mammalian auditory association cortex. We found that estradiol rapidly enhances the temporal precision of neuronal firing via a membrane-bound G-protein coupled receptor and that estradiol rapidly suppresses inhibitory synaptic currents while sparing excitation. Notably, the rapid suppression of intrinsic excitability by estradiol was predicted by membrane input resistance and was observed in both males and females. These findings were corroborated by analysis of in vivo electrophysiology recordings, in which local estrogen synthesis blockade caused acute disruption of the temporal correlation of song-evoked firing patterns. Therefore, on a modulatory timescale, neuroestrogens alter intrinsic cellular properties and inhibitory neurotransmitter release to regulate the temporal precision of higher-order sensory neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett B Scarpa
- Neuroscience and Behavior, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, 639 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Joseph R Starrett
- Neuroscience and Behavior, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, 639 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Geng-Lin Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University, 83 Fenyang Rd, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Colin Brooks
- Neuroscience and Behavior, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, 639 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Yuichi Morohashi
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Kunigami District, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Yoko Yazaki-Sugiyama
- Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna, Kunigami District, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Neuroscience and Behavior, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts, 639 N. Pleasant St., Amherst, MA 01003, United States
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14
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Non-sensory Influences on Auditory Learning and Plasticity. J Assoc Res Otolaryngol 2022; 23:151-166. [PMID: 35235100 PMCID: PMC8964851 DOI: 10.1007/s10162-022-00837-3] [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: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Distinguishing between regular and irregular heartbeats, conversing with speakers of different accents, and tuning a guitar-all rely on some form of auditory learning. What drives these experience-dependent changes? A growing body of evidence suggests an important role for non-sensory influences, including reward, task engagement, and social or linguistic context. This review is a collection of contributions that highlight how these non-sensory factors shape auditory plasticity and learning at the molecular, physiological, and behavioral level. We begin by presenting evidence that reward signals from the dopaminergic midbrain act on cortico-subcortical networks to shape sound-evoked responses of auditory cortical neurons, facilitate auditory category learning, and modulate the long-term storage of new words and their meanings. We then discuss the role of task engagement in auditory perceptual learning and suggest that plasticity in top-down cortical networks mediates learning-related improvements in auditory cortical and perceptual sensitivity. Finally, we present data that illustrates how social experience impacts sound-evoked activity in the auditory midbrain and forebrain and how the linguistic environment rapidly shapes speech perception. These findings, which are derived from both human and animal models, suggest that non-sensory influences are important regulators of auditory learning and plasticity and are often implemented by shared neural substrates. Application of these principles could improve clinical training strategies and inform the development of treatments that enhance auditory learning in individuals with communication disorders.
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15
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Luders E, Gaser C, Gingnell M, Engman J, Sundström Poromaa I, Kurth F. Postpartum Gray Matter Changes in the Auditory Cortex. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10235616. [PMID: 34884318 PMCID: PMC8658382 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10235616] [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: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
After giving birth, a mother’s brain undergoes functional adaptations fostering the ability to properly respond to the needs of her newborn. Tuning into and understanding her baby’s crying is among the top skills required and executed in the early stages of motherhood. However, surprisingly little is known about potential changes in the anatomy of the maternal auditory cortex. Therefore, in this longitudinal study, we compared the brains of 14 healthy women between immediate postpartum (within 1–2 days of childbirth) and late postpartum (at 4–6 weeks after childbirth), focusing on areas of the primary, secondary, and higher auditory cortex. We observed significant volume increases within all auditory regions and subregions examined, which might reflect rapid adaptations of the mother’s brain in relation to reliably interpreting her newborn’s cries. There was also a trend for a larger postpartum increase within right-hemispheric regions compared to left-hemispheric regions that might be specifically linked to the ability to discern the pitch, sound, and volume of a baby’s crying. Follow-up research is warranted to replicate these findings and evaluate their current interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Luders
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; (M.G.); (I.S.P.)
- Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Christian Gaser
- Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany;
| | - Malin Gingnell
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; (M.G.); (I.S.P.)
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Jonas Engman
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden;
| | - Inger Sundström Poromaa
- Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Uppsala University, 751 05 Uppsala, Sweden; (M.G.); (I.S.P.)
| | - Florian Kurth
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand;
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16
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Krizman J, Rotondo EK, Nicol T, Kraus N, Bieszczad KM. Sex differences in auditory processing vary across estrous cycle. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22898. [PMID: 34819558 PMCID: PMC8613396 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02272-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, females process a sound's harmonics more robustly than males. As estrogen regulates auditory plasticity in a sex-specific manner in seasonally breeding animals, estrogen signaling is one hypothesized mechanism for this difference in humans. To investigate whether sex differences in harmonic encoding vary similarly across the reproductive cycle of mammals, we recorded frequency-following responses (FFRs) to a complex sound in male and female rats. Female FFRs were collected during both low and high levels of circulating estrogen during the estrous cycle. Overall, female rodents had larger harmonic encoding than male rodents, and greater harmonic strength was seen during periods of greater estrogen production in the females. These results argue that hormonal differences, specifically estrogen, underlie sex differences in harmonic encoding in rodents and suggest that a similar mechanism may underlie differences seen in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Krizman
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Elena K Rotondo
- Department of Psychology-Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
| | - Trent Nicol
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Nina Kraus
- Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
- Department of Otolaryngology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
| | - Kasia M Bieszczad
- Department of Psychology-Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA
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17
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Shuster B, Casserly R, Lipford E, Olszewski R, Milon B, Viechweg S, Davidson K, Enoch J, McMurray M, Rutherford MA, Ohlemiller KK, Hoa M, Depireux DA, Mong JA, Hertzano R. Estradiol Protects against Noise-Induced Hearing Loss and Modulates Auditory Physiology in Female Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:12208. [PMID: 34830090 PMCID: PMC8620009 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have identified sex-differences in auditory physiology and in the susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). We hypothesize that 17β-estradiol (E2), a known modulator of auditory physiology, may underpin sex-differences in the response to noise trauma. Here, we gonadectomized B6CBAF1/J mice and used a combination of electrophysiological and histological techniques to study the effects of estrogen replacement on peripheral auditory physiology in the absence of noise exposure and on protection from NIHL. Functional analysis of auditory physiology in gonadectomized female mice revealed that E2-treatment modulated the peripheral response to sound in the absence of changes to the endocochlear potential compared to vehicle-treatment. E2-replacement in gonadectomized female mice protected against hearing loss following permanent threshold shift (PTS)- and temporary threshold shift (TTS)-inducing noise exposures. Histological analysis of the cochlear tissue revealed that E2-replacement mitigated outer hair cell loss and cochlear synaptopathy following noise exposure compared to vehicle-treatment. Lastly, using fluorescent in situ hybridization, we demonstrate co-localization of estrogen receptor-2 with type-1C, high threshold spiral ganglion neurons, suggesting that the observed protection from cochlear synaptopathy may occur through E2-mediated preservation of these neurons. Taken together, these data indicate the estrogen signaling pathways may be harnessed for the prevention and treatment of NIHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Shuster
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (B.S.); (R.C.); (E.L.); (B.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Ryan Casserly
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (B.S.); (R.C.); (E.L.); (B.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Erika Lipford
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (B.S.); (R.C.); (E.L.); (B.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Rafal Olszewski
- Auditory Development and Restoration Program, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (R.O.); (M.H.)
| | - Béatrice Milon
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (B.S.); (R.C.); (E.L.); (B.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Shaun Viechweg
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.V.); (K.D.); (J.E.); (J.A.M.)
| | - Kanisa Davidson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.V.); (K.D.); (J.E.); (J.A.M.)
| | - Jennifer Enoch
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.V.); (K.D.); (J.E.); (J.A.M.)
| | - Mark McMurray
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (B.S.); (R.C.); (E.L.); (B.M.); (M.M.)
| | - Mark A. Rutherford
- Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (M.A.R.); (K.K.O.)
| | - Kevin K. Ohlemiller
- Department of Otolaryngology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (M.A.R.); (K.K.O.)
| | - Michael Hoa
- Auditory Development and Restoration Program, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; (R.O.); (M.H.)
| | | | - Jessica A. Mong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (S.V.); (K.D.); (J.E.); (J.A.M.)
| | - Ronna Hertzano
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (B.S.); (R.C.); (E.L.); (B.M.); (M.M.)
