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Bremshey S, Groß J, Renken K, Masseck OA. The role of serotonin in depression-A historical roundup and future directions. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38477031 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders worldwide, affecting approximately 280 million people, with probably much higher unrecorded cases. Depression is associated with symptoms such as anhedonia, feelings of hopelessness, sleep disturbances, and even suicidal thoughts. Tragically, more than 700 000 people commit suicide each year. Although depression has been studied for many decades, the exact mechanisms that lead to depression are still unknown, and available treatments only help a fraction of patients. In the late 1960s, the serotonin hypothesis was published, suggesting that serotonin is the key player in depressive disorders. However, this hypothesis is being increasingly doubted as there is evidence for the influence of other neurotransmitters, such as noradrenaline, glutamate, and dopamine, as well as larger systemic causes such as altered activity in the limbic network or inflammatory processes. In this narrative review, we aim to contribute to the ongoing debate on the involvement of serotonin in depression. We will review the evolution of antidepressant treatments, systemic research on depression over the years, and future research applications that will help to bridge the gap between systemic research and neurotransmitter dynamics using biosensors. These new tools in combination with systemic applications, will in the future provide a deeper understanding of the serotonergic dynamics in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Bremshey
- Synthetic Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
- Neuropharmacology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Juliana Groß
- Synthetic Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Kim Renken
- Synthetic Biology, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
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2
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Boucherie DE, Reneman L, Booij J, Martins D, Dipasquale O, Schrantee A. Modulation of functional networks related to the serotonin neurotransmitter system by citalopram: Evidence from a multimodal neuroimaging study. J Psychopharmacol 2023; 37:1209-1217. [PMID: 37947344 PMCID: PMC10714691 DOI: 10.1177/02698811231211154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) potentiate serotonergic neurotransmission by blocking the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), but the functional brain response to SSRIs involves neural circuits beyond regions with high 5-HTT expression. Currently, it is unclear whether and how changes in 5-HTT availability after SSRI administration modulate brain function of key serotoninergic circuits, including those characterized by high availability of the serotonin 1A receptor (5-HT1AR). AIM We investigated the association between 5-HTT availability and 5-HTT- and 5-HT1AR-enriched functional connectivity (FC) after an acute citalopram challenge. METHODS We analyzed multimodal data from a dose-response, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, in which 45 healthy women were randomized into three groups receiving placebo, a low (4 mg), or high (16 mg) oral dose of citalopram. Receptor-Enhanced Analysis of functional Connectivity by Targets was used to estimate 5-HTT- and 5-HT1AR-enriched FC from resting-state and task-based fMRI. 5-HTT availability was determined using [123I]FP-CIT single-photon emission computerized tomography. RESULTS 5-HTT availability was negatively correlated with resting-state 5-HTT-enriched FC, and with task-dependent 5-HT1AR-enriched FC. Our exploratory analyses revealed lower 5-HT1AR-enriched FC in the low-dose group compared to the high-dose group at rest and the placebo group during the emotional face-matching task. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our findings provide evidence for differential links between 5-HTT availability and brain function within 5-HTT and 5-HT1AR pathways and in context- and dose-dependent manner. As such, they support a potential pivotal role of the 5-HT1AR in the effects of citalopram on the brain and add to its potential as a therapeutic avenue for mood and anxiety disturbances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daphne E Boucherie
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, location Amsterdam Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth Reneman
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, location Amsterdam Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Booij
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, location Amsterdam Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel Martins
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Division of Adult Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ottavia Dipasquale
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Anouk Schrantee
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam UMC, location Amsterdam Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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3
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Smith ALW, Harmer CJ, Cowen PJ, Murphy SE. The Serotonin 1A (5-HT 1A) Receptor as a Pharmacological Target in Depression. CNS Drugs 2023; 37:571-585. [PMID: 37386328 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-023-01014-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Clinical depression is a common, debilitating and heterogenous disorder. Existing treatments for depression are inadequate for a significant minority of patients and new approaches are urgently needed. A wealth of evidence implicates the serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) receptor in the pathophysiology of depression. Stimulation of the 5-HT1A receptor is an existing therapeutic target for treating depression and anxiety, using drugs such as buspirone and tandospirone. However, activation of 5-HT1A raphe autoreceptors has also been suggested to be responsible for the delay in the therapeutic action of conventional antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This narrative review provides a brief overview of the 5-HT1A receptor, the evidence implicating it in depression and in the effects of conventional antidepressant treatment. We highlight that pre- and post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors may have divergent roles in the pathophysiology and treatment of depression. To date, developing this understanding to progress therapeutic discovery has been limited, partly due to a paucity of specific pharmacological probes suitable for use in humans. The development of 5-HT1A 'biased agonism', using compounds such as NLX-101, offers the opportunity to further elucidate the roles of pre- and post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptors. We describe how experimental medicine approaches can be helpful in profiling the effects of 5-HT1A receptor modulation on the different clinical domains of depression, and outline some potential neurocognitive models that could be used to test the effects of 5-HT1A biased agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander L W Smith
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Catherine J Harmer
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Philip J Cowen
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Susannah E Murphy
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK.
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4
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Sankar A, Ozenne B, Dam VH, Svarer C, Jørgensen MB, Miskowiak KW, Frokjaer VG, Knudsen GM, Fisher PM. Association between brain serotonin 4 receptor binding and reactivity to emotional faces in depressed and healthy individuals. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:165. [PMID: 37169780 PMCID: PMC10175268 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02440-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain serotonergic (5-HT) signaling is posited to modulate neural responses to emotional stimuli. Dysfunction in 5-HT signaling is implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD), a disorder associated with significant disturbances in emotion processing. In MDD, recent evidence points to altered 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4R) levels, a promising target for antidepressant treatment. However, how these alterations influence neural processing of emotions in MDD remains poorly understood. This is the first study to examine the association between 5-HT4R binding and neural responses to emotions in patients with MDD and healthy controls. The study included one hundred and thirty-eight participants, comprising 88 outpatients with MDD from the NeuroPharm clinical trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02869035) and 50 healthy controls. Participants underwent an [11C]SB207145 positron emission tomography (PET) scan to quantify 5-HT4R binding (BPND) and a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan during which they performed an emotional face matching task. We examined the association between regional 5-HT4R binding and corticolimbic responses to emotional faces using a linear latent variable model, including whether this association was moderated by depression status. We observed a positive correlation between 5-HT4R BPND and the corticolimbic response to emotional faces across participants (r = 0.20, p = 0.03). This association did not differ between groups (parameter estimate difference = 0.002, 95% CI = -0.008: 0.013, p = 0.72). Thus, in the largest PET/fMRI study of associations between serotonergic signaling and brain function, we found a positive association between 5-HT4R binding and neural responses to emotions that appear unaltered in MDD. Future clinical trials with novel pharmacological agents targeting 5-HT4R are needed to confirm whether they ameliorate emotion processing biases in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Sankar
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Brice Ozenne
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Public Health, Section of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibeke H Dam
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Claus Svarer
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin B Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kamilla W Miskowiak
- Neurocognition and Emotion in Affective Disorders (NEAD) Centre, Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark, and Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibe G Frokjaer
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte M Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick M Fisher
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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5
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Cervenka S, Frick A, Bodén R, Lubberink M. Application of positron emission tomography in psychiatry-methodological developments and future directions. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:248. [PMID: 35701411 PMCID: PMC9198063 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01990-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Mental disorders represent an increasing source of disability and high costs for societies globally. Molecular imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) represent powerful tools with the potential to advance knowledge regarding disease mechanisms, allowing the development of new treatment approaches. Thus far, most PET research on pathophysiology in psychiatric disorders has focused on the monoaminergic neurotransmission systems, and although a series of discoveries have been made, the results have not led to any material changes in clinical practice. We outline areas of methodological development that can address some of the important obstacles to fruitful progress. First, we point towards new radioligands and targets that can lead to the identification of processes upstream, or parallel to disturbances in monoaminergic systems. Second, we describe the development of new methods of PET data quantification and PET systems that may facilitate research in psychiatric populations. Third, we review the application of multimodal imaging that can link molecular imaging data to other aspects of brain function, thus deepening our understanding of disease processes. Fourth, we highlight the need to develop imaging study protocols to include longitudinal and interventional paradigms, as well as frameworks to assess dimensional symptoms such that the field can move beyond cross-sectional studies within current diagnostic boundaries. Particular effort should be paid to include also the most severely ill patients. Finally, we discuss the importance of harmonizing data collection and promoting data sharing to reach the desired sample sizes needed to fully capture the phenotype of psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Cervenka
- Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden. .,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Andreas Frick
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Robert Bodén
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Medical Sciences, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mark Lubberink
- grid.8993.b0000 0004 1936 9457Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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6
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Leitão J, Burckhardt M, Vuilleumier P. Amygdala in Action: Functional Connectivity during Approach and Avoidance Behaviors. J Cogn Neurosci 2021; 34:729-747. [PMID: 34860249 DOI: 10.1162/jocn_a_01800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Motivation is an important feature of emotion. By driving approach to positive events and promoting avoidance of negative stimuli, motivation drives adaptive actions and goal pursuit. The amygdala has been associated with a variety of affective processes, particularly the appraisal of stimulus valence that is assumed to play a crucial role in the generation of approach and avoidance behaviors. Here, we measured amygdala functional connectivity patterns while participants played a video game manipulating goal conduciveness through the presence of good, neutral, or bad monsters. As expected, good versus bad monsters elicited opposing motivated behaviors, whereby good monsters induced more approach and bad monsters triggered more avoidance. These opposing directional behaviors were paralleled by increased connectivity between the amygdala and medial brain areas, such as the OFC and posterior cingulate, for good relative to bad, and between amygdala and caudate for bad relative to good monsters. Moreover, in both conditions, individual connectivity strength between the amygdala and medial prefrontal regions was positively correlated with brain scores from a latent component representing efficient goal pursuit, which was identified by a partial least square analysis determining the multivariate association between amygdala connectivity and behavioral motivation indices during gameplay. At the brain level, this latent component highlighted a widespread pattern of amygdala connectivity, including a dorsal frontoparietal network and motor areas. These results suggest that amygdala-medial prefrontal interactions captured the overall subjective relevance of ongoing events, which could consecutively drive the engagement of attentional, executive, and motor circuits necessary for implementing successful goal-pursuit, irrespective of approach or avoidance directions.
