1
|
Girotti M, Bulin SE, Carreno FR. Effects of chronic stress on cognitive function - From neurobiology to intervention. Neurobiol Stress 2024; 33:100670. [PMID: 39295772 PMCID: PMC11407068 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2024.100670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Exposure to chronic stress contributes considerably to the development of cognitive impairments in psychiatric disorders such as depression, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and addictive behavior. Unfortunately, unlike mood-related symptoms, cognitive impairments are not effectively treated by available therapies, a situation in part resulting from a still incomplete knowledge of the neurobiological substrates that underly cognitive domains and the difficulty in generating interventions that are both efficacious and safe. In this review, we will present an overview of the cognitive domains affected by stress with a specific focus on cognitive flexibility, behavioral inhibition, and working memory. We will then consider the effects of stress on neuronal correlates of cognitive function and the factors which may modulate the interaction of stress and cognition. Finally, we will discuss intervention strategies for treatment of stress-related disorders and gaps in knowledge with emerging new treatments under development. Understanding how cognitive impairment occurs during exposure to chronic stress is crucial to make progress towards the development of new and effective therapeutic approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milena Girotti
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Sarah E Bulin
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Flavia R Carreno
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lee SH, Jung EM. Adverse effects of early-life stress: focus on the rodent neuroendocrine system. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:336-341. [PMID: 37488887 PMCID: PMC10503627 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.377587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life stress is associated with a high prevalence of mental illnesses such as post-traumatic stress disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety or depressive behavior, which constitute major public health problems. In the early stages of brain development after birth, events such as synaptogenesis, neuron maturation, and glial differentiation occur in a highly orchestrated manner, and external stress can cause adverse long-term effects throughout life. Our body utilizes multifaceted mechanisms, including neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter signaling pathways, to appropriately process external stress. Newborn individuals first exposed to early-life stress deploy neurogenesis as a stress-defense mechanism; however, in adulthood, early-life stress induces apoptosis of mature neurons, activation of immune responses, and reduction of neurotrophic factors, leading to anxiety, depression, and cognitive and memory dysfunction. This process involves the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and neurotransmitters secreted by the central nervous system, including norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. The rodent early-life stress model is generally used to experimentally assess the effects of stress during neurodevelopment. This paper reviews the use of the early-life stress model and stress response mechanisms of the body and discusses the experimental results regarding how early-life stress mediates stress-related pathways at a high vulnerability of psychiatric disorder in adulthood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seung Hyun Lee
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| | - Eui-Man Jung
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
LeDuke DO, Borio M, Miranda R, Tye KM. Anxiety and depression: A top-down, bottom-up model of circuit function. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2023; 1525:70-87. [PMID: 37129246 PMCID: PMC10695657 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A functional interplay of bottom-up and top-down processing allows an individual to appropriately respond to the dynamic environment around them. These processing modalities can be represented as attractor states using a dynamical systems model of the brain. The transition probability to move from one attractor state to another is dependent on the stability, depth, neuromodulatory tone, and tonic changes in plasticity. However, how does the relationship between these states change in disease states, such as anxiety or depression? We describe bottom-up and top-down processing from Marr's computational-algorithmic-implementation perspective to understand depressive and anxious disease states. We illustrate examples of bottom-up processing as basolateral amygdala signaling and projections and top-down processing as medial prefrontal cortex internal signaling and projections. Understanding these internal processing dynamics can help us better model the multifaceted elements of anxiety and depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Deryn O. LeDuke
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Matilde Borio
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Raymundo Miranda
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
- Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kay M. Tye
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, California, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