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
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18
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Soutar CN, Grenier P, Patel A, Kabitsis PP, Olmstead MC, Bailey CDC, Dringenberg HC. Brain-Generated 17β-Estradiol Modulates Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity in the Primary Auditory Cortex of Adult Male Rats. Cereb Cortex 2021; 32:2140-2155. [PMID: 34628498 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab345] [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: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuron-derived 17β-estradiol (E2) alters synaptic transmission and plasticity in brain regions with endocrine and non-endocrine functions. Investigations into a modulatory role of E2 in synaptic activity and plasticity have mainly focused on the rodent hippocampal formation. In songbirds, E2 is synthesized by auditory forebrain neurons and promotes auditory signal processing and memory for salient acoustic stimuli; however, the modulatory effects of E2 on memory-related synaptic plasticity mechanisms have not been directly examined in the auditory forebrain. We investigated the effects of bidirectional E2 manipulations on synaptic transmission and long-term potentiation (LTP) in the rat primary auditory cortex (A1). Immunohistochemistry revealed widespread neuronal expression of the E2 biosynthetic enzyme aromatase in multiple regions of the rat sensory and association neocortex, including A1. In A1, E2 application reduced the threshold for in vivo LTP induction at layer IV synapses, whereas pharmacological suppression of E2 production by aromatase inhibition abolished LTP induction at layer II/III synapses. In acute A1 slices, glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor-mediated currents were sensitive to E2 manipulations in a layer-specific manner. These findings demonstrate that locally synthesized E2 modulates synaptic transmission and plasticity in A1 and suggest potential mechanisms by which E2 contributes to auditory signal processing and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe N Soutar
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Patrick Grenier
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Ashutosh Patel
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Pauline P Kabitsis
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Mary C Olmstead
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Craig D C Bailey
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Hans C Dringenberg
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada.,Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada
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19
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Zheng DJ, Singh A, Phelps SM. Conservation and dimorphism in androgen receptor distribution in Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina). J Comp Neurol 2021; 529:2539-2557. [PMID: 33576501 DOI: 10.1002/cne.25108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 12/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Because of their roles in courtship and intrasexual competition, sexual displays are often sexually dimorphic, but we know little about the mechanisms that produce such dimorphism. Among mammals, one example is the vocalization of Alston's singing mouse (Scotinomys teguina), which consists of a series of rapidly repeated, frequency-modulated notes. The rate and duration of songs is sexually dimorphic and androgen responsive. To understand the neuronal mechanisms underlying this sexual dimorphism, we map the sites of androgen sensitivity throughout the brain, focusing analysis along a pathway that spans from limbic structures to vocal motor regions. We find widespread expression of AR immunoreactivity (AR-ir) throughout limbic structures important for social behavior and vocalization, including the lateral septum, extended amygdala, preoptic area and hypothalamus. We also find extensive AR staining along previously documented vocal motor pathways, including the periaqueductal gray, parabrachial nucleus, and nucleus ambiguus, the last of which innervates intrinsic laryngeal muscles. Lastly, AR-ir is also evident in sensory areas such as the medial geniculate, inferior, and superior colliculi. A quantitative analysis revealed that males exhibited more AR-ir than females, a pattern that was most pronounced in the hypothalamus. Despite the elaboration of vocalization in singing mice, comparison with prior literature suggests that the broad pattern of AR-ir may be conserved across a wide range of rodents. Together these data identify brain nuclei well positioned to shape the sexually dimorphic vocalization of S. teguina and suggest that such androgen modulation of vocalization is evolutionary conserved among rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da-Jiang Zheng
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Aditi Singh
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Steven M Phelps
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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20
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Partyka M, Neff P, Bacri T, Michels J, Weisz N, Schlee W. Gender differentiates effects of acoustic stimulation in patients with tinnitus. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2021; 263:25-57. [PMID: 34243890 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Gender constitutes a major factor to consider when tailoring subtype-based therapies for tinnitus. Previous reports showed important differences between men and women concerning basic perceptual tinnitus characteristics (i.e., laterality, frequency, tinnitus loudness) as well as psychological reactions linked to this condition. Therapeutic approaches based on acoustic stimulation involve processes beyond a pure masking effect and consist of sound presentation temporarily altering or alleviating tinnitus perception via residual and/or lateral inhibition mechanisms. Presented stimuli may include pure tones, noise, and music adjusted to or modulated to filter out tinnitus pitch and therefore trigger reparative functional and structural changes in the auditory system. Furthermore, recent findings suggest that in tonal tinnitus, the presentation of pitch-adjusted sounds which were altered by a 10Hz modulation of amplitude was more efficient than unmodulated stimulation. In this paper, we investigate sex differences in the outcome of different variants of acoustic stimulation, looking for factors revealing predictive value in the efficiency of tinnitus relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Partyka
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Patrick Neff
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Timothée Bacri
- Department of Mathematics, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Jakob Michels
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Nathan Weisz
- Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Winfried Schlee
- Clinic and Policlinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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21
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Perelmuter JT, Hom KN, Mohr RA, Demis L, Kim S, Chernenko A, Timothy M, Middleton MA, Sisneros JA, Forlano PM. Testosterone Treatment Mimics Seasonal Downregulation of Dopamine Innervation in the Auditory System of Female Midshipman Fish. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:269-282. [PMID: 33974077 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In seasonally breeding vertebrates, hormones coordinate changes in nervous system structure and function to facilitate reproductive readiness and success. Steroid hormones often exert their effects indirectly via regulation of neuromodulators, which in turn can coordinate the modulation of sensory input with appropriate motor output. Female plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus) undergo increased peripheral auditory sensitivity in time for the summer breeding season, improving their ability to detect mates, which is regulated by steroid hormones. Reproductive females also show differences in catecholaminergic innervation of auditory circuitry compared with winter, non-reproductive females as measured by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholaminergic synthesis. Importantly, catecholaminergic input to the inner ear from a dopaminergic-specific forebrain nucleus is decreased in the summer and dopamine inhibits the sensitivity of the inner ear, suggesting that gonadal steroids may alter auditory sensitivity by regulating dopamine innervation. In this study, we gonadectomized non-reproductive females, implanted them with estradiol (E2) or testosterone (T), and measured TH immunoreactive (TH-ir) fibers in auditory nuclei where catecholaminergic innervation was previously shown to be seasonally plastic. We found that treatment with T, but not E2, reduced TH-ir innervation in the auditory hindbrain. T-treatment also reduced TH-ir fibers in the forebrain dopaminergic cell group that projects to the inner ear, and likely to the auditory hindbrain. Higher T plasma in the treatment group was correlated with reduced-ir TH terminals in the inner ear. These T-treatment induced changes in TH-ir fibers mimic the seasonal downregulation of dopamine in the midshipman inner ear and provide evidence that steroid hormone regulation of peripheral auditory sensitivity is mediated, in part, by dopamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan T Perelmuter
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.,Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Psychology Subprogram in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kelsey N Hom
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Doctoral Program in Biology, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.,Biology Subprogram in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert A Mohr
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lina Demis
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Spencer Kim
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Alena Chernenko
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Miky Timothy
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Mollie A Middleton
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joseph A Sisneros
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paul M Forlano
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Psychology Subprogram in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.,Biology Subprogram in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.,Biology Subprogram in Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.,Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, USA
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22