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7
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The Modulatory Role of Serotonin on Human Impulsive Aggression. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 90:447-457. [PMID: 34266672 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The hypothesis of chronically low brain serotonin levels as pathophysiologically linked to impulsive aggression has been around for several decades. Whereas the theory was initially based on indirect methods to probe serotonin function, our understanding of the neural mechanisms involved in impulsive aggression has progressed with recent advances in neuroimaging. The review integrates evidence based on data from several neuroimaging domains in humans. In vivo molecular neuroimaging findings demonstrate associations between impulsive aggression and high serotonin 1B and serotonin 4 receptor binding, high serotonin transporter levels, and low monoamine oxidase A levels, suggesting that low interstitial serotonin levels are a neurobiological risk factor for impulsive aggressive behavior. Imaging genetics suggests that serotonergic-related genetic polymorphisms associate with antisocial behavior, and some evidence indicates that the low-expressing monoamine oxidase A genotype specifically predisposes to impulsive aggression, which may be mediated by effects on corticolimbic function. Interventions that (presumably) alter serotonin levels have effects on brain activity within brain regions involved in impulsive aggression, notably the amygdala, dorsal striatum, anterior cingulate, insula, and prefrontal cortex. Based on these findings, we propose a model for the modulatory role of serotonin in impulsive aggression. Future studies should ensure that clinical features unique for impulsive aggression are appropriately assessed, and we propose investigations of knowledge gaps that can help confirm, refute, or modify our proposed model of impulsive aggression.
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8
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Hjorth OR, Frick A, Gingnell M, Hoppe JM, Faria V, Hultberg S, Alaie I, Månsson KNT, Wahlstedt K, Jonasson M, Lubberink M, Antoni G, Fredrikson M, Furmark T. Expression and co-expression of serotonin and dopamine transporters in social anxiety disorder: a multitracer positron emission tomography study. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:3970-3979. [PMID: 31822819 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0618-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin and dopamine are putatively involved in the etiology and treatment of anxiety disorders, but positron emission tomography (PET) studies probing the two neurotransmitters in the same individuals are lacking. The aim of this multitracer PET study was to evaluate the regional expression and co-expression of the transporter proteins for serotonin (SERT) and dopamine (DAT) in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Voxel-wise binding potentials (BPND) for SERT and DAT were determined in 27 patients with SAD and 43 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, using the radioligands [11C]DASB (3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethylphenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile) and [11C]PE2I (N-(3-iodopro-2E-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-methylphenyl)nortropane). Results showed that, within transmitter systems, SAD patients exhibited higher SERT binding in the nucleus accumbens while DAT availability in the amygdala, hippocampus, and putamen correlated positively with symptom severity. At a more lenient statistical threshold, SERT and DAT BPND were also higher in other striatal and limbic regions in patients, and correlated with symptom severity, whereas no brain region showed higher binding in healthy controls. Moreover, SERT/DAT co-expression was significantly higher in SAD patients in the amygdala, nucleus accumbens, caudate, putamen, and posterior ventral thalamus, while lower co-expression was noted in the dorsomedial thalamus. Follow-up logistic regression analysis confirmed that SAD diagnosis was significantly predicted by the statistical interaction between SERT and DAT availability, in the amygdala, putamen, and dorsomedial thalamus. Thus, SAD was associated with mainly increased expression and co-expression of the transporters for serotonin and dopamine in fear and reward-related brain regions. Resultant monoamine dysregulation may underlie SAD symptomatology and constitute a target for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olof R Hjorth
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Andreas Frick
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,The Beijer Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Malin Gingnell
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johanna M Hoppe
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Vanda Faria
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Center for Pain and the Brain, Department of Anesthesiology Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Sara Hultberg
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Iman Alaie
- Department of Neuroscience, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kristoffer N T Månsson
- Centre for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kurt Wahlstedt
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - My Jonasson
- Department of Surgical Sciences-Nuclear medicine and PET, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mark Lubberink
- Department of Surgical Sciences-Nuclear medicine and PET, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Antoni
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Fredrikson
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tomas Furmark
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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9
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Large-scale network dynamics in neural response to emotionally negative stimuli linked to serotonin 1A binding in major depressive disorder. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2393-2401. [PMID: 32355333 PMCID: PMC7606327 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0733-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Serotonergic dysfunction is implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD), but the mechanisms of this relationship remain elusive. Serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) autoreceptors regulate brain-wide serotonin neuron firing and are positioned to assert large-scale effects on negative emotion. Here we investigated the relationship between raphe 5-HT1A binding and brain-wide network dynamics of negative emotion. 22 healthy-volunteers (HV) and 27 medication-free participants with MDD underwent positron emission tomography (PET) using [11C]CUMI-101 (CUMI) to quantify 5-HT1A binding in midbrain raphe nuclei and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning during emotionally negative picture viewing. Causal connectivity across regions responsive to negative emotion was estimated in the fMRI data using a multivariate dynamical systems model. During negative picture viewing, MDD subjects demonstrated significant hippocampal inhibition of amygdala, basal-ganglia, thalamus, orbital frontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (IFG, dmPFC). MDD-related connectivity was not associated with raphe 5-HT1A binding. However, greater hippocampal inhibition of amygdala, thalamus, IFG and dmPFC correlated with hippocampal 5-HT1A binding. Correlation between hippocampal 5-HT1A binding and the hippocampal inhibition network was specific to MDD but not HV. MDD and HV groups also differed with respect to the correlation between raphe and hippocampal 5-HT1A binding which was more pronounced in HV. These findings suggest that increased hippocampal network inhibition in MDD is linked to hippocampal serotonergic dysfunction which may in turn arise from disrupted linkage in raphe to hippocampus serotonergic circuitry.
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10
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Steinbusch HWM, Dolatkhah MA, Hopkins DA. Anatomical and neurochemical organization of the serotonergic system in the mammalian brain and in particular the involvement of the dorsal raphe nucleus in relation to neurological diseases. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2021; 261:41-81. [PMID: 33785137 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The brainstem is a neglected brain area in neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration and autonomic dysfunction. In Depression, several observations have been made in relation to changes in one particular the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus (DRN) which also points toward as key area in various age-related and neurodevelopmental diseases. The DRN is further thought to be related to stress regulated processes and cognitive events. It is involved in neurodegeneration, e.g., amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and impaired synaptic transmission in Alzheimer's disease as shown in our autopsy findings. The DRN is a phylogenetically old brain area, with projections that reach out to a large number of regions and nuclei of the central nervous system, particularly in the forebrain. These ascending projections contain multiple neurotransmitters. One of the main reasons for the past and current interest in the DRN is its involvement in depression, and its main transmitter serotonin. The DRN also points toward the increased importance and focus of the brainstem as key area in various age-related and neurodevelopmental diseases. This review describes the morphology, ascending projections and the complex neurotransmitter nature of the DRN, stressing its role as a key research target into the neural bases of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry W M Steinbusch
- Department of Cellular Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Brain & Cognitive Sciences, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology-DGIST, Daegu, South Korea.