- Kavli Institute for the Brain and Mind, La Jolla, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Niitani K, Ito S, Wada S, Izumi S, Nishitani N, Deyama S, Kaneda K. Noradrenergic stimulation of α 1 adrenoceptors in the medial prefrontal cortex mediates acute stress-induced facilitation of seizures in mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8089. [PMID: 37208473 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35242-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress is one of the critical facilitators for seizure induction in patients with epilepsy. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this facilitation remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether noradrenaline (NA) transmission enhanced by stress exposure facilitates the induction of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC)-originated seizures. In mPFC slices, whole-cell current-clamp recordings revealed that bath application of picrotoxin induced sporadic epileptiform activities (EAs), which consisted of depolarization with bursts of action potentials in layer 5 pyramidal cells. Addition of NA dramatically shortened the latency and increased the number of EAs. Simultaneous whole-cell and field potential recordings revealed that the EAs are synchronous in the mPFC local circuit. Terazosin, but not atipamezole or timolol, inhibited EA facilitation, indicating the involvement of α1 adrenoceptors. Intra-mPFC picrotoxin infusion induced seizures in mice in vivo. Addition of NA substantially shortened the seizure latency, while co-infusion of terazosin into the mPFC inhibited the effect of NA. Finally, acute restraint stress shortened the latency of intra-mPFC picrotoxin infusion-induced seizures, whereas prior infusion of terazosin reversed this stress-induced shortening of seizure latency. Our findings suggest that stress facilitates the induction of mPFC-originated seizures via NA stimulation of α1 adrenoceptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhei Niitani
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Shiho Ito
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Shintaro Wada
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Shoma Izumi
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Naoya Nishitani
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Satoshi Deyama
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Kaneda
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Welford P, Östh J, Hoy S, Rossell SL, Pascoe M, Diwan V, Hallgren M. Effects of Yoga and Aerobic Exercise on Verbal Fluency in Physically Inactive Older Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial (FitForAge). Clin Interv Aging 2023; 18:533-545. [PMID: 37021083 PMCID: PMC10069432 DOI: 10.2147/cia.s359185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To compare the effects on verbal fluency of a supported yoga-based exercise intervention to an aerobic exercise intervention and a wait-list control group. Participants and Methods Eighty-two physically-inactive but otherwise healthy adults (mean age 72.5 years, range 65-85, 77% female) were recruited into a 12-week, three-group, parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants were supported to complete ≥3 Hatha yoga classes per/week or ≥3 structured aerobic exercise sessions/week. A wait-list control group continued usual daily activities only. Verbal fluency, including total-FAS, animals, and verbs, was assessed before and after interventions. Group effects were assessed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). Results Twenty-seven participants were randomized to yoga, 29 to aerobic exercise and 26 to a waitlist. At 12-week follow-up, compared to baseline, there were increases in mean total-FAS in the yoga (+5.0 words, p=0.002) and aerobic exercise groups (+6.6 words, p=0.004). Mean total-FAS in the wait-list control group remained stable (-0.5 words, p=0.838). There were medium-magnitude estimated treatment effects on total-FAS for yoga versus wait-list control and aerobic exercise versus wait-list control: Hedges' g=0.51 (p=0.213) and 0.57 (p=0.098) respectively. In addition, small-to-medium magnitude estimated treatment effects were seen on animals and verbs for yoga versus wait-list control and aerobic exercise versus wait-list control: g=0.28 (p=0.155), 0.19 (p=0.766) and 0.50 (p=0.085), 0.59 (p=0.233) respectively. Conclusion Participation in yoga or aerobic exercise was associated with estimated improvements in verbal fluency compared to a non-active control group. Yoga and aerobic exercise may be promising approaches by which to promote cognitive function among older adults. Trial Registration DRKS00015093, U1111-1217-4248.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul Welford
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Josefine Östh
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sara Hoy
- Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (GIH), Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Susan L Rossell
- Centre for Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michaela Pascoe
- Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Vinod Diwan
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Mats Hallgren
- Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
- Correspondence: Mats Hallgren, Department of Global Public Health, Karolinska Institutet, Level 6, 1e Solnavägen, Solna, 11365, Sweden, Tel +46852480000, Email
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Pizzagalli DA, Roberts AC. Prefrontal cortex and depression. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:225-246. [PMID: 34341498 PMCID: PMC8617037 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01101-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 98.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has emerged as one of the regions most consistently impaired in major depressive disorder (MDD). Although functional and structural PFC abnormalities have been reported in both individuals with current MDD as well as those at increased vulnerability to MDD, this information has not translated into better treatment and prevention strategies. Here, we argue that dissecting depressive phenotypes into biologically more tractable dimensions - negative processing biases, anhedonia, despair-like behavior (learned helplessness) - affords unique opportunities for integrating clinical findings with mechanistic evidence emerging from preclinical models relevant to depression, and thereby promises to improve our understanding of MDD. To this end, we review and integrate clinical and preclinical literature pertinent to these core phenotypes, while emphasizing a systems-level approach, treatment effects, and whether specific PFC abnormalities are causes or consequences of MDD. In addition, we discuss several key issues linked to cross-species translation, including functional brain homology across species, the importance of dissecting neural pathways underlying specific functional domains that can be fruitfully probed across species, and the experimental approaches that best ensure translatability. Future directions and clinical implications of this burgeoning literature are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Pizzagalli