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Maruska KP, Butler JM. Reproductive- and Social-State Plasticity of Multiple Sensory Systems in a Cichlid Fish. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:249-268. [PMID: 33963407 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Intra- and inter-sexual communications are vital to the survival and reproductive success of animals. In species that cycle in and out of breeding or other physiological condition, sensory function can be modulated to optimize communication at crucial times. Little is known, however, about how widespread this sensory plasticity is across taxa, whether it occurs in multiple senses or both sexes within a species, and what potential modulatory substances and substrates are involved. Thus, studying modulation of sensory communication in a single species can provide valuable insights for understanding how sensory abilities can be altered to optimize detection of salient signals in different sensory channels and social contexts. The African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni uses multimodal communication in social contexts such as courtship, territoriality, and parental care and shows plasticity in sensory abilities. In this review, we synthesize what is known about how visual, acoustic, and chemosensory communication is used in A. burtoni in inter- and intra-specific social contexts, how sensory funtion is modulated by an individual's reproductive, metabolic, and social state, and discuss evidence for plasticity in potential modulators that may contribute to changes in sensory abilities and behaviors. Sensory plasticity in females is primarily associated with the natural reproductive cycle and functions to improve detection of courtship signals (visual, auditory, chemosensory, and likely mechanosensory) from high-quality males for reproduction. Plasticity in male sensory abilities seems to function in altering their ability to detect the status of other males in the service of territory ownership and future reproductive opportunities. Changes in different classes of potential modulators or their receptors (steroids, neuropeptides, and biogenic amines) occur at both peripheral sensory organs (eye, inner ear, and olfactory epithelium) and central visual, olfactory, and auditory processing regions, suggesting complex mechanisms contributing to plasticity of sensory function. This type of sensory plasticity revealed in males and females of A. burtoni is likely more widespread among diverse animals than currently realized, and future studies should take an integrative and comparative approach to better understand the proximate and ultimate mechanisms modulating communication abilities across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Julie M Butler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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23
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Sex differences in the auditory functions of rodents. Hear Res 2021; 419:108271. [PMID: 34074560 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2021.108271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In humans, it is well known that females have better hearing than males. The mechanism of this influence of sex on auditory function in humans is not well understood. Testing the hypothesis of underlying mechanisms often relies on preclinical research, a field in which sex bias still exists unconsciously. Rodents are popular research models in hearing, thus it is crucial to understand the sex differences in these rodent models when studying health and disease in humans. OBJECTIVES This review aims to summarize the existing sex differences in the auditory functions of rodent species including mouse, rat, Guinea pig, Mongolian gerbil, and chinchilla. In addition, a concise summary of the hearing characteristics and the advantages and the drawbacks of conducting auditory experiments in each rodent species is provided. DESIGNS Manuscripts were identified in PubMed and Ovid Medline for the queries "Rodent", "Sex Characteristics", and "Hearing or Auditory Function". Manuscripts were included if they were original research, written in English, and use rodents. The content of each manuscript was screened for the sex of the rodents and the discussion of sex-based results. CONCLUSIONS The sex differences in auditory function of rodents are prevalent and influenced by multiple factors including physiological mechanisms, sex-based anatomical variations, and stimuli from the external environment. Such differences may play a role in understanding and explaining sex differences in hearing of humans and need to be taken into consideration for developing clinical therapies aim to improve auditory performances.
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24
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Leslie CE, Walkowski W, Rosencrans RF, Gordon WC, Bazan NG, Ryan MJ, Farris HE. Estrogenic Modulation of Retinal Sensitivity in Reproductive Female Túngara Frogs. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:231-239. [PMID: 33901287 PMCID: PMC8300951 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Although mate searching behavior in female túngara frogs (Physalaemus pustulosus) is nocturnal and largely mediated by acoustic cues, male signaling includes visual cues produced by the vocal sac. To compensate for these low light conditions, visual sensitivity in females is modulated when they are in a reproductive state, as retinal thresholds are decreased. This study tested whether estradiol (E2) plays a role in this modulation. Female túngara frogs were injected with either human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or a combination of hCG and fadrozole. hCG induces a reproductive state and increases retinal sensitivity, while fadrozole is an aromatase inhibitor that blocks hCG-induced E2 synthesis. In an analysis of scotopic electroretinograms (ERGs), hCG treatment lowered the threshold for eliciting a b-wave response, whereas the addition of fadrozole abolished this effect, matching thresholds in non-reproductive saline-injected controls. This suggests that blocking E2 synthesis blocked the hCG-mediated reproductive modulation of retinal sensitivity. By implicating E2 in control of retinal sensitivity, our data add to growing evidence that the targets of gonadal steroid feedback loops include sensory receptor organs, where stimulus sensitivity may be modulated, rather than more central brain nuclei, where modulation may affect mechanisms involved in motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlin E Leslie
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Whitney Walkowski
- Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Robert F Rosencrans
- Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - William C Gordon
- Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Nicolas G Bazan
- Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Michael J Ryan
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Hamilton E Farris
- Neuroscience Center, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, 2020 Gravier Street, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.,Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.,Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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25
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Khoshsirat S, Abbaszadeh HA, Peyvandi AA, Heidari F, Peyvandi M, Simani L, Niknazar S. Apelin-13 prevents apoptosis in the cochlear tissue of noise-exposed rat via Sirt-1 regulation. J Chem Neuroanat 2021; 114:101956. [PMID: 33831513 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2021.101956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the second most common cause of acquired hearing loss. Acoustic trauma can cause oxidative damage in the cochlear hair cells (HCs) through apoptotic pathways. Apelin is a newly discovered neuropeptide with neuroprotective effects against the oxidative stress in neurodegenerative disorder. We investigated the preventive effects of apelin-13 on the cochlear HCs and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) against acoustic trauma via Sirtuin-1 (Sirt-1) regulation in rats. Animals were assigned to control, control + apelin-13 (50 or 100 μg/kg, ip), and noise exposure groups without any treatment or were administered apelin-13 (50 or 100 μg/kg, ip) and EX-527 (an inhibitor of Sirt-1) prior to each noise session. In the noise groups, 110 dB white noise was applied for 6 h per 5 days. Pre- and post-exposure distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and cochlear superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity were assessed. Western blot evaluated the cochlear protein expressions of Sirt-1, cleaved-caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2. Cell apoptosis was detected through TUNEL staining. Immunofluorescence was used to examine expression of HCs and SGNs specific protein. DPOAE level were significantly improved in the noise exposure group receiving 100 μg/kg apelin-13. At high doses, apelin augmented SOD levels in the rat cochlea subjected to noise. Apelin 100 markedly increased Sirt-1, and decreased cleaved- caspase-3 expression as well as Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in the cochlea tissue of noise-exposed rats. These findings suggest the promising therapeutic potential of apelin-13 for the prevention of noise-induced injury to cochlea and hearing loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrokh Khoshsirat
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hojjat-Allah Abbaszadeh
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Anatomical Sciences and Biology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Asghar Peyvandi
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Heidari
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Peyvandi
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Simani
- Skull Base Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Somayeh Niknazar
- Hearing Disorders Research Center, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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26
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Villavicencio CP, Windley H, D'Amelio PB, Gahr M, Goymann W, Quispe R. Neuroendocrine patterns underlying seasonal song and year-round territoriality in male black redstarts. Front Zool 2021; 18:8. [PMID: 33627161 PMCID: PMC7905601 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-021-00389-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The connection between testosterone and territoriality in free-living songbirds has been well studied in a reproductive context, but less so outside the breeding season. To assess the effects of seasonal androgenic action on territorial behavior, we analyzed vocal and non-vocal territorial behavior in response to simulated territorial intrusions (STIs) during three life-cycle stages in free-living male black redstarts: breeding, molt and nonbreeding. Concurrently, we measured changes in circulating testosterone levels, as well as the mRNA expression of androgen and estrogen receptors and aromatase in the preoptic, hypothalamic and song control brain areas that are associated with social and vocal behaviors. RESULTS Territorial behavior and estrogen receptor expression in hypothalamic areas did not differ between stages. But plasma testosterone was higher during breeding than during the other stages, similar to androgen receptor and aromatase expression in the preoptic area. The expression of androgen receptors in the song control nucleus HVC was lower during molt when birds do not sing or sing rarely, but similar between the breeding and the nonbreeding stage. Nevertheless, some song spectral features and the song repertoire differed between breeding and nonbreeding. Territorial behavior and song rate correlated with the expression of steroid receptors in hypothalamic areas, and in the song control nucleus lMAN. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate seasonal modulation of song, circulating testosterone levels, and brain sensitivity to androgens, but a year-round persistency of territorial behavior and estrogen receptor expression in all life-cycle stages. This suggests that seasonal variations in circulating testosterone concentrations and brain sensitivity to androgens is widely uncoupled from territorial behavior and song activity but might still affect song pattern. Our study contributes to the understanding of the complex comparative neuroendocrinology of song birds in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila P Villavicencio