| | | | - David A Hopkins
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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11
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Uchikawa H, Fujii K, Shiohama T, Nakazato M, Shimizu E, Miyashita T, Shimojo N. Specific temperament in patients with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome. Pediatr Int 2021; 63:177-182. [PMID: 32745364 DOI: 10.1111/ped.14419] [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: 04/04/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is a neurocutaneous disease, characterized by tumorigenesis and developmental anomalies due to aberrant sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling. Patients with NBCCS typically appear calm and carefree, suggesting that a specific personality in these patients may be associated with an enhanced hedgehog pathway. Our study aimed to determine the personality type in these patients. METHODS We enrolled 14 mentally normal patients with genetically confirmed NBCCS (seven males and seven females; mean age = 25.2 years) and 20 controls (10 males and 10 females; mean age = 27.9 years). The patients were assessed with the Japanese version of the Temperament and Character Inventory, based on the seven-dimensional model of temperament and character, and their clinical symptoms were evaluated. The amygdala volumes of six patients with NBCCS were measured using magnetic resonance imaging with image-processing software. RESULTS Patients with NBCCS scored significantly lower on harm avoidance (0.89) than controls (1.00; P = 0.0084). Moreover, patients with NBCCS and developmental malformations such as rib anomalies, who may have experienced Shh signaling enhancement from the prenatal period, scored significantly lower on harm avoidance (0.80 [P = 0.0031]). The left amygdala volume was also significantly reduced in patients with NBCCS (P = 0.0426). CONCLUSIONS Patients with NBCCS who experienced increased Shh signaling from the prenatal period showed significantly lower harm avoidance related to serotonin. The left amygdala volume was significantly reduced in these patients. Our results indicate that Shh signaling may influence the human personality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Uchikawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan.,Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Chiba Medical Center, Togane, Japan
| | - Katsunori Fujii
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Tadashi Shiohama
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Michiko Nakazato
- Department of Psychiatry, International University of Health and Welfare, Narita, Japan
| | - Eiji Shimizu
- Department of Cognitive Behavioral Physiology, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Miyashita
- Department of Genetics, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Naoki Shimojo
- Department of Pediatrics, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba, Japan
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12
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Godlewska BR, Harmer CJ. Cognitive neuropsychological theory of antidepressant action: a modern-day approach to depression and its treatment. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:1265-1278. [PMID: 31938879 PMCID: PMC8062380 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05448-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and improving its treatment is a core research priority for future programmes. A change in the view of psychological and biological processes, from seeing them as separate to complementing one another, has introduced new perspectives on pathological mechanisms of depression and treatment mode of action. This review presents a theoretical model that incorporated this novel approach, the cognitive neuropsychological hypothesis of antidepressant action. This model proposes that antidepressant treatments decrease the negative bias in the processing of emotionally salient information early in the course of antidepressant treatment, which leads to the clinically significant mood improvement later in treatment. The paper discusses the role of negative affective biases in the development of depression and response to antidepressant treatments. It also discusses whether the model can be applied to other antidepressant interventions and its potential translational value, including treatment choice, prediction of response and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata R Godlewska
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychopharmacology Research Unit, University Department of Psychiatry (PPRU), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychopharmacology and Emotion Research Laboratory (PERL), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Oxford Health Foundation Trust, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK.
| | - Catherine J Harmer
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychopharmacology and Emotion Research Laboratory (PERL), University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health Foundation Trust, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, OX3 7JX, UK
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13
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Tripathi SJ, Chakraborty S, Rao BSS. Remediation of chronic immobilization stress-induced negative affective behaviors and altered metabolism of monoamines in the prefrontal cortex by inactivation of basolateral amygdala. Neurochem Int 2020; 141:104858. [PMID: 33010391 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to chronic stress precipitates depression and anxiety. Stress-induced responses are differentially regulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). For instance, repeated stress leads to hypertrophy of BLA, resulting in the emergence of affective symptoms. Chronic stress-induced changes in the metabolism of monoamines are central in the manifestation of affective symptoms. Interestingly, BLA via its reciprocal connections modulates prefrontal cortical monoaminergic responses to acute stress. However, the effects of BLA inactivation on chronic stress-induced affective behaviors and monoaminergic changes in the PFC are relatively unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that inactivation of BLA might prevent chronic immobilization stress (CIS)-induced depressive-, anxiety-like behaviors, and associated monoaminergic alterations in the prelimbic (PrL) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) subregions of PFC. We used two different BLA silencing strategies, namely ibotenic acid lesion and reversible temporary inactivation using lidocaine. We found that CIS precipitates depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. Further, CIS-induced negative affective behaviors were associated with decreased levels of 5-HT, DA, and NE, and increased 5-HIAA/5-HT, DOPAC + HVA/DA, and MHPG/NE ratio in the PrL and ACC, suggesting enhanced metabolism. Interestingly, BLA lesion prior to CIS blocked the emergence of depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors. Moreover, the lesion of BLA prior to CIS was sufficient to prevent alterations in levels of monoamines and their metabolites in the PrL and ACC. Thereafter, we evaluated whether the effects of BLA lesion could be mirrored by temporary inactivation of BLA, specifically during stress. Remarkably, temporary inactivation of BLA during stress recapitulated the effects of lesion. Our results have implications for understanding the role of BLA in chronic stress-induced metabolic alterations in prefrontal cortical monoaminergic systems, and associated mood and anxiety disorders. The current study supports the hypothesis that combating amygdalar hyperactivity might be a viable strategy for the management of stress and associated affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunil Jamuna Tripathi
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560 029, India
| | - Suwarna Chakraborty
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560 029, India
| | - B S Shankaranarayana Rao
- Department of Neurophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Hosur Road, Bengaluru, 560 029, India.
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14
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Scult MA, Knodt AR, Radtke SR, Brigidi BD, Hariri AR. Prefrontal Executive Control Rescues Risk for Anxiety Associated with High Threat and Low Reward Brain Function. Cereb Cortex 2020; 29:70-76. [PMID: 29161340 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2017] [Accepted: 10/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Compared with neural biomarkers of risk for mental illness, little is known about biomarkers of resilience. We explore if greater executive control-related prefrontal activity may function as a resilience biomarker by "rescuing" risk associated with higher threat-related amygdala and lower reward-related ventral striatum activity. Functional MRI was used to assay baseline threat-related amygdala, reward-related ventral striatum, and executive control-related prefrontal activity in 120 young adult volunteers. Participants provided self-reported mood and anxiety ratings at baseline and follow-up. A moderation model revealed a significant three-way interaction wherein higher amygdala and lower ventral striatum activity predicted increases in anxiety in those with average or low but not high prefrontal activity. This effect was specific to anxiety, with the neural biomarkers explaining ~10% of the variance in change over time, above and beyond baseline symptoms, sex, age, IQ, presence or absence of DMS-IV diagnosis, and both early and recent stress. Our findings are consistent with the importance of top-down executive control in adaptive regulation of negative emotions, and highlight a unique combination of neural biomarkers that may identify at-risk individuals for whom the adoption of strategies to improve executive control of negative emotions may prove particularly beneficial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Scult
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Annchen R Knodt
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Spenser R Radtke
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Bartholomew D Brigidi
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ahmad R Hariri
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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Serotonin Neuronal Function from the Bed to the Bench: Is This Really a Mirrored Way? eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0021-19.2019. [PMID: 31118207 PMCID: PMC6553573 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0021-19.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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16
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Albert PR, Le François B, Vahid-Ansari F. Genetic, epigenetic and posttranscriptional mechanisms for treatment of major depression: the 5-HT1A receptor gene as a paradigm. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2019; 44:164-176. [PMID: 30807072 PMCID: PMC6488484 DOI: 10.1503/jpn.180209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depression and anxiety are highly prevalent and involve chronic dysregulation of serotonin, but they remain poorly understood. Here, we review novel transcriptional (genetic, epigenetic) and posttranscriptional (microRNA, alternative splicing) mechanisms implicated in mental illness, focusing on a key serotonin-related regulator, the serotonin 1A (5-HT1A) receptor. Functional single-nucleotide polymorphisms and stress-induced DNA methylation of the 5-HT1A promoter converge to differentially alter pre- and postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptor expression associated with major depression and reduced therapeutic response to serotonergic antidepressants. Major depression is also associated with altered levels of splice factors and microRNA, posttranscriptional mechanisms that regulate RNA stability. The human 5-HT1A 3′-untranslated region is alternatively spliced, removing microRNA sites and increasing 5-HT1A expression, which is reduced in major depression and may be genotype-dependent. Thus, the 5-HT1A receptor gene illustrates the convergence of genetic, epigenetic and posttranscriptional mechanisms in gene expression, neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity, and major depression. Understanding gene regulatory mechanisms could enhance the detection, categorization and personalized treatment of major depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R. Albert
- From the Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, UOttawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
| | - Brice Le François
- From the Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, UOttawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
| | - Faranak Vahid-Ansari
- From the Department of Neuroscience, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, UOttawa Brain and Mind Research Institute, Ottawa, Ont., Canada
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17
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Probing the association between serotonin-1A autoreceptor binding and amygdala reactivity in healthy volunteers. Neuroimage 2018; 171:1-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.12.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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18
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Primary and Secondary Variants of Psychopathy in a Volunteer Sample Are Associated With Different Neurocognitive Mechanisms. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2018; 3:1013-1021. [PMID: 29752216 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 04/05/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent work has indicated that there at least two distinct subtypes of psychopathy. Primary psychopathy is characterized by low anxiety and thought to result from a genetic predisposition, whereas secondary psychopathy is characterized by high anxiety and thought to develop in response to environmental adversity. Primary psychopathy is robustly associated with reduced neural activation to others' emotions and, in particular, distress. However, it has been proposed that the secondary presentation has different neurocognitive correlates. METHODS Primary (n = 50), secondary (n = 100), and comparison (n = 82) groups were drawn from a large volunteer sample (N = 1444) using a quartile-split approach across psychopathic trait (affective-interpersonal) and anxiety measures. Participants performed a widely utilized emotional face processing task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS The primary group showed reduced amygdala and insula activity in response to fear. The secondary group did not differ from the comparison group in these regions. Instead, the secondary group showed reduced activity compared with the comparison group in other areas, including the superior temporal sulcus/inferior parietal lobe, thalamus, pallidum, and substantia nigra. Both psychopathy groups also showed reduced activity in response to fear in the anterior cingulate cortex. During anger processing, the secondary group exhibited reduced activity in the anterior cingulate cortex compared with the primary group. CONCLUSIONS Distinct neural correlates of fear processing characterize individuals with primary and secondary psychopathy. The reduced neural response to fear that characterizes individuals with the primary variant of psychopathic traits is not observed in individuals with the secondary presentation. The neurocognitive mechanisms underpinning secondary psychopathy warrant further systematic investigation.