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School & McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
| | - Angela C Roberts
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nwokafor C, Serova LI, Tanelian A, Nahvi RJ, Sabban EL. Variable Response of Norepinephrine Transporter to Traumatic Stress and Relationship to Hyperarousal. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:725091. [PMID: 34650410 PMCID: PMC8507558 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.725091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The noradrenergic systems play a key role in stress triggered disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We hypothesized that traumatic stress will alter expression of norepinephrine transporter (NET) in locus coeruleus (LC) and its target brain regions which could be related to hyperarousal. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to single prolonged stress (SPS) and several weeks later the LC was isolated. NET mRNA levels in LC, determined by RT-PCR, displayed variable response with high and low responsive subgroups. In different cohort, acoustic startle response (ASR) was measured 2 weeks after SPS and levels of NET mRNA and protein in LC determined. The high NET responsive subgroup had greater hyperarousal. Nevertheless, NET protein levels, as determined by western blots, were lower than unstressed controls in LC, ventral hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex and displayed considerable variability. Hypermethylation of specific CpG region in promoter of SLC6A2 gene, encoding NET, was present in the low, but not high, NET mRNA responsive subgroup. Taken together, the results demonstrate variability in stress elicited changes in NET gene expression and involvement of epigenetic changes. This may underlie mechanisms of susceptibility and resilience to traumatic stress triggered neuropsychiatric symptoms, especially hyperarousal.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chiso Nwokafor
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Lidia I Serova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Arax Tanelian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Roxanna J Nahvi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| | - Esther L Sabban
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Cardenas A, Papadogiannis A, Dimitrov E. The role of medial prefrontal cortex projections to locus ceruleus in mediating the sex differences in behavior in mice with inflammatory pain. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21747. [PMID: 34151467 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100319rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that the cognitive impairment associated with inflammatory pain may result from dysregulation of the top-down control of locus ceruleus's (LC) activity by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) served as a model for inflammatory pain. The CFA injection decreased the thermal thresholds in both sexes but only the male mice showed increased anxiety-like behavior and diminished cognition, while the females were not affected. Increased calcium fluorescence, a marker for neuronal activity, was detected by photometry in the mPFC of males but not in females with CFA. Next, while chemogenetic inhibition of the projections from the mPFC to the LC improved the object recognition memory of males with pain, the inhibition of the mPFC to LC pathway in female mice produced anxiolysis and spatial memory deficits. The behavior results prompted us to compare the reciprocal innervation of mPFC and LC between the sexes. We used an anterograde transsynaptic tagging technique, which relies on postsynaptic cre transfer, to assess the innervation of LC by mPFC efferents. The males showed a higher rate of postsynaptic cre transfer into LC neurons from mPFC efferents than the females. And vice versa, a retrograde tracing experiment demonstrated that LC to mPFC projection neurons were more numerous in females when compared to males. In conclusion, we provide evidence that subtle differences in the reciprocal neuronal circuit between the LC and mPFC may contribute to sex differences associated with the adverse cognitive effects of inflammatory pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Cardenas
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alexander Papadogiannis
- Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Eugene Dimitrov
- Center for the Neurobiology of Stress Resilience and Psychiatric Disorders, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kaneda K, Deyama S, Li X, Zhang T, Sasase H. [Neural mechanisms underlying stress-induced enhancement of cocaine craving behaviors]. Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi 2020; 155:135-139. [PMID: 32378629 DOI: 10.1254/fpj.19147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Stress potentiates craving for addictive drugs including cocaine. To elucidate neural mechanisms underlying this effect of stress, we developed an experimental paradigm combining cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) with a restraint stress. Acute restraint stress exposure immediately before posttest significantly increased cocaine CPP scores. It has been suggested that the extracellular noradrenaline (NA) level is increased by stress in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT), which sends cholinergic projections to dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which receives DA input from the VTA. Thus, we investigated the roles of NA in these brain regions. Intra-LDT injection of an α2 or a β adrenoceptor antagonist attenuated the stress-induced enhancement of cocaine CPP. In vitro whole-cell recordings revealed that α2 adrenoceptor stimulation reduced GABAergic inputs to LDT cholinergic neurons that were obtained from cocaine-, but not saline-, treated rats. On the other hand, α1, but not α2 or β, adrenoceptor stimulation excited mPFC pyramidal neurons. Intra-mPFC injection of an α1 adrenoceptor antagonist attenuated the stress-induced enhancement of cocaine CPP. Additionally, chemogenetic silencing of mPFC excitatory neurons also reduced the stress-induced enhancement of cocaine CPP. These findings suggest that stress-induced increases in neuronal activity of the LDT and mPFC may contribute to the enhancement of cocaine craving.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katsuyuki Kaneda