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319, Seewiesen, Germany. .,Department of Ecological Science, Institute of Ecology and Biodiversity, Faculty of Science, University of Chile, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Harriet Windley
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Pietro B D'Amelio
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319, Seewiesen, Germany.,FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - René Quispe
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 6a, D-82319, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Ocean Sciences, Universidad Catolica del Norte (UCN), Larrondo 1281, Coquimbo, Chile
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27
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Adreani NM, D'Amelio PB, Gahr M, Ter Maat A. Life-Stage Dependent Plasticity in the Auditory System of a Songbird Is Signal and Emitter-Specific. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:588672. [PMID: 33343284 PMCID: PMC7746620 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.588672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Social animals flexibly use a variety of vocalizations to communicate in complex and dynamic environments. However, it remains unknown whether the auditory perception of different vocalizations changes according to the ecological context. By using miniature wireless devices to synchronously record vocal interactions and local neural activity in freely-behaving zebra finches in combination with playback experiments, we investigate whether the auditory processing of vocalizations changes across life-history stages. We show that during breeding, females (but not males) increase their estrogen levels and reply faster to their mates when interacting vocally. These changes are associated with an increase in the amplitude of the female’s neural auditory responses. Furthermore, the changes in auditory response are not general, but specific to a subset of functionally distinct vocalizations and dependent on the emitter’s identity. These results provide novel insights into auditory plasticity of communication systems, showing that the perception of specific signals can shift according to ecologically-determined physiological states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas M Adreani
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Pöcking, Germany.,Konrad Lorenz Research Center, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
| | - Pietro B D'Amelio
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Pöcking, Germany.,FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Pöcking, Germany
| | - Andries Ter Maat
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Pöcking, Germany
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28
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Frisina RD, Bazard P, Bauer M, Pineros J, Zhu X, Ding B. Translational implications of the interactions between hormones and age-related hearing loss. Hear Res 2020; 402:108093. [PMID: 33097316 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Provocative research has revealed both positive and negative effects of hormones on hearing as we age; with in some cases, mis-regulation of hormonal levels in instances of medical comorbidities linked to aging, lying at the heart of the problem. Animal model studies have discovered that hormonal fluctuations can sharpen hearing for improved communication and processing of mating calls during reproductive seasons. Sex hormones sometimes have positive effects on auditory processing, as is often the case with estrogen, whereas combinations of estrogen and progesterone, and testosterone, can have negative effects on hearing abilities, particularly in aging subjects. Too much or too little of some hormones can be detrimental, as is the case for aldosterone and thyroid hormones, which generally decline in older individuals. Too little insulin, as in Type 1 diabetics, or poor regulation of insulin, as in Type 2 diabetics, is also harmful to hearing in our aged population. In terms of clinical translational possibilities, hormone therapies can be problematic due to systemic side effects, as has happened for estrogen/progestin combination hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in older women, where the HRT induces a hearing loss. As hormone therapy approaches are further developed, it may be possible to lower needed doses of hormones by combining them with supplements, such as antioxidants. Another option will be to take advantage of emerging technologies for local drug delivery to the inner ear, including biodegradeable, sustained-release hydrogels and micro-pumps which can be implanted in the middle ear near the round window. In closing, exciting research completed to date, summarized in the present report bodes well for emerging biomedical therapies to prevent or treat age-related hearing loss utilizing hormonal strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- R D Frisina
- Dept. Medical Engineering, Global Center for Hearing & Speech Research, University of South Florida, Tampa FL, USA; Dept. Communication Sciences & Disorders, Global Center for Hearing & Speech Research, University of South Florida, Tampa FL, USA.
| | - P Bazard
- Dept. Medical Engineering, Global Center for Hearing & Speech Research, University of South Florida, Tampa FL, USA
| | - M Bauer
- Dept. Medical Engineering, Global Center for Hearing & Speech Research, University of South Florida, Tampa FL, USA
| | - J Pineros
- Dept. Medical Engineering, Global Center for Hearing & Speech Research, University of South Florida, Tampa FL, USA
| | - X Zhu
- Dept. Medical Engineering, Global Center for Hearing & Speech Research, University of South Florida, Tampa FL, USA
| | - B Ding
- Dept. Medical Engineering, Global Center for Hearing & Speech Research, University of South Florida, Tampa FL, USA
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29
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Serotonergic innervation of the auditory midbrain: dorsal raphe subregions differentially project to the auditory midbrain in male and female mice. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1855-1871. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02098-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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30
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Nolan LS. Age-related hearing loss: Why we need to think about sex as a biological variable. J Neurosci Res 2020; 98:1705-1720. [PMID: 32557661 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2019] [Revised: 04/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
It has long been known that age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is more common, more severe, and with an earlier onset in men compared to women. Even in the absence of confounding factors such as noise exposure, these sexdifferences in susceptibility to ARHL remain. In the last decade, insight into the pleiotrophic nature by which estrogen signaling can impact multiple signaling mechanisms to mediate downstream changes in gene expression and/or elicit rapid changes in cellular function has rapidly gathered pace, and a role for estrogen signaling in the biological pathways that confer neuroprotection is becoming undeniable. Here I review the evidence why we need to consider sex as a biological variable (SABV) when investigating the etiology of ARHL. Loss of auditory function with aging is frequency-specific and modulated by SABV. Evidence also suggests that differences in cochlear physiology between women and men are already present from birth. Understanding the molecular basis of these sex differences in ARHL will accelerate the development of precision medicine therapies for ARHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa S Nolan
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
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31
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Someya S, Kim MJ. Cochlear detoxification: Role of alpha class glutathione transferases in protection against oxidative lipid damage, ototoxicity, and cochlear aging. Hear Res 2020; 402:108002. [PMID: 32600853 DOI: 10.1016/j.heares.2020.108002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Age-related hearing loss (AHL) is the most common form of hearing impairment. AHL is thought to be a multifactorial condition resulting from the interaction of numerous causes including aging, genetics, exposure to noise, and exposure to endogenous and exogenous toxins. Cells possess many detoxification enzymes capable of removing thousands of cytotoxic xenobiotics and endogenous toxins such as 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), one of the most abundant cytotoxic end products of lipid peroxidation. The cellular detoxification system involves three phases of enzymatic detoxification. Of these, the glutathione transferase (GST) detoxification system converts a toxic compound into a less toxic form by conjugating the toxic compound to reduced glutathione by GST enzymes. In this review, we describe the current understanding of the cochlear detoxification system and examine the growing link between GST detoxification, oxidative lipid damage, ototoxicity, and cochlear aging with a particular focus on the alpha-class GSTs (GSTAs). We also describe how exposure to ototoxic drugs, exposure to noise, or aging results in increased 4-HNE levels, how 4-HNE damages various cell components under stress conditions, and how GSTAs detoxify 4-HNE in the auditory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichi Someya
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
| | - Mi-Jung Kim
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
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Macedo-Lima M, Remage-Healey L. Auditory learning in an operant task with social reinforcement is dependent on neuroestrogen synthesis in the male songbird auditory cortex. Horm Behav 2020; 121:104713. [PMID: 32057821 PMCID: PMC7198363 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Animals continually assess their environment for cues associated with threats, competitors, allies, mates or prey, and experience is crucial for those associations. The auditory cortex is important for these computations to enable valence assignment and associative learning. The caudomedial nidopallium (NCM) is part of the songbird auditory association cortex and it is implicated in juvenile song learning, song memorization, and song perception. Like human auditory cortex, NCM is a site of action of estradiol (E2) and is enriched with the enzyme aromatase (E2-synthase). However, it is unclear how E2 modulates auditory learning and perception in the vertebrate auditory cortex. In this study we employ a novel, auditory-dependent operant task governed by social reinforcement to test the hypothesis that neuro-E2 synthesis supports auditory learning in adult male zebra finches. We show that local suppression of aromatase activity in NCM disrupts auditory association learning. By contrast, post-learning performance is unaffected by either NCM aromatase blockade or NCM pharmacological inactivation, suggesting that NCM E2 production and even NCM itself are not required for post-learning auditory discrimination or memory retrieval. Therefore, neuroestrogen synthesis in auditory cortex supports the association between sounds and behaviorally relevant consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus Macedo-Lima
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA; CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA.