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da Cunha-Bang S, Fisher PM, Hjordt LV, Perfalk E, Beliveau V, Holst K, Knudsen GM. Men with high serotonin 1B receptor binding respond to provocations with heightened amygdala reactivity. Neuroimage 2018; 166:79-85. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Revised: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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20
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Selvaraj S, Walker C, Arnone D, Cao B, Faulkner P, Cowen PJ, Roiser JP, Howes O. Effect of Citalopram on Emotion Processing in Humans: A Combined 5-HT 1A [ 11C]CUMI-101 PET and Functional MRI Study. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:655-664. [PMID: 28776580 PMCID: PMC5693328 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A subset of patients started on a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) initially experience increased anxiety, which can lead to early discontinuation before therapeutic effects are manifest. The neural basis of this early SSRI effect is not known. Presynaptic dorsal raphe neuron (DRN) 5-HT1A receptors are known to have a critical role in affect processing. Thus we investigated the effect of acute citalopram on emotional processing and the relationship between DRN 5-HT1A receptor availability and amygdala reactivity. Thirteen (mean age 48±9 years) healthy male subjects received either a saline or citalopram infusion intravenously (10 mg over 30 min) on separate occasions in a single-blind, random order, crossover design. On each occasion, participants underwent a block design face-emotion processing task during fMRI known to activate the amygdala. Ten subjects also completed a positron emission tomography (PET) scan to quantify DRN 5-HT1A availability using [11C]CUMI-101. Citalopram infusion when compared with saline resulted in a significantly increased bilateral amygdala responses to fearful vs neutral faces (left p=0.025; right p=0.038 FWE-corrected). DRN [11C]CUMI-101 availability significantly positively correlated with the effect of citalopram on the left amygdala response to fearful faces (Z=2.51, p=0.027) and right amygdala response to happy faces (Z=2.33, p=0.032). Our findings indicate that the initial effect of SSRI treatment is to alter processing of aversive stimuli and that this is linked to DRN 5-HT1A receptors in line with evidence that 5-HT1A receptors have a role in mediating emotional processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhakar Selvaraj
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA,Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences Building (BBSB), 1941 East Road, Suite 3208 Houston, TX 77054, USA, Tel: +1 713 486 2500, Fax: +1 713 486 2553, E-mail:
| | - Chris Walker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Danilo Arnone
- Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, Centre for Affective Disorders, London, UK,IoPPN, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychosis Studies, London, UK
| | - Bo Cao
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Paul Faulkner
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Philip J Cowen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Jonathan P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, UK
| | - Oliver Howes
- Medical Research Council London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK,IoPPN, King’s College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychosis Studies, London, UK,Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
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21
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da Cunha-Bang S, Fisher PM, Hjordt LV, Holst K, Knudsen GM. Amygdala reactivity to fearful faces correlates positively with impulsive aggression. Soc Neurosci 2018; 14:162-172. [DOI: 10.1080/17470919.2017.1421262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sofi da Cunha-Bang
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Patrick M. Fisher
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Liv V. Hjordt
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Klaus Holst
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte M. Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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22
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Mlinar B, Montalbano A, Waider J, Lesch KP, Corradetti R. Increased functional coupling of 5-HT 1A autoreceptors to GIRK channels in Tph2 -/- mice. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:1258-1267. [PMID: 29126768 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.10.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2016] [Revised: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 10/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Firing activity of serotonergic neurons is under regulatory control by somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors (5-HT1AARs). Enhanced 5-HT1AAR functioning may cause decreased serotonergic signaling in brain and has thereby been implicated in the etiology of mood and anxiety disorders. Tryptophan hydroxylase-2 knockout (Tph2-/-) mice exhibit sensitization of 5-HT1A agonist-induced inhibition of serotonergic neuron firing and thus represents a unique animal model of enhanced 5-HT1AAR functioning. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying 5-HT1AAR supersensitivity in Tph2-/- mice, we characterized the activation of G protein-coupled inwardly-rectifying potassium (GIRK) conductance by the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 5-carboxamidotryptamine using whole-cell recordings from serotonergic neurons in dorsal raphe nucleus. Tph2-/- mice exhibited a mean twofold leftward shift of the agonist concentration-response curve (p < 0.001) whereas the maximal response, proportional to the 5-HT1AAR number, was not different (p = 0.42) compared to Tph2+/- and Tph2+/+ littermates. No differences were found in the basal inwardly-rectifying potassium conductance, determined in the absence of agonist, (p = 0.80) nor in total GIRK conductance activated by intracellular application of GTP-γ-S (p = 0.69). These findings indicate increased functional coupling of 5-HT1AARs to GIRK channels in Tph2-/- mice without a concomitant increase in 5-HT1AARs and/or GIRK channel density. In addition, no changes were found in α1-adrenergic facilitation of firing (p = 0.72) indicating lack of adaptive changes Tph2-/- mice. 5-HT1AAR supersensitivity may represents a previously unrecognized cause of serotonergic system hypofunction and associated disorders and provides a possible explanation for conflicting results on the correlation between 5-HT1AAR density and depression in clinical imaging studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Mlinar
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
| | - Alberto Montalbano
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Jonas Waider
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Center of Mental Health, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany; Laboratory of Psychiatric Neurobiology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Department of Translational Neuroscience, School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Renato Corradetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Zheng H, Onoda K, Wada Y, Mitaki S, Nabika T, Yamaguchi S. Serotonin-1A receptor C-1019G polymorphism affects brain functional networks. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12536. [PMID: 28970569 PMCID: PMC5624925 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12913-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The serotonin-1A (5-HT1A) receptor is strongly implicated in major depression and other affective disorders due to its negative regulation of serotonin neurone firing rates. Behavioural and clinical studies have repeatedly reported that the −1019G allele carries a high susceptibility for affective disorders. However, the underlying pathophysiology remains unknown. Here, we employed a genetic neuroimaging strategy in 99 healthy human subjects to explore the effect of serotonin-1A receptor polymorphism on brain resting-state functional connectivity (FC). We used functional magnetic resonance imaging, along with a seed-based approach, to identify three main brain networks: the default mode network (DMN), the salience network (SN) and the central executive network. We observed a significant decrease in the FC of the DMN within the dorsolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortices in G-carriers. Furthermore, compared with the C-homozygote group, we observed decreased FC of the SN within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex in the G-carrier group. Our results indicate that 5-HT1A receptor genetic polymorphism modulates the activity of resting-state FC within brain networks including the DMN and SN. These genotype-related alterations in brain networks and FC may provide novel insights into the neural mechanism underlying the predisposition for affective disorders in G allele carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixia Zheng
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Keiichi Onoda
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan
| | - Yasuko Wada
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan
| | - Shingo Mitaki
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan
| | - Toru Nabika
- Department of Functional Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Shuhei Yamaguchi
- Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane, 693-8501, Japan
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da Cunha-Bang S, Hjordt LV, Dam VH, Stenbæk DS, Sestoft D, Knudsen GM. Anterior cingulate serotonin 1B receptor binding is associated with emotional response inhibition. J Psychiatr Res 2017; 92:199-204. [PMID: 28502766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2017] [Revised: 05/02/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Serotonin has a well-established role in emotional processing and is a key neurotransmitter in impulsive aggression, presumably by facilitating response inhibition and regulating subcortical reactivity to aversive stimuli. In this study 44 men, of whom 19 were violent offenders and 25 were non-offender controls, completed an emotional Go/NoGo task requiring inhibition of prepotent motor responses to emotional facial expressions. We also measured cerebral serotonin 1B receptor (5-HT1BR) binding with [11C]AZ10419369 positron emission tomography within regions of the frontal cortex. We hypothesized that 5-HT1BR would be positively associated with false alarms (failures to inhibit nogo responses) in the context of aversive (angry and fearful) facial expressions. Across groups, we found that frontal cortex 5-HT1BR binding was positively correlated with false alarms when angry faces were go stimuli and neutral faces were nogo stimuli (p = 0.05, corrected alpha = 0.0125), but not with false alarms for non-emotional stimuli (failures to inhibit geometric figures). A posthoc analysis revealed the strongest association in anterior cingulate cortex (p = 0.006). In summary, 5-HT1BRs in the anterior cingulate are involved in withholding a prepotent response in the context of angry faces. Our findings suggest that serotonin modulates response inhibition in the context of certain emotional stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofi da Cunha-Bang
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Liv Vadskjær Hjordt
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vibeke Høyrup Dam
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Dea Siggaard Stenbæk
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Dorte Sestoft
- Ministry of Justice, Clinic of Forensic Psychiatry, Blegdamsvej 6B, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Gitte M Knudsen
- Neurobiology Research Unit, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100, Denmark; Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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25
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Raab K, Kirsch P, Mier D. Understanding the impact of 5-HTTLPR, antidepressants, and acute tryptophan depletion on brain activation during facial emotion processing: A review of the imaging literature. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:176-197. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Reduced serotonin synthesis and regional cerebral blood flow after anxiolytic treatment of social anxiety disorder. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 26:1775-1783. [PMID: 27642077 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Revised: 08/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is associated with increased fear-related neural activity in the amygdala and we recently found enhanced serotonin synthesis rate in the same region. Anxiolytic agents like selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) antagonists reduce amygdala activity and may attenuate serotonin formation according to animal studies. Here, we examined the effects of SSRI pharmacotherapy, NK1R antagonism, and placebo on serotonin synthesis rate in relation to neural activity, measured as regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), and symptom improvement in SAD. Eighteen SAD patients were randomized to receive daily double-blind treatment for six weeks either with the SSRI citalopram (n=6; 40mg), the NK1R antagonist GR205171 (n=6; 5mg; 4 weeks following 2 weeks of placebo), or placebo (n=6). Serotonin synthesis rate at rest and rCBF during stressful public speaking were assessed, before and after treatment, using positron emission tomography with the tracers [11C]5-hydroxytryptophan and [15O]water respectively. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS-SR) indexed symptom severity. All groups exhibited attenuated amygdala serotonin synthesis rate after treatment, which was associated with reduced amygdala rCBF during public speaking and accompanied by symptom improvement. These results are consistent with the notion that serotonin in the amygdala exerts an anxiogenic influence and, conversely, that anxiolysis is achieved through decreased serotonin formation in the amygdala.