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Neuroestrogen synthesis modifies neural representations of learned song without altering vocal imitation in developing songbirds. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3602. [PMID: 32108169 PMCID: PMC7046723 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60329-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Birdsong learning, like human speech, depends on the early memorization of auditory models, yet how initial auditory experiences are formed and consolidated is unclear. In songbirds, a putative cortical locus is the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM), and one mechanism to facilitate auditory consolidation is 17β-estradiol (E2), which is associated with human speech-language development, and is abundant in both NCM and human temporal cortex. Circulating and NCM E2 levels are dynamic during learning, suggesting E2’s involvement in encoding recent auditory experiences. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis in juvenile male songbirds using a comprehensive assessment of neuroanatomy, behavior, and neurophysiology. First, we found that brain aromatase expression, and thus the capacity to synthesize neuroestrogens, remains high in the auditory cortex throughout development. Further, while systemic estrogen synthesis blockade suppressed juvenile song production, neither systemic nor unilateral E2 synthesis inhibition in NCM disrupted eventual song imitation. Surprisingly, early life neuroestrogen synthesis blockade in NCM enhanced the neural representations of both the birds’ own song and the tutor song in NCM and a downstream sensorimotor region, HVC, respectively. Taken together, these findings indicate that E2 plays a multifaceted role during development, and that, contrary to prediction, tutor song memorization is unimpaired by unilateral estrogen synthesis blockade in the auditory cortex.
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Delhez A, Lefebvre P, Péqueux C, Malgrange B, Delacroix L. Auditory function and dysfunction: estrogen makes a difference. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 77:619-635. [PMID: 31522250 PMCID: PMC11105012 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03295-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 08/30/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen is the major female hormone involved in reproductive functions, but it also exerts a variety of additional roles in non-reproductive organs. In this review, we highlight the preclinical and clinical studies that have pointed out sex differences and estrogenic influence on audition. We also describe the experimental evidences supporting a protective role of estrogen towards acquired forms of hearing loss. Although a high level of endogenous estrogen is associated with a better hearing function, hormonal treatments at menopause have provided contradictory outcomes. The various factors that are likely to explain these discrepancies include the treatment regimen as well as the hormonal status and responsiveness of the patients. The complexity of estrogen signaling is being untangled and many downstream effectors of its genomic and non-genomic actions have been identified in other systems. Based on these advances and on the common physio-pathological events that underlie age-related, drug or noise-induced hearing loss, we discuss potential mechanisms for their protective actions in the cochlea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amandine Delhez
- GIGA-Neurosciences, Developmental Neurobiology Unit, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
- Department of ENT, CHU de Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | | | - Christel Péqueux
- GIGA-Cancer, Laboratory of Tumors Biology and Development, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Brigitte Malgrange
- GIGA-Neurosciences, Developmental Neurobiology Unit, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium
| | - Laurence Delacroix
- GIGA-Neurosciences, Developmental Neurobiology Unit, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium.
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35
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Ohlemiller KK. Mouse methods and models for studies in hearing. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 146:3668. [PMID: 31795658 DOI: 10.1121/1.5132550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Laboratory mice have become the dominant animal model for hearing research. The mouse cochlea operates according to standard "mammalian" principles, uses the same cochlear cell types, and exhibits the same types of injury as found in other mammals. The typical mouse lifespan is less than 3 years, yet the age-associated pathologies that may be found are quite similar to longer-lived mammals. All Schuknecht's types of presbycusis have been identified in existing mouse lines, some favoring hair cell loss while others favor strial degeneration. Although noise exposure generally affects the mouse cochlea in a manner similar to other mammals, mice appear more prone to permanent alterations to hair cells or the organ of Corti than to hair cell loss. Therapeutic compounds may be applied systemically or locally through the tympanic membrane or onto (or through) the round window membrane. The thinness of the mouse cochlear capsule and annular ligament may promote drug entry from the middle ear, although an extremely active middle ear lining may quickly remove most drugs. Preclinical testing of any therapeutic will always require tests in multiple animal models. Mice constitute one model providing supporting evidence for any therapeutic, while genetically engineered mice can test hypotheses about mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin K Ohlemiller
- Department of Otolaryngology, Central Institute for the Deaf at Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Fay and Carl Simons Center for Hearing and Deafness, Saint Louis, Missouri 63110, USA
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36
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Park HJ, Kim MJ, Rothenberger C, Kumar A, Sampson EM, Ding D, Han C, White K, Boyd K, Manohar S, Kim YH, Ticsa MS, Gomez AS, Caicedo I, Bose U, Linser PJ, Miyakawa T, Tanokura M, Foster TC, Salvi R, Someya S. GSTA4 mediates reduction of cisplatin ototoxicity in female mice. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4150. [PMID: 31515474 PMCID: PMC6742643 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12073-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Cisplatin is one of the most widely used chemotherapeutic drugs for the treatment of cancer. Unfortunately, one of its major side effects is permanent hearing loss. Here, we show that glutathione transferase α4 (GSTA4), a member of the Phase II detoxifying enzyme superfamily, mediates reduction of cisplatin ototoxicity by removing 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in the inner ears of female mice. Under cisplatin treatment, loss of Gsta4 results in more profound hearing loss in female mice compared to male mice. Cisplatin stimulates GSTA4 activity in the inner ear of female wild-type, but not male wild-type mice. In female Gsta4−/− mice, cisplatin treatment results in increased levels of 4-HNE in cochlear neurons compared to male Gsta4−/− mice. In CBA/CaJ mice, ovariectomy decreases mRNA expression of Gsta4, and the levels of GSTA4 protein in the inner ears. Thus, our findings suggest that GSTA4-dependent detoxification may play a role in estrogen-mediated neuroprotection. A common complication of cisplatin-based chemotherapy is hearing loss. Here, Park et al. show that glutathione transferase α4 (GSTA4) contributes to reducing cisplatin toxicity in the inner ear of female mice by removing 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE).
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo-Jin Park
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Mi-Jung Kim
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Christina Rothenberger
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Ashok Kumar
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Edith M Sampson
- Monoclonal Antibody Core, Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Dalian Ding
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Chul Han
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Karessa White
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Kevin Boyd
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Senthilvelan Manohar
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA
| | - Yong-Hwan Kim
- Department of Neurobiology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, 85013, USA
| | - Maria S Ticsa
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Aaron S Gomez
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Isabela Caicedo
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Upal Bose
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Paul J Linser
- Whitney Laboratory, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Takuya Miyakawa
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Masaru Tanokura
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, University of Tokyo, Yayoi, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan
| | - Thomas C Foster
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Richard Salvi
- Center for Hearing and Deafness, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14214, USA.,Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan, 41354, Republic of China
| | - Shinichi Someya
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
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37
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Neural Variability Limits Adolescent Skill Learning. J Neurosci 2019; 39:2889-2902. [PMID: 30755494 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2878-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2018] [Revised: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Skill learning is fundamental to the acquisition of many complex behaviors that emerge during development. For example, years of practice give rise to perceptual improvements that contribute to mature speech and language skills. While fully honed learning skills might be thought to offer an advantage during the juvenile period, the ability to learn actually continues to develop through childhood and adolescence, suggesting that the neural mechanisms that support skill learning are slow to mature. To address this issue, we asked whether the rate and magnitude of perceptual learning varies as a function of age as male and female gerbils trained on an auditory task. Adolescents displayed a slower rate of perceptual learning compared with their young and mature counterparts. We recorded auditory cortical neuron activity from a subset of adolescent and adult gerbils as they underwent perceptual training. While training enhanced the sensitivity of most adult units, the sensitivity of many adolescent units remained unchanged, or even declined across training days. Therefore, the average rate of cortical improvement was significantly slower in adolescents compared with adults. Both smaller differences between sound-evoked response magnitudes and greater trial-to-trial response fluctuations contributed to the poorer sensitivity of individual adolescent neurons. Together, these findings suggest that elevated sensory neural variability limits adolescent skill learning.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to learn new skills emerges gradually as children age. This prolonged development, often lasting well into adolescence, suggests that children, teens, and adults may rely on distinct neural strategies to improve their sensory and motor capabilities. Here, we found that practice-based improvement on a sound detection task is slower in adolescent gerbils than in younger or older animals. Neural recordings made during training revealed that practice enhanced the sound sensitivity of adult cortical neurons, but had a weaker effect in adolescents. This latter finding was partially explained by the fact that adolescent neural responses were more variable than in adults. Our results suggest that one mechanistic basis of adult-like skill learning is a reduction in neural response variability.
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38
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Gall MD, Bee MA, Baugh AT. The difference a day makes: Breeding remodels hearing, hormones and behavior in female Cope's gray treefrogs (Hyla chrysoscelis). Horm Behav 2019; 108:62-72. [PMID: 30653979 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
In seasonal breeders, there are behavioral, endocrine, and neural adaptations that promote the sexual receptivity of females and tune their sensory systems to detect and discriminate among advertising males and to successfully copulate. What happens immediately after this key life history event is unclear, but this transitional moment offers a window into the mechanisms that remodel sexual phenotypes. In this study of wild female Cope's gray treefrogs (Hyla chrysoscelis), we tested the hypothesis that oviposition results in a suite of coordinated changes in the sexual phenotype. Specifically, we predicted that sexual receptivity and discrimination behaviors would decline along with circulating concentrations of steroid hormones (corticosterone, estradiol, testosterone) and auditory sensitivity to the acoustic frequencies emphasized in male advertisement calls. We conducted these trait measurements before and after oviposition (ca. 24-h period). There was a 100% decrease in behavioral responsiveness after oviposition, and the concentrations of all three steroids plummeted during this brief window of time, especially testosterone. Moreover, higher concentrations of corticosterone-an important component of the endocrine stress response-were associated with longer response latencies, suggesting that adrenal hormones should be considered in future studies on the hormonal basis of mate choice. Counter to our prediction, auditory sensitivity increased following oviposition, and the amplitude of the auditory brainstem response was influenced by concentrations of estradiol. In pre-oviposition females auditory sensitivity diminished with increasing estradiol concentrations, while sensitivity increased with increasing estradiol concentrations in post-oviposition females, suggesting non-linear estrogenic modulation of peripheral auditory neural recruitment. Overall, our results indicate that there is considerable remodeling of behavioral output following oviposition that co-occurs with changes in both endocrine and sensory physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan D Gall
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Ave., Poughkeepsie, NY 12604, USA
| | - Mark A Bee
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 1479 Gortner Ave, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA; Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Alexander T Baugh
- Department of Biology, Swarthmore College, 500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, PA 19081, USA.
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39
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Melynyte S, Wang GY, Griskova-Bulanova I. Gender effects on auditory P300: A systematic review. Int J Psychophysiol 2018; 133:55-65. [PMID: 30130548 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The evidence suggests that gender-related effects could influence the electrophysiological P300 parameters and stand as an additional source of variation for both clinical and non-clinical subjects. The aim of this paper is to characterize gender-related differences in P300 potential as elicited with simple auditory paradigms. This knowledge (1) is important for the practical assessment of P300 potential in normal and clinical populations, and (2) can provide an insight into the understanding of gender differences in pathophysiology, particularly those with differential risk or prevalence in males and females. With this review it is shown that a limited number of studies encounter possible gender effects on parameters of auditory P300, and the findings need to be read with caution due to methodological limitations of the studies. Nevertheless, evidence supports that the P300 amplitude could be significantly modulated by gender, with greater amplitude in females relative to males. Noteworthy, gender has a minimal effect on the P300 latency, and it is often comparable between males and females. Furthermore, the effect of gender on P300 could be modulated by hormonal background, anatomy and some methodological aspects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigita Melynyte
- Institute of Biosciences, Life Sciences Centre, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Grace Y Wang
- Department of Psychology, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
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40
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Van der Linden A, Balthazart J. Rapid changes in auditory processing in songbirds following acute aromatase inhibition as assessed by fMRI. Horm Behav 2018; 104:63-76. [PMID: 29605635 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Contribution to Special Issue on Fast effects of steroids. This review introduces functional MRI (fMRI) as an outstanding tool to assess rapid effects of sex steroids on auditory processing in seasonal songbirds. We emphasize specific advantages of this method as compared to other more conventional and invasive methods used for this purpose and summarize an exemplary auditory fMRI study performed on male starlings exposed to different types of starling song before and immediately after the inhibition of aromatase activity by an i.p. injection of Vorozole™. We describe how most challenges that relate to the necessity to anesthetize subjects and minimize image- and sound-artifacts can be overcome in order to obtain a voxel-based 3D-representation of changes in auditory brain activity to various sound stimuli before and immediately after a pharmacologically-induced depletion of endogenous estrogens. Analysis of the fMRI data by assumption-free statistical methods identified fast specific changes in activity in the auditory brain regions that were stimulus-specific, varying over different seasons, and in several instances lateralized to the left side of the brain. This set of results illustrates the unique features of fMRI that provides opportunities to localize and quantify the brain responses to rapid changes in hormonal status. fMRI offers a new image-guided research strategy in which the spatio-temporal profile of fast neuromodulations can be identified and linked to specific behavioral inputs or outputs. This approach can also be combined with more localized invasive methods to investigate the mechanisms underlying the observed neural changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annemie Van der Linden
- Bio-Imaging Laboratory, University of Antwerp, CDE, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Jacques Balthazart
- Research Group in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
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41
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Vahaba DM, Remage-Healey L. Neuroestrogens rapidly shape auditory circuits to support communication learning and perception: Evidence from songbirds. Horm Behav 2018; 104:77-87. [PMID: 29555375 PMCID: PMC7025793 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Contribution to Special Issue on Fast effects of steroids. Steroid hormones, such as estrogens, were once thought to be exclusively synthesized in the ovaries and enact transcriptional changes over the course of hours to days. However, estrogens are also locally synthesized within neural circuits, wherein they rapidly (within minutes) modulate a range of behaviors, including spatial cognition and communication. Here, we review the role of brain-derived estrogens (neuroestrogens) as modulators within sensory circuits in songbirds. We first present songbirds as an attractive model to explore how neuroestrogens in auditory cortex modulate vocal communication processing and learning. Further, we examine how estrogens may enhance vocal learning and auditory memory consolidation in sensory cortex via mechanisms similar to those found in the hippocampus of rodents and birds. Finally, we propose future directions for investigation, including: 1) the extent of developmental and hemispheric shifts in aromatase and membrane estrogen receptor expression in auditory circuits; 2) how neuroestrogens may impact inhibitory interneurons to regulate audition and critical period plasticity; and, 3) dendritic spine plasticity as a candidate mechanism mediating estrogen-dependent effects on vocal learning. Together, this perspective of estrogens as neuromodulators in the vertebrate brain has opened new avenues in understanding sensory plasticity, including how hormones can act on communication circuits to influence behaviors in other vocal learning species, such as in language acquisition and speech processing in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M Vahaba
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
| | - Luke Remage-Healey
- Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Center for Neuroendocrine Studies, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, United States.