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Furmark T, Marteinsdottir I, Frick A, Heurling K, Tillfors M, Appel L, Antoni G, Hartvig P, Fischer H, Långström B, Eriksson E, Fredrikson M. Serotonin synthesis rate and the tryptophan hydroxylase-2: G-703T polymorphism in social anxiety disorder. J Psychopharmacol 2016; 30:1028-35. [PMID: 27189957 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116648317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
It is disputed whether anxiety disorders, like social anxiety disorder, are characterized by serotonin over- or underactivity. Here, we evaluated whether our recent finding of elevated neural serotonin synthesis rate in patients with social anxiety disorder could be reproduced in a separate cohort, and whether allelic variation in the tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2) G-703T polymorphism relates to differences in serotonin synthesis assessed with positron emission tomography. Eighteen social anxiety disorder patients and six healthy controls were scanned during 60 minutes in a resting state using positron emission tomography and 5-hydroxy-L-[β -(11)C]tryptophan, [(11)C]5-HTP, a substrate of the second enzymatic step in serotonin synthesis. Parametric images were generated, using the reference Patlak method, and analysed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM8). Blood samples for genotyping of the TPH2 G-703T polymorphism were obtained from 16 social anxiety disorder patients (T carriers: n=5, GG carriers: n=11). A significantly elevated [(11)C]5-HTP accumulation rate, indicative of enhanced decarboxylase activity and thereby serotonin synthesis capacity, was detected in social anxiety disorder patients compared with controls in the hippocampus and basal ganglia nuclei and, at a more lenient (uncorrected) statistical threshold, in the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex. In patients, the serotonin synthesis rate in the amygdala and anterior cingulate cortex was significantly elevated in TPH2 T carriers in comparison with GG homozygotes. Our results support that social anxiety disorder entails an overactive presynaptic serotonergic system that, in turn, seems functionally influenced by the TPH2 G-703T polymorphism in emotionally relevant brain regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomas Furmark
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ina Marteinsdottir
- Centre for Social and Affective Neuroscience, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Andreas Frick
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kerstin Heurling
- Section of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maria Tillfors
- Centre for Health and Medical Psychology, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | - Lieuwe Appel
- Section of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gunnar Antoni
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Per Hartvig
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Håkan Fischer
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bengt Långström
- Department of Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Odense University Hospital, Southern Denmark University, Odense, Denmark
| | - Elias Eriksson
- Department of Pharmacology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Mats Fredrikson
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Frick A, Åhs F, Palmquist ÅM, Pissiota A, Wallenquist U, Fernandez M, Jonasson M, Appel L, Frans Ö, Lubberink M, Furmark T, von Knorring L, Fredrikson M. Overlapping expression of serotonin transporters and neurokinin-1 receptors in posttraumatic stress disorder: a multi-tracer PET study. Mol Psychiatry 2016; 21:1400-7. [PMID: 26619809 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The brain serotonergic system is colocalized and interacts with the neuropeptidergic substance P/neurokinin-1 (SP/NK1) system. Both these neurochemical systems have independently been implicated in stress and anxiety, but interactions between them might be crucial for human anxiety conditions. Here, we examined the serotonin and substance P/neurokinin-1 (SP/NK1) systems individually as well as their overlapping expression in 16 patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 16 healthy controls. Participants were imaged with the highly selective radiotracers [(11)C]-3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethylphenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile (DASB) and [(11)C]GR205171 assessing serotonin transporter (SERT) and NK1 receptor availability, respectively. Voxel-wise analyses in the amygdala, our a priori-defined region of interest, revealed increased number of NK1 receptors, but not SERT in the PTSD group. Symptom severity, as indexed by the Clinician-administered PTSD Scale, was negatively related to SERT availability in the amygdala, and NK1 receptor levels moderated this relationship. Exploratory, voxel-wise whole-brain analyses revealed increased SERT availability in the precentral gyrus and posterior cingulate cortex of PTSD patients. Patients, relative to controls, displayed lower degree of overlapping expression between SERT and NK1 receptors in the putamen, thalamus, insula and lateral orbitofrontal gyrus, lower overlap being associated with higher PTSD symptom severity. Expression overlap also explained more of the symptomatology than did either system individually, underscoring the importance of taking interactions between the neurochemical systems into account. Thus, our results suggest that aberrant serotonergic-SP/NK1 couplings contribute to the pathophysiology of PTSD and, consequently, that normalization of these couplings may be therapeutically important.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Frick
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - F Åhs
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Å M Palmquist
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - A Pissiota
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - U Wallenquist
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Fernandez
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Jonasson
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - L Appel
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ö Frans
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Lubberink
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - T Furmark
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - L von Knorring
- Department of Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - M Fredrikson
- Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Yokoyama C, Mawatari A, Kawasaki A, Takeda C, Onoe K, Doi H, Newman-Tancredi A, Zimmer L, Onoe H. Marmoset Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Mapping with a Biased Agonist PET Probe 18F-F13714: Comparison with an Antagonist Tracer 18F-MPPF in Awake and Anesthetized States. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 19:pyw079. [PMID: 27608810 PMCID: PMC5203761 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyw079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In vivo mapping by positron emission tomography of the serotonin 1A receptors has been hindered by the lack of suitable agonist positron emission tomography probes. 18F-labeled F13714 is a recently developed biased agonist positron emission tomography probe that preferentially targets subpopulations of serotonin 1A receptors in their "active state," but its brain labeling pattern in nonhuman primate has not been described. In addition, a potential confound in the translatability of PET data between nonhuman animal and human arise from the use of anesthetics that may modify the binding profiles of target receptors. METHODS Positron emission tomography scans were conducted in a cohort of common marmosets (n=4) using the serotonin 1A receptor biased agonist radiotracer, 18F-F13714, compared with a well-characterized 18F-labeled antagonist radiotracer, 18F-MPPF. Experiments on each animal were performed under both consciousness and isoflurane-anesthesia conditions. RESULTS 18F-F13714 binding distribution in marmosets by positron emission tomography differs markedly from that of the 18F-MPPF. Whereas 18F-MPPF showed highest binding in hippocampus and amygdala, 18F-F13714 showed highest labeling in other regions, including insular and cingulate cortex, thalamus, raphe, caudate nucleus, and putamen. The binding potential values of 18F-F13714 were about one-third of those observed with 18F-MPPF, with marked individual- and region-specific differences under isoflurane-anesthetized vs conscious conditions. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the importance of investigating the brain imaging of serotonin 1A receptors using agonist probes such as 18F-F13714, which may preferentially target subpopulations of serotonin 1A receptors in specific brain regions of nonhuman primate as a biased agonist.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Hirotaka Onoe
- RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan (Dr Yokoyama, Ms Mawatari, Mr Kawasaki, Ms Takeda, Ms K. Onoe, Dr Doi, Dr H. Onoe); Neurolixis Inc, Dana Point, CA (Dr Newman-Tancredi); Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Hospices Civils de Lyon, INSERM, CNRS, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, Lyon, France (Dr Zimmer).