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42
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Lynch KS. Understanding Female Receiver Psychology in Reproductive Contexts. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 57:797-807. [PMID: 28992038 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Mate choice decision-making requires four components: sensory, cognitive, motivation, and salience. During the breeding season, the neural mechanisms underlying these components act in concert to radically transform the way a female perceives the social cues around her as well as the way in which cognitive and motivational processes influence her decision to respond to courting males. The role of each of these four components in mate choice responses will be discussed here as well as the brain regions involved in regulating each component. These components are not independent, modular systems. Instead, they are dependent on one another. This review will discuss the many ways in which these components interact and affect one another. The interaction of these components, however, ultimately leads back to a few key neuromodulators that thread motivation, sensory, salience, and cognitive components into a set of inter-dependent processes. These neuromodulators are estrogens and catecholamines. This review will highlight the need to understand estrogens in reproductive contexts not just as simply a 'sexual motivation modulator' or catecholamines as 'cognitive regulators' but as neuromodulators that work together to fully transform a non-breeding female into a completely reproductive female displaying: heightened sexual interest in courting males, greater arousal and selective attention toward courtship signals, improved signal detection and discrimination abilities, enhanced contextual signal memory, and increased motivation to respond to signals assigned incentive salience. The aim of this review is to build a foundation in which to understand the brain regions associated with cognitive, sensory, motivational, and signal salience not as independently acting systems but as a set of interacting processes that function together in a context-appropriate manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen S Lynch
- Department of Biology, Hofstra University, 325 Gittleson Hall, Hempstead, NY 11746, USA
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43
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Forlano PM, Licorish RR, Ghahramani ZN, Timothy M, Ferrari M, Palmer WC, Sisneros JA. Attention and Motivated Response to Simulated Male Advertisement Call Activates Forebrain Dopaminergic and Social Decision-Making Network Nuclei in Female Midshipman Fish. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 57:820-834. [PMID: 28992072 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known regarding the coordination of audition with decision-making and subsequent motor responses that initiate social behavior including mate localization during courtship. Using the midshipman fish model, we tested the hypothesis that the time spent by females attending and responding to the advertisement call is correlated with the activation of a specific subset of catecholaminergic (CA) and social decision-making network (SDM) nuclei underlying auditory- driven sexual motivation. In addition, we quantified the relationship of neural activation between CA and SDM nuclei in all responders with the goal of providing a map of functional connectivity of the circuitry underlying a motivated state responsive to acoustic cues during mate localization. In order to make a baseline qualitative comparison of this functional brain map to unmotivated females, we made a similar correlative comparison of brain activation in females who were unresponsive to the advertisement call playback. Our results support an important role for dopaminergic neurons in the periventricular posterior tuberculum and ventral thalamus, putative A11 and A13 tetrapod homologues, respectively, as well as the posterior parvocellular preoptic area and dorsomedial telencephalon, (laterobasal amygdala homologue) in auditory attention and appetitive sexual behavior in fishes. These findings may also offer insights into the function of these highly conserved nuclei in the context of auditory-driven reproductive social behavior across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M Forlano
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Biology Subprogram in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.,Biology Subprogram in Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.,Psychology Subprogram in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.,Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment Center, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Roshney R Licorish
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Zachary N Ghahramani
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Biology Subprogram in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, and Behavior, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Miky Timothy
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | | | - William C Palmer
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Joseph A Sisneros
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.,Virginia Bloedel Hearing Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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44
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Petersen CL, Hurley LM. Putting it in Context: Linking Auditory Processing with Social Behavior Circuits in the Vertebrate Brain. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 57:865-877. [PMID: 28985384 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Context is critical to the adaptive value of communication. Sensory systems such as the auditory system represent an important juncture at which information on physiological state or social valence can be added to communicative information. However, the neural pathways that convey context to the auditory system are not well understood. The serotonergic system offers an excellent model to address these types of questions. Serotonin fluctuates in the mouse inferior colliculus (IC), an auditory midbrain region important for species-specific vocalizations, during specific social and non-social contexts. Furthermore, serotonin is an indicator of the valence of event-based changes within individual social interactions. We propose a model in which the brain's social behavior network serves as an afferent effector of the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus in order to gate contextual release of serotonin in the IC. Specifically, discrete vasopressinergic nuclei within the hypothalamus and extended amygdala that project to the dorsal raphe are functionally engaged during contexts in which serotonin fluctuates in the IC. Since serotonin strongly influences the responses of IC neurons to social vocalizations, this pathway could serve as a feedback loop whereby integrative social centers modulate their own sources of input. The end result of this feedback would be to produce a process that is geared, from sensory input to motor output, toward responding appropriately to a dynamic external world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura M Hurley
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, 47405 IN, USA
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45
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Mohr RA, Chang Y, Bhandiwad AA, Forlano PM, Sisneros JA. Brain Activation Patterns in Response to Conspecific and Heterospecific Social Acoustic Signals in Female Plainfin Midshipman Fish, Porichthys notatus. BRAIN, BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTION 2018; 91:31-44. [PMID: 29597197 DOI: 10.1159/000487122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
While the peripheral auditory system of fish has been well studied, less is known about how the fish's brain and central auditory system process complex social acoustic signals. The plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus, has become a good species for investigating the neural basis of acoustic communication because the production and reception of acoustic signals is paramount for this species' reproductive success. Nesting males produce long-duration advertisement calls that females detect and localize among the noise in the intertidal zone to successfully find mates and spawn. How female midshipman are able to discriminate male advertisement calls from environmental noise and other acoustic stimuli is unknown. Using the immediate early gene product cFos as a marker for neural activity, we quantified neural activation of the ascending auditory pathway in female midshipman exposed to conspecific advertisement calls, heterospecific white seabass calls, or ambient environment noise. We hypothesized that auditory hindbrain nuclei would be activated by general acoustic stimuli (ambient noise and other biotic acoustic stimuli) whereas auditory neurons in the midbrain and forebrain would be selectively activated by conspecific advertisement calls. We show that neural activation in two regions of the auditory hindbrain, i.e., the rostral intermediate division of the descending octaval nucleus and the ventral division of the secondary octaval nucleus, did not differ via cFos immunoreactive (cFos-ir) activity when exposed to different acoustic stimuli. In contrast, female midshipman exposed to conspecific advertisement calls showed greater cFos-ir in the nucleus centralis of the midbrain torus semicircularis compared to fish exposed only to ambient noise. No difference in cFos-ir was observed in the torus semicircularis of animals exposed to conspecific versus heterospecific calls. However, cFos-ir was greater in two forebrain structures that receive auditory input, i.e., the central posterior nucleus of the thalamus and the anterior tuberal hypothalamus, when exposed to conspecific calls versus either ambient noise or heterospecific calls. Our results suggest that higher-order neurons in the female midshipman midbrain torus semicircularis, thalamic central posterior nucleus, and hypothalamic anterior tuberal nucleus may be necessary for the discrimination of complex social acoustic signals. Furthermore, neurons in the central posterior and anterior tuberal nuclei are differentially activated by exposure to conspecific versus other acoustic stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Mohr
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Yiran Chang
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ashwin A Bhandiwad
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Paul M Forlano
- Department of Biology, Brooklyn College, City University of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.,Program in Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.,Program in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joseph A Sisneros
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Virginia Merrill Bloedel Hearing Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
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46