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30
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Hsiao CY, Tsai HC, Chi MH, Chen KC, Chen PS, Lee IH, Yeh TL, Yang YK. The Association between Baseline Subjective Anxiety Rating and Changes in Cardiac Autonomic Nervous Activity in Response to Tryptophan Depletion in Healthy Volunteers. Medicine (Baltimore) 2016; 95:e3498. [PMID: 27175645 PMCID: PMC4902487 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000003498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of serotonin on anxiety and autonomic nervous system (ANS) function; the correlation between subjective anxiety rating and changes of ANS function following tryptophan depletion (TD) in healthy volunteers was examined. Twenty-eight healthy participants, consisting of 15 females and 13 males, with an average age of 33.3 years, were recruited.Baseline Chinese Symptom Checklist-90-Revised and ANS function measurements were taken. TD was carried out on the testing day, and participants provided blood samples right before and 5 hours after TD. ANS function, somatic symptoms, and Visual Analogue Scales (VASs) were determined after TD. Wilcoxon signed rank test and Spearman ρ correlation were adapted for analyses of the results.The TD procedure reduced total and free plasma tryptophan effectively. After TD, the sympathetic nervous activity increased and parasympathetic nervous activity decreased. Baseline anxiety ratings positively correlated with post-TD changes in sympathetic nervous activity, VAS ratings, and physical symptoms. However, a negative correlation with post-TD changes in parasympathetic nervous activity was found.The change in ANS function after TD was associated with the severity of anxiety in healthy volunteers. This supports the fact that the effect of anxiety on heart rate variability is related to serotonin vulnerability. Furthermore, it also shows that the subjective anxiety rating has a biological basis related to serotonin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih Yin Hsiao
- From the Department of Psychiatry, National Cheng Kung University Hospital (CYH, HCT, MHC, KCC, PSC, IHL, TLY, YKY), College of Medicine; Addiction Research Center (CYH, KCC, PSC, IHL, TLY, YKY), National Cheng Kung University, Tainan; Department of Psychiatry (HCT, KCC, YKY), National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Dou-Liou Branch, Yunlin; and Institute of Behavioral Medicine (YKY), College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan
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31
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Developmental psychopathology in an era of molecular genetics and neuroimaging: A developmental neurogenetics approach. Dev Psychopathol 2016; 27:587-613. [PMID: 25997774 DOI: 10.1017/s0954579415000188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The emerging field of neurogenetics seeks to model the complex pathways from gene to brain to behavior. This field has focused on imaging genetics techniques that examine how variability in common genetic polymorphisms predict differences in brain structure and function. These studies are informed by other complimentary techniques (e.g., animal models and multimodal imaging) and have recently begun to incorporate the environment through examination of Imaging Gene × Environment interactions. Though neurogenetics has the potential to inform our understanding of the development of psychopathology, there has been little integration between principles of neurogenetics and developmental psychopathology. The paper describes a neurogenetics and Imaging Gene × Environment approach and how these approaches have been usefully applied to the study of psychopathology. Six tenets of developmental psychopathology (the structure of phenotypes, the importance of exploring mechanisms, the conditional nature of risk, the complexity of multilevel pathways, the role of development, and the importance of who is studied) are identified, and how these principles can further neurogenetics applications to understanding the development of psychopathology is discussed. A major issue of this piece is how neurogenetics and current imaging and molecular genetics approaches can be incorporated into developmental psychopathology perspectives with a goal of providing models for better understanding pathways from among genes, environments, the brain, and behavior.
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32
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Dorsal raphe nucleus and harm avoidance: A resting-state investigation. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2016; 16:561-9. [DOI: 10.3758/s13415-016-0415-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Mlinar B, Montalbano A, Baccini G, Tatini F, Berlinguer Palmini R, Corradetti R. Nonexocytotic serotonin release tonically suppresses serotonergic neuron activity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 145:225-51. [PMID: 25712017 PMCID: PMC4338157 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201411330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The firing activity of serotonergic neurons in raphe nuclei is regulated by negative feedback exerted by extracellular serotonin (5-HT)o acting through somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors. The steady-state [5-HT]o, sensed by 5-HT1A autoreceptors, is determined by the balance between the rates of 5-HT release and reuptake. Although it is well established that reuptake of 5-HTo is mediated by 5-HT transporters (SERT), the release mechanism has remained unclear. It is also unclear how selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants increase the [5-HT]o in raphe nuclei and suppress serotonergic neuron activity, thereby potentially diminishing their own therapeutic effect. Using an electrophysiological approach in a slice preparation, we show that, in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), continuous nonexocytotic 5-HT release is responsible for suppression of phenylephrine-facilitated serotonergic neuron firing under basal conditions as well as for autoinhibition induced by SSRI application. By using 5-HT1A autoreceptor-activated G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels of patched serotonergic neurons as 5-HTo sensors, we show substantial nonexocytotic 5-HT release under conditions of abolished firing activity, Ca(2+) influx, vesicular monoamine transporter 2-mediated vesicular accumulation of 5-HT, and SERT-mediated 5-HT transport. Our results reveal a cytosolic origin of 5-HTo in the DRN and suggest that 5-HTo may be supplied by simple diffusion across the plasma membrane, primarily from the dense network of neurites of serotonergic neurons surrounding the cell bodies. These findings indicate that the serotonergic system does not function as a sum of independently acting neurons but as a highly interdependent neuronal network, characterized by a shared neurotransmitter pool and the regulation of firing activity by an interneuronal, yet activity-independent, nonexocytotic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Mlinar
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Alberto Montalbano
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Gilda Baccini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Francesca Tatini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Rolando Berlinguer Palmini
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
| | - Renato Corradetti
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence, 50121 Florence, Italy
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34
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Schneck N, Miller JM, Delorenzo C, Kikuchi T, Sublette ME, Oquendo MA, Mann JJ, Parsey RV. Relationship of the serotonin transporter gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) genotype and serotonin transporter binding to neural processing of negative emotional stimuli. J Affect Disord 2016; 190:494-498. [PMID: 26561939 PMCID: PMC5021308 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2015.10.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 09/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The lower-expressing (S') alleles of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene promoter polymorphism (5-HTTLPR) are linked to mood and anxiety related psychopathology. However, the specific neural mechanism through which these alleles may influence emotional and cognitive processing remains unknown. We examined the relationship between both 5-HTTLPR genotype and in vivo 5-HTT binding quantified via PET with amygdala reactivity to emotionally negative stimuli. We hypothesized that 5-HTT binding in both raphe nuclei (RN) and amygdala would be inversely correlated with amygdala reactivity, and that number of S' alleles would correlate positively with amygdala reactivity. METHODS In medication-free patients with current major depressive disorder (MDD; N=21), we determined 5-HTTLPR genotype, employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine amygdala responses to negative emotional stimuli, and used positron emission tomography with [(11)C]DASB to examine 5-HTT binding. RESULTS [(11)C]DASB binding in RN and amygdala was inversely correlated with amygdala response to negative stimuli. 5-HTTLPR S' alleles were not associated with amygdala response to negative emotional stimuli. LIMITATIONS Primary limitations are small sample size and lack of control group. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with findings in healthy volunteers, 5-HTT binding is associated with amygdala reactivity to emotional stimuli in MDD. 5-HTT binding may be a stronger predictor of emotional processing in MDD as compared with 5-HTTLPR genotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noam Schneck
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Jeffrey M. Miller
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Christine Delorenzo
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, United States
| | - Toshiaki Kikuchi
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - M. Elizabeth Sublette
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Maria A. Oquendo
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - J. John Mann
- Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY, United States,Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Ramin V. Parsey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, United States
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35
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Won E, Ham BJ. Imaging genetics studies on monoaminergic genes in major depressive disorder. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2016; 64:311-9. [PMID: 25828849 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2015.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Although depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, current understanding of the neurobiology of depression has failed to be translated into clinical practice. Major depressive disorder (MDD) pathogenesis is considered to be significantly influenced by multiple risk genes, however genetic effects are not simply expressed at a behavioral level. Therefore the concept of endophenotype has been applied in psychiatric genetics. Imaging genetics applies anatomical or functional imaging technologies as phenotypic assays to evaluate genetic variation and their impact on behavior. This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive review of available imaging genetics studies, including reports on genetic variants that have most frequently been linked to MDD, such as the monoaminergic genes (serotonin transporter gene, monoamine oxidase A gene, tryptophan hydroxylase-2 gene, serotonin receptor 1A gene and catechol-O-methyl transferase gene), with regard to key structures involved in emotion processing, such as the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex and orbitofrontal cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunsoo Won
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung-Joo Ham
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
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36
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Åhs F, Frick A, Furmark T, Fredrikson M. Human serotonin transporter availability predicts fear conditioning. Int J Psychophysiol 2015; 98:515-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Revised: 11/28/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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37