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Milon B, Mitra S, Song Y, Margulies Z, Casserly R, Drake V, Mong JA, Depireux DA, Hertzano R. The impact of biological sex on the response to noise and otoprotective therapies against acoustic injury in mice. Biol Sex Differ 2018; 9:12. [PMID: 29530094 PMCID: PMC5848513 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-018-0171-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the most prevalent form of acquired hearing loss and affects about 40 million US adults. Among the suggested therapeutics tested in rodents, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) has been shown to be otoprotective from NIHL; however, these results were limited to male mice. METHODS Here we tested the effect of SAHA on the hearing of 10-week-old B6CBAF1/J mice of both sexes, which were exposed to 2 h of octave-band noise (101 dB SPL centered at 11.3 kHz). Hearing was assessed by measuring auditory brainstem responses (ABR) at 8, 16, 24, and 32 kHz, 1 week before, as well as at 24 h and 15-21 days following exposure (baseline, compound threshold shift (CTS) and permanent threshold shift (PTS), respectively), followed by histologic analyses. RESULTS We found significant differences in the CTS and PTS of the control (vehicle injected) mice to noise, where females had a significantly smaller CTS at 16 and 24 kHz (p < 0.0001) and PTS at 16, 24, and 32 kHz (16 and 24 kHz p < 0.001, 32 kHz p < 0.01). This sexual dimorphic effect could not be explained by a differential loss of sensory cells or synapses but was reflected in the amplitude and amplitude progression of wave I of the ABR, which correlates with outer hair cell (OHC) function. Finally, the frequency of the protective effect of SAHA differed significantly between males (PTS, 24 kHz, p = 0.002) and females (PTS, 16 kHz, p = 0.003), and the magnitude of the protection was smaller in females than in males. Importantly, the magnitude of the protection by SAHA was smaller than the effect of sex as a biological factor in the vehicle-injected mice. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that female mice are significantly protected from NIHL in comparison to males and that therapeutics for NIHL may have a different effect in males and females. The data highlight the importance of analyzing NIHL experiments from males and females, separately. Finally, these data also raise the possibility of effectors in the estrogen signaling pathway as novel therapeutics for NIHL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Béatrice Milon
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland, 16 South Eutaw Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Sunayana Mitra
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland, 16 South Eutaw Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Yang Song
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Institute for Genome Science, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Zachary Margulies
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland, 16 South Eutaw Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Ryan Casserly
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland, 16 South Eutaw Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Virginia Drake
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland, 16 South Eutaw Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Jessica A. Mong
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Pharmacology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA
| | - Didier A. Depireux
- 0000 0001 2175 4264grid.411024.2Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland, 16 South Eutaw Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA ,0000 0001 0941 7177grid.164295.dInstitute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 USA
| | - Ronna Hertzano
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Maryland, 16 South Eutaw Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA. .,Institute for Genome Science, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA. .,Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA.
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Patiño-García D, Cruz-Fernandes L, Buñay J, Palomino J, Moreno RD. Reproductive Alterations in Chronically Exposed Female Mice to Environmentally Relevant Doses of a Mixture of Phthalates and Alkylphenols. Endocrinology 2018; 159:1050-1061. [PMID: 29300862 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are exogenous compounds that modify hormone biosynthesis, causing adverse effects to human health. Among them, phthalates and alkylphenols are important due to their wide use in plastics, detergents, personal care products, cosmetics, and food packaging. However, their conjoint effects over reproductive female health have not been addressed. The aim of this work was to test the effect of chronically exposed female mice to a mixture of three phthalates [bis (2-ethylhexyl), dibutyl, and benzyl butyl] and two alkylphenols (4-nonylphenol and 4-tert-octylphenol) from conception to adulthood at environmentally relevant doses. These EDCs were administered in two doses: one below the minimal risk dose to cause adverse effects on human development and reproduction [1 mg/kg body weight (BW)/d of the total mixture] and the other one based on the reference value close to occupational exposure in humans (10 mg/kg BW/d of the total mixture). Our results show that both doses had similar effects regarding the uterus and ovary relative weight, estrous cyclicity, serum levels of progesterone and 17β-estradiol, and expression of key elements in the steroidogenesis pathway (acute steroidogenic regulatory protein and CYP19A1). However, only the 1-mg/kg BW/d dose delayed the onset of puberty and the transition from preantral to antral follicles, whereas the 10-mg/kg BW/d dose decreased the number of antral follicles and gonadotropin receptor expression. In addition, we observed changes in several fertility parameters in exposed females and in their progeny (F2 generation). In conclusion, our results indicate that chronic exposure to a complex EDC mixture, at environmentally relevant doses, modifies reproductive parameters in female mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Patiño-García
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Leonor Cruz-Fernandes
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Julio Buñay
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jaime Palomino
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ricardo D Moreno
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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48
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Beebe NL, Schofield BR. Perineuronal nets in subcortical auditory nuclei of four rodent species with differing hearing ranges. J Comp Neurol 2018; 526:972-989. [PMID: 29277975 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Perineuronal nets (PNs) are aggregates of extracellular matrix molecules that surround some neurons in the brain. While PNs occur widely across many cortical areas, subcortical PNs are especially associated with motor and auditory systems. The auditory system has recently been suggested as an ideal model system for studying PNs and their functions. However, descriptions of PNs in subcortical auditory areas vary, and it is unclear whether the variation reflects species differences or differences in staining techniques. Here, we used two staining techniques (one lectin stain and one antibody stain) to examine PN distribution in the subcortical auditory system of four different species: guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), mice (Mus musculus, CBA/CaJ strain), Long-Evans rats (Rattus norvegicus), and naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber). We found that some auditory nuclei exhibit dramatic differences in PN distribution among species while other nuclei have consistent PN distributions. We also found that PNs exhibit molecular heterogeneity, and can stain with either marker individually or with both. PNs within a given nucleus can be heterogeneous or homogenous in their staining patterns. We compared PN staining across the frequency axes of tonotopically organized nuclei and among species with different hearing ranges. PNs were distributed non-uniformly across some nuclei, but only rarely did this appear related to the tonotopic axis. PNs were prominent in all four species; we found no systematic relationship between the hearing range and the number, staining patterns or distribution of PNs in the auditory nuclei.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nichole L Beebe
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, 44272
| | - Brett R Schofield
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Northeast Ohio Medical University, Rootstown, Ohio, 44272
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Horrell ND, Hickmott PW, Saltzman W. Neural Regulation of Paternal Behavior in Mammals: Sensory, Neuroendocrine, and Experiential Influences on the Paternal Brain. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2018; 43:111-160. [PMID: 30206901 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2018_55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Across the animal kingdom, parents in many species devote extraordinary effort toward caring for offspring, often risking their lives and exhausting limited resources. Understanding how the brain orchestrates parental care, biasing effort over the many competing demands, is an important topic in social neuroscience. In mammals, maternal care is necessary for offspring survival and is largely mediated by changes in hormones and neuropeptides that fluctuate massively during pregnancy, parturition, and lactation (e.g., progesterone, estradiol, oxytocin, and prolactin). In the relatively small number of mammalian species in which parental care by fathers enhances offspring survival and development, males also undergo endocrine changes concurrent with birth of their offspring, but on a smaller scale than females. Thus, fathers additionally rely on sensory signals from their mates, environment, and/or offspring to orchestrate paternal behavior. Males can engage in a variety of infant-directed behaviors that range from infanticide to avoidance to care; in many species, males can display all three behaviors in their lifetime. The neural plasticity that underlies such stark changes in behavior is not well understood. In this chapter we summarize current data on the neural circuitry that has been proposed to underlie paternal care in mammals, as well as sensory, neuroendocrine, and experiential influences on paternal behavior and on the underlying circuitry. We highlight some of the gaps in our current knowledge of this system and propose future directions that will enable the development of a more comprehensive understanding of the proximate control of parenting by fathers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan D Horrell
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Peter W Hickmott
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Wendy Saltzman
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
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50
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Mancera KF, Lisle A, Allavena R, Phillips CJ. The effects of mining machinery noise of different frequencies on the behaviour, faecal corticosterone and tissue morphology of wild mice ( Mus musculus ). Appl Anim Behav Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2017.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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