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Li J, Chen C, Wu K, Zhang M, Zhu B, Chen C, Moyzis RK, Dong Q. Genetic variations in the serotonergic system contribute to amygdala volume in humans. Front Neuroanat 2015; 9:129. [PMID: 26500508 PMCID: PMC4598478 DOI: 10.3389/fnana.2015.00129] [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: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The amygdala plays a critical role in emotion processing and psychiatric disorders associated with emotion dysfunction. Accumulating evidence suggests that amygdala structure is modulated by serotonin-related genes. However, there is a gap between the small contributions of single loci (less than 1%) and the reported 63–65% heritability of amygdala structure. To understand the “missing heritability,” we systematically explored the contribution of serotonin genes on amygdala structure at the gene set level. The present study of 417 healthy Chinese volunteers examined 129 representative polymorphisms in genes from multiple biological mechanisms in the regulation of serotonin neurotransmission. A system-level approach using multiple regression analyses identified that nine SNPs collectively accounted for approximately 8% of the variance in amygdala volume. Permutation analyses showed that the probability of obtaining these findings by chance was low (p = 0.043, permuted for 1000 times). Findings showed that serotonin genes contribute moderately to individual differences in amygdala volume in a healthy Chinese sample. These results indicate that the system-level approach can help us to understand the genetic basis of a complex trait such as amygdala structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China ; Brainnetome Center, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China ; National Laboratory of Pattern Recognition, Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Chunhui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China ; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China
| | - Karen Wu
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Mingxia Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China
| | - Bi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China ; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Robert K Moyzis
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA ; Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics, University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Qi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China ; Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China
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38
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Selvaraj S, Mouchlianitis E, Faulkner P, Turkheimer F, Cowen PJ, Roiser JP, Howes O. Presynaptic Serotoninergic Regulation of Emotional Processing: A Multimodal Brain Imaging Study. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:563-571. [PMID: 24882568 PMCID: PMC5322825 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2013] [Revised: 04/01/2014] [Accepted: 04/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amygdala is a central node in the brain network that processes aversive emotions and is extensively innervated by dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) neurons. Alterations in DRN 5-HT1A receptor availability cause phenotypes characterized by fearful behavior in preclinical models. However, it is unknown whether 5-HT1A receptor availability is linked specifically to the processing of aversive emotions in humans or whether it modulates connectivity in brain networks involved in emotion processing. To answer this question, we investigated the relationship between DRN 5-HT1A receptor availability and amygdala reactivity to aversive emotion and functional connectivity within the amygdala-cortical network. METHODS We studied 15 healthy human participants who underwent positron emission tomography scanning with [(11)C]CUMI-101, a 5-HT1A partial agonist radioligand, and functional magnetic resonance imaging of brain responses during an incidental emotion processing task including happy, fearful, and neutral faces. Regional estimates of 5-HT1A receptor binding potential (nondisplaceable) were obtained by calculating total volumes of distribution for presynaptic DRN and amygdala. Connectivity between the amygdala and corticolimbic areas was assessed using psychophysiologic interaction analysis with the amygdala as the seed region. RESULTS Analysis of the fear versus neutral contrast revealed a significant negative correlation between amygdala response and DRN binding potential (nondisplaceable) (r = -.87, p < .001). Availability of DRN 5-HT1A receptors positively correlated with amygdala connectivity with middle frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral precuneus, and left supramarginal gyrus for fearful (relative to neutral) faces. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that DRN 5-HT1A receptor availability is linked specifically to the processing of aversive emotions in the amygdala and the modulation of amygdala-cortical connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudhakar Selvaraj
- Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Elias Mouchlianitis
- Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Paul Faulkner
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, WC1N 3AR, UK
| | | | | | - Jonathan P Roiser
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, WC1N 3AR, UK
| | - Oliver Howes
- Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK,Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, SE5 8AF, UK
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Kraehenmann R, Preller KH, Scheidegger M, Pokorny T, Bosch OG, Seifritz E, Vollenweider FX. Psilocybin-Induced Decrease in Amygdala Reactivity Correlates with Enhanced Positive Mood in Healthy Volunteers. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:572-81. [PMID: 24882567 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2013] [Revised: 04/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/14/2014] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The amygdala is a key structure in serotonergic emotion-processing circuits. In healthy volunteers, acute administration of the serotonin 1A/2A/2C receptor agonist psilocybin reduces neural responses to negative stimuli and induces mood changes toward positive states. However, it is little-known whether psilocybin reduces amygdala reactivity to negative stimuli and whether any change in amygdala reactivity is related to mood change. METHODS This study assessed the effects of acute administration of the hallucinogen psilocybin (.16 mg/kg) versus placebo on amygdala reactivity to negative stimuli in 25 healthy volunteers using blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging. Mood changes were assessed using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and the state portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A double-blind, randomized, cross-over design was used with volunteers counterbalanced to receive psilocybin and placebo in two separate sessions at least 14 days apart. RESULTS Amygdala reactivity to negative and neutral stimuli was lower after psilocybin administration than after placebo administration. The psilocybin-induced attenuation of right amygdala reactivity in response to negative stimuli was related to the psilocybin-induced increase in positive mood state. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that acute treatment with psilocybin decreased amygdala reactivity during emotion processing and that this was associated with an increase of positive mood in healthy volunteers. These findings may be relevant to the normalization of amygdala hyperactivity and negative mood states in patients with major depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rainer Kraehenmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Katrin H Preller
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Milan Scheidegger
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich; and Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Pokorny
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Oliver G Bosch
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Franz X Vollenweider
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, University of Zurich and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland
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Farb DH, Ratner MH. Targeting the modulation of neural circuitry for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Pharmacol Rev 2015; 66:1002-32. [PMID: 25237115 DOI: 10.1124/pr.114.009126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are a major public health concern. Here, we examine the familiar area of anxiolysis in the context of a systems-level understanding that will hopefully lead to revealing an underlying pharmacological connectome. The introduction of benzodiazepines nearly half a century ago markedly improved the treatment of anxiety disorders. These agents reduce anxiety rapidly by allosterically enhancing the postsynaptic actions of GABA at inhibitory type A GABA receptors but side effects limit their use in chronic anxiety disorders. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors have emerged as an effective first-line alternative treatment of such anxiety disorders. However, many individuals are not responsive and side effects can be limiting. Research into a relatively new class of agents known as neurosteroids has revealed novel modulatory sites and mechanisms of action that are providing insights into the pathophysiology of certain anxiety disorders, potentially bridging the gap between the GABAergic and serotonergic circuits underlying anxiety. However, translating the pharmacological activity of compounds targeted to specific receptor subtypes in rodent models of anxiety to effective therapeutics in human anxiety has not been entirely successful. Since modulating any one of several broad classes of receptor targets can produce anxiolysis, we posit that a systems-level discovery platform combined with an individualized medicine approach based on noninvasive brain imaging would substantially advance the development of more effective therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- David H Farb
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marcia H Ratner
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
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Ehrlich DE, Neigh GN, Bourke CH, Nemeth CL, Hazra R, Ryan SJ, Rowson S, Jairam N, Sholar CA, Rainnie DG, Stowe ZN, Owens MJ. Prenatal stress, regardless of concurrent escitalopram treatment, alters behavior and amygdala gene expression of adolescent female rats. Neuropharmacology 2015; 97:251-8. [PMID: 26032436 PMCID: PMC4537355 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Depression during pregnancy has been linked to in utero stress and is associated with long-lasting symptoms in offspring, including anxiety, helplessness, attentional deficits, and social withdrawal. Depression is diagnosed in 10-20% of expectant mothers, but the impact of antidepressant treatment on offspring development is not well documented, particularly for females. Here, we used a prenatal stress model of maternal depression to test the hypothesis that in utero antidepressant treatment could mitigate the effects of prenatal stress. We also investigated the effects of prenatal stress and antidepressant treatment on gene expression related to GABAergic and serotonergic neurotransmission in the amygdala, which may underlie behavioral effects of prenatal stress. Nulliparous female rats were implanted with osmotic minipumps delivering clinically-relevant concentrations of escitalopram and mated. Pregnant dams were exposed to 12 days of mixed-modality stressors, and offspring were behaviorally assessed in adolescence (postnatal day 28) and adulthood (beyond day 90) to determine the extent of behavioral change. We found that in utero stress exposure, regardless of escitalopram treatment, increased anxiety-like behavior in adolescent females and profoundly influenced amygdala expression of the chloride transporters KCC2 and NKCC1, which regulate GABAergic function. In contrast, prenatal escitalopram exposure alone elevated amygdala expression of 5-HT1A receptors. In adulthood, anxiety-like behavior returned to baseline and gene expression effects in the amygdala abated, whereas deficits emerged in novel object recognition for rats exposed to stress during gestation. These findings suggest prenatal stress causes age-dependent deficits in anxiety-like behavior and amygdala function in female offspring, regardless of antidepressant exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Ehrlich
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci., Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Behavioral Neurosci. and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Gretchen N Neigh
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci., Atlanta, GA, USA; Dept. of Physiology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Chase H Bourke
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci., Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Rimi Hazra
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci., Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Behavioral Neurosci. and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Steven J Ryan
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci., Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Behavioral Neurosci. and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sydney Rowson
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci., Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nesha Jairam
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci., Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Donald G Rainnie
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sci., Atlanta, GA, USA; Division of Behavioral Neurosci. and Psychiatric Disorders, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zachary N Stowe
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
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Challis C, Berton O. Top-Down Control of Serotonin Systems by the Prefrontal Cortex: A Path toward Restored Socioemotional Function in Depression. ACS Chem Neurosci 2015; 6:1040-54. [PMID: 25706226 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.5b00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Social withdrawal, increased threat perception, and exaggerated reassurance seeking behaviors are prominent interpersonal symptoms in major depressive disorder (MDD). Altered serotonin (5-HT) systems and corticolimbic dysconnectivity have long been suspected to contribute to these symptomatic facets; however, the underlying circuits and intrinsic cellular mechanisms that control 5-HT output during socioemotional interactions remain poorly understood. We review literature that implicates a direct pathway between the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in the adaptive and pathological control of social approach-avoidance behaviors. Imaging and neuromodulation during approach-avoidance tasks in humans point to the cortical control of brainstem circuits as an essential regulator of socioemotional decisions and actions. Parallel rodent studies using viral-based connectomics and optogenetics are beginning to provide a cellular blueprint of the underlying circuitry. In these studies, manipulations of vmPFC synaptic inputs to the DRN have revealed bidirectional influences on socioaffective behaviors via direct monosynaptic excitation and indirect disynaptic inhibition of 5-HT neurons. Additionally, adverse social experiences that result in permanent avoidance biases, such as social defeat, drive long-lasting plasticity in this microcircuit, potentiating the indirect inhibition of 5-HT output. Conversely, neuromodulation of the vmPFC via deep brain stimulation (DBS) attenuates avoidance biases by restoring the direct excitatory drive of 5-HT neurons and strengthening a key subset of forebrain 5-HT projections. Better understanding the cellular organization of the vmPFC-DRN pathway and identifying molecular determinants of its neuroplasticity can open fundamentally novel avenues for the treatment of affective disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin Challis
- Department of Psychiatry, ‡Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Olivier Berton
- Department of Psychiatry, ‡Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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Albert PR, Fiori LM. Transcriptional dys-regulation in anxiety and major depression: 5-HT1A gene promoter architecture as a therapeutic opportunity. Curr Pharm Des 2015; 20:3738-50. [PMID: 24180393 DOI: 10.2174/13816128113196660740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2013] [Accepted: 10/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The etiology of major depression remains unclear, but reduced activity of the serotonin (5-HT) system remains implicated and treatments that increase 5-HT neurotransmission can ameliorate depressive symptoms. 5-HT1A receptors are critical regulators of the 5- HT system. They are expressed as both presynaptic autoreceptors that negatively regulate 5-HT neurons, and as post-synaptic heteroreceptors on non-serotonergic neurons in the hippocampus, cortex, and limbic system that are critical to mediate the antidepressant actions of 5-HT. Thus, 5-HT1A auto- and heteroreceptors have opposite actions on serotonergic neurotransmission. Because most 5-HT1A ligands target both auto- and heteroreceptors their efficacy has been limited, resulting in weak or unclear responses. We propose that by understanding the transcriptional regulation of the 5-HT1A receptor it may be possible to regulate its expression differentially in raphe and projection regions. Here we review the transcriptional architecture of the 5-HT1A gene (HTR1A) with a focus on specific DNA elements and transcription factors that have been shown to regulate 5-HT1A receptor expression in the brain. Association studies with the functional HTR1A promoter polymorphism rs6295 suggest a new model for the role of the 5-HT1A receptor in susceptibility to depression involving early deficits in cognitive, fear and stress reactivity as stressors that may ultimately lead to depression. We present evidence that by targeting specific transcription factors it may be possible to oppositely regulate 5-HT1A auto- and heteroreceptor expression, synergistically increasing serotonergic neurotransmission for the treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura M Fiori
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Neuroscience, University of Ottawa, 451 Smyth Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1H-8M5.
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Nikolova YS, Koenen KC, Galea S, Wang CM, Seney ML, Sibille E, Williamson DE, Hariri AR. Beyond genotype: serotonin transporter epigenetic modification predicts human brain function. Nat Neurosci 2014; 17:1153-5. [PMID: 25086606 PMCID: PMC4146649 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2014] [Accepted: 07/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
We examined epigenetic regulation in regards to behaviorally and clinically relevant human brain function. Specifically, we found that increased promoter methylation of the serotonin transporter gene predicted increased threat-related amygdala reactivity and decreased mRNA expression in postmortem amygdala tissue. These patterns were independent of functional genetic variation in the same region. Furthermore, the association with amygdala reactivity was replicated in a second cohort and was robust to both sampling methods and age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliya S. Nikolova
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, and Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
| | - Karestan C. Koenen
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Sandro Galea
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032 USA
| | - Chiou-Miin Wang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA
| | - Marianne L. Seney
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 USA
| | - Etienne Sibille
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 USA
| | - Douglas E. Williamson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229 USA
| | - Ahmad R. Hariri
- Laboratory of NeuroGenetics, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, and Institute for Genome Sciences & Policy, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708 USA
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Goetz SM, Tang L, Thomason ME, Diamond MP, Hariri AR, Carré JM. Testosterone rapidly increases neural reactivity to threat in healthy men: a novel two-step pharmacological challenge paradigm. Biol Psychiatry 2014; 76:324-31. [PMID: 24576686 PMCID: PMC9552187 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2013] [Revised: 12/17/2013] [Accepted: 01/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Previous research suggests that testosterone (T) plays a key role in shaping competitive and aggressive behavior in humans, possibly by modulating threat-related neural circuitry. However, this research has been limited by the use of T augmentation that fails to account for baseline differences and has been conducted exclusively in women. Thus, the extent to which normal physiologic concentrations of T affect threat-related brain function in men remains unknown. METHODS In the current study, we use a novel two-step pharmacologic challenge protocol to overcome these limitations and to evaluate causal modulation of threat- and aggression-related neural circuits by T in healthy young men (n = 16). First, we controlled for baseline differences in T through administration of a gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist. Once a common baseline was established across participants, we then administered T to within the normal physiologic range. During this second step of the protocol we acquired functional neuroimaging data to examine the impact of T augmentation on neural circuitry supporting threat and aggression. RESULTS Gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonism successfully reduced circulating concentrations of T and brought subjects to a common baseline. Administration of T rapidly increased circulating T concentrations and was associated with heightened reactivity of the amygdala, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal grey to angry facial expressions. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide novel causal evidence that T rapidly potentiates the response of neural circuits mediating threat processing and aggressive behavior in men.
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Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) and oxytocin (OXT) are two neuromodulators involved in human affect and sociality and in disorders like depression and autism. We asked whether these chemical messengers interact in the regulation of emotion-based behavior by administering OXT or placebo to 24 healthy subjects and mapping cerebral 5-HT system by using 2'-methoxyphenyl-(N-2'-pyridinyl)-p-[(18)F]fluoro-benzamidoethylpiperazine ([(18)F]MPPF), an antagonist of 5-HT1A receptors. OXT increased [(18)F]MPPF nondisplaceable binding potential (BPND) in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), the core area of 5-HT synthesis, and in the amygdala/hippocampal complex, insula, and orbitofrontal cortex. Importantly, the amygdala appears central in the regulation of 5-HT by OXT: [(18)F]MPPF BPND changes in the DRN correlated with changes in right amygdala, which were in turn correlated with changes in hippocampus, insula, subgenual, and orbitofrontal cortex, a circuit implicated in the control of stress, mood, and social behaviors. OXT administration is known to inhibit amygdala activity and results in a decrease of anxiety, whereas high amygdala activity and 5-HT dysregulation have been associated with increased anxiety. The present study reveals a previously unidentified form of interaction between these two systems in the human brain, i.e., the role of OXT in the inhibitory regulation of 5-HT signaling, which could lead to novel therapeutic strategies for mental disorders.
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Yildirim BO, Derksen JJ. Systematic review, structural analysis, and new theoretical perspectives on the role of serotonin and associated genes in the etiology of psychopathy and sociopathy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2013; 37:1254-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2012] [Revised: 04/09/2013] [Accepted: 04/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE Research demonstrates a negative impact of sleep disturbance on mood and affect; however, the biological mechanisms mediating these links are poorly understood. Amygdala reactivity to negative stimuli has emerged as one potential pathway. Here, we investigate the influence of self-reported sleep quality on associations between threat-related amygdala reactivity and measures of negative affect and perceived stress. METHODS Analyses on data from 299 participants (125 men, 50.5% white, mean [standard deviation] age = 19.6 [1.3] years) who completed the Duke Neurogenetics Study were conducted. Participants completed several self-report measures of negative affect and perceived stress. Threat-related (i.e., angry and fearful facial expressions) amygdala reactivity was assayed using blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging. Global sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. RESULTS Amygdala reactivity to fearful facial expressions predicted greater depressive symptoms and higher perceived stress in poor (β values = 0.18-1.86, p values < .05) but not good sleepers (β values = -0.13 to -0.01, p values > .05). In sex-specific analyses, men reporting poorer global sleep quality showed a significant association between amygdala reactivity and levels of depression and perceived stress (β values = 0.29-0.44, p values < .05). In contrast, no significant associations were observed in men reporting good global sleep quality or in women, irrespective of sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS This study provides novel evidence that self-reported sleep quality moderates the relationships between amygdala reactivity, negative affect, and perceived stress, particularly among men.
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49
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Savitz JB, Drevets WC. Neuroreceptor imaging in depression. Neurobiol Dis 2013; 52:49-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2012.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2011] [Revised: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 06/02/2012] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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Application of image-derived and venous input functions in major depression using [carbonyl-11C]WAY-100635. Nucl Med Biol 2013; 40:371-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2012.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2012] [Revised: 11/30/2012] [Accepted: 12/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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