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University
| | - Satoshi Deyama
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University
| | - Xueting Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University
| | - Tong Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University
| | - Hitoki Sasase
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Acute restraint stress augments the rewarding memory of cocaine through activation of α1 adrenoceptors in the medial prefrontal cortex of mice. Neuropharmacology 2020; 166:107968. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.107968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
|
11
|
Wilcox CE, Adinoff B, Clifford J, Ling J, Witkiewitz K, Mayer AR, Boggs KM, Eck M, Bogenschutz M. Brain activation and subjective anxiety during an anticipatory anxiety task is related to clinical outcome during prazosin treatment for alcohol use disorder. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2020; 26:102162. [PMID: 32037283 PMCID: PMC7229347 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher levels of anxiety, negative affect, and impaired emotion regulation are associated with alcohol use disorder (AUD) and contribute to relapse and worse treatment outcomes. Prazosin, while typically used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other anxiety disorders, has shown promise for treating AUD. In order to better understand these underlying neural processes in individuals with AUD, our aims in this study were to measure brain activation during an anticipatory anxiety task before treatment to determine whether observed patterns supported previous work. We then aimed to measure the effects of prazosin on patients with AUD and explore whether greater baseline anticipatory anxiety (as measured by subjective and neural measures) predicts better treatment outcomes. METHODS Thirty-four individuals seeking treatment for AUD participated in a six-week placebo-controlled study of prazosin and underwent an anticipatory anxiety task during fMRI scans at baseline and three weeks. Alcohol use over six weeks was measured. RESULTS Greater levels of subjective anxiety and deactivation in posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) were observed during high-threat stimuli compared to low-threat stimuli. Compared to placebo, prazosin reduced subjective anxiety to high-threat stimuli but there were no observed significant effects of prazosin on brain activation during the task. However, AUD patients with greater vmPFC deactivation during high threat relative to low threat and patients with low baseline anticipatory anxiety during the task had worse clinical outcomes on prazosin. CONCLUSIONS Deactivation in PCC and vmPFC to high-threat stimuli replicated previous work and shows promise for further study as a marker for AUD. Although prazosin did not affect brain activation in the regions of interest during the anticipatory anxiety task, subjective levels of anxiety and brain activation in vmPFC predicted treatment outcomes in individuals with AUD undergoing treatment with prazosin, highlighting individuals more likely to benefit from prazosin than others.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Wilcox
- Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA.
| | - Bryon Adinoff
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390, USA; VA North Texas Health Care System, 4500 S Lancaster Rd, Dallas, TX 75216, USA; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 13001 E 17th Place, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Joshua Clifford
- Department of Psychiatry, University of New Mexico, 2400 Tucker NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Josef Ling
- Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Katie Witkiewitz
- Department of Psychology, Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse & Addictions, University of New Mexico, 2650 Yale Blvd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Andrew R Mayer
- Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Kylar M Boggs
- Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Matthew Eck
- Mind Research Network, 1101 Yale Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA; University of Southern California, USA
| | - Michael Bogenschutz
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Sharp AM, Lertphinyowong S, Yee SS, Paredes D, Gelfond J, Johnson-Pais TL, Leach RJ, Liss M, Risinger AL, Sullivan AC, Thompson IM, Morilak DA. Vortioxetine reverses medial prefrontal cortex-mediated cognitive deficits in male rats induced by castration as a model of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:3183-3195. [PMID: 31139875 PMCID: PMC6832770 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05274-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, but induces profound cognitive impairment. Little research has addressed mechanisms underlying these deficits or potential treatments. This is an unmet need to improve quality of life for prostate cancer survivors. OBJECTIVES We investigated mechanisms of cognitive impairment after ADT in rats and potential utility of the multimodal serotonin-targeting drug, vortioxetine, to improve the impairment, as vortioxetine has specific efficacy against cognitive impairment in depression. METHODS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were surgically castrated. Vortioxetine (28 mg/kg/day) was administered in the diet. The attentional set-shifting test was used to assess medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) executive function. Afferent-evoked field potentials were recorded in the mPFC of anesthetized rats after stimulating the ventral hippocampus (vHipp) or medial dorsal thalamus (MDT). Gene expression changes were assessed by microarray. Effects of vortioxetine on growth of prostate cancer cells were assessed in vitro. RESULTS ADT impaired cognitive set shifting and attenuated responses evoked in the mPFC by the vHipp afferent, but not the MDT. Both the cognitive impairment and attenuated vHipp-evoked responses were reversed by chronic vortioxetine treatment. Preliminary investigation of gene expression in the mPFC indicates that factors involved in neuronal plasticity and synaptic transmission were down-regulated by castration and up-regulated by vortioxetine in castrated animals. Vortioxetine neither altered the growth of prostate cancer cells in vitro nor interfered with the antiproliferative effects of the androgen antagonist, enzalutamide. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that vortioxetine may be useful in mitigating cognitive impairment associated with ADT for prostate cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Sharp
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Suphada Lertphinyowong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Samantha S Yee
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Denisse Paredes
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Jonathan Gelfond
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Teresa L Johnson-Pais
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Robin J Leach
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Department of Cell Systems & Anatomy, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Michael Liss
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- South Texas Veterans Health Care Service, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - April L Risinger
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Anna C Sullivan
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer's & Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - Ian M Thompson
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
- CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA
| | - David A Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- Mays Cancer Center, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
- South Texas Veterans Health Care Service, San Antonio, TX, 78229, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Toledo C, Andrade DC, Díaz HS, Inestrosa NC, Del Rio R. Neurocognitive Disorders in Heart Failure: Novel Pathophysiological Mechanisms Underpinning Memory Loss and Learning Impairment. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:8035-8051. [PMID: 31165973 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-01655-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) is a major public health issue affecting more than 26 million people worldwide. HF is the most common cardiovascular disease in elder population; and it is associated with neurocognitive function decline, which represent underlying brain pathology diminishing learning and memory faculties. Both HF and neurocognitive impairment are associated with recurrent hospitalization episodes and increased mortality rate in older people, but particularly when they occur simultaneously. Overall, the published studies seem to confirm that HF patients display functional impairments relating to attention, memory, concentration, learning, and executive functioning compared with age-matched controls. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underpinning neurocognitive decline in HF. The present review round step recent evidence related to the possible molecular mechanism involved in the establishment of neurocognitive disorders during HF. We will make a special focus on cerebral ischemia, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, Wnt signaling, and mitochondrial DNA alterations as possible mechanisms associated with cognitive decline in HF. Also, we provide an integrative mechanism linking pathophysiological hallmarks of altered cardiorespiratory control and the development of cognitive dysfunction in HF patients. Graphical Abstract Main molecular mechanisms involved in the establishment of cognitive impairment during heart failure. Heart failure is characterized by chronic activation of brain areas responsible for increasing cardiac sympathetic load. In addition, HF patients also show neurocognitive impairment, suggesting that the overall mechanisms that underpin cardiac sympathoexcitation may be related to the development of cognitive disorders in HF. In low cardiac output, HF cerebral infarction due to cardiac mural emboli and cerebral ischemia due to chronic or intermittent cerebral hypoperfusion has been described as a major mechanism related to the development of CI. In addition, while acute norepinephrine (NE) release may be relevant to induce neural plasticity in the hippocampus, chronic or tonic release of NE may exert the opposite effects due to desensitization of the adrenergic signaling pathway due to receptor internalization. Enhanced chemoreflex drive is a major source of sympathoexcitation in HF, and this phenomenon elevates brain ROS levels and induces neuroinflammation through breathing instability. Importantly, both oxidative stress and neuroinflammation can induce mitochondrial dysfunction and vice versa. Then, this ROS inflammatory pathway may propagate within the brain and potentially contribute to the development of cognitive impairment in HF through the activation/inhibition of key molecular pathways involved in neurocognitive decline such as the Wnt signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Toledo
- Laboratory of Cardiorespiratory Control, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE-UC), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - D C Andrade
- Laboratory of Cardiorespiratory Control, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de investigación en fisiología del ejercicio, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | - H S Díaz
- Laboratory of Cardiorespiratory Control, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - N C Inestrosa
- Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE-UC), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Centro de Excelencia en Biomedicina de Magallanes (CEBIMA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile
| | - R Del Rio
- Laboratory of Cardiorespiratory Control, Department of Physiology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. .,Center for Aging and Regeneration (CARE-UC), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. .,Centro de Excelencia en Biomedicina de Magallanes (CEBIMA), Universidad de Magallanes, Punta Arenas, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Dominguez G, Henkous N, Prevot T, David V, Guillou JL, Belzung C, Mons N, Béracochéa D. Sustained corticosterone rise in the prefrontal cortex is a key factor for chronic stress-induced working memory deficits in mice. Neurobiol Stress 2019; 10:100161. [PMID: 31309134 PMCID: PMC6607320 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2019.100161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 04/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to prolonged, unpredictable stress leads to glucocorticoids-mediated long-lasting neuroendocrine abnormalities associated with emotional and cognitive impairments. Excessive levels of serum glucocorticoids (cortisol in humans, corticosterone in rodents) contribute notably to deficits in working memory (WM), a task which heavily relies on functional interactions between the medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC). However, it is unknown whether stress-induced increases in plasma corticosterone mirror corticosterone levels in specific brain regions critical for WM. After a 6 week-UCMS exposure, C57BL/6 J male mice exhibited increased anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors when measured one week later and displayed WM impairments timely associated with increased plasma corticosterone response. In chronically stressed mice, basal phosphorylated/activated CREB (pCREB) was markedly increased in the PFC and the CA1 area of the dHPC and WM testing did not elicit any further increase in pCREB in the two regions. Using microdialysis samples from freely-moving mice, we found that WM testing co-occurred with a rapid and sustained increase in corticosterone response in the PFC while there was a late, non-significant rise of corticosterone in the dHPC. The results also show that non-stressed mice injected with corticosterone (2 mg/kg i.p.) before WM testing displayed behavioral and molecular alterations similar to those observed in stressed animals while a pre-WM testing metyrapone injection (35 mg/kg i.p.), a corticosterone synthesis inhibitor, prevented the effects of UCMS exposure. Overall, the abnormal regional increase of corticosterone concentrations mainly in the PFC emerges as a key factor of enduring WM dysfunctions in UCMS-treated animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gaelle Dominguez
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5287, 33615, Pessac, France.,Université François Rabelais, Inserm U930, Parc Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France
| | - Nadia Henkous
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5287, 33615, Pessac, France
| | - Thomas Prevot
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5287, 33615, Pessac, France
| | - Vincent David
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5287, 33615, Pessac, France
| | | | - Catherine Belzung
- Université François Rabelais, Inserm U930, Parc Grandmont, 37200, Tours, France
| | - Nicole Mons
- Université de Bordeaux, CNRS UMR 5287, 33615, Pessac, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Bhatt RR, Zeltzer LK, Coloigner J, Wood JC, Coates TD, Labus JS. Patients with sickle-cell disease exhibit greater functional connectivity and centrality in the locus coeruleus compared to anemic controls. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2019; 21:101686. [PMID: 30690419 PMCID: PMC6356008 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2019.101686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Patients with sickle-cell disease (SCD) have greater resting-state functional connectivity between the locus coeruleus (LC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC). Patients with SCD have greater resting state centrality of the LC SCD patients with chronic pain exhibited even greater functional connectivity between the LC and dlPFC. This study supports hyper-connectivity between the LC and PFC is a potential chronic pain generator.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ravi R Bhatt
- UCLA Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Program, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Lonnie K Zeltzer
- UCLA Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Program, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Julie Coloigner
- Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Radiology, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Cardiology, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John C Wood
- Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Radiology, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Department of Cardiology, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tom D Coates
- Childrens Center for Cancer, Blood Disease and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CCCBD), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer S Labus
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, Department of Medicine, Vatche and Tamar Division of Digestive Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Ye W, Pitlock MD, Javors MA, Thompson BJ, Lechleiter JD, Hensler JG. The long-term effect of maternal dietary protein restriction on 5-HT 1A receptor function and behavioral responses to stress in adulthood. Behav Brain Res 2018; 349:116-124. [PMID: 29660440 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.03.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2018] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 03/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Maternal nutrition impacts fetal development, and may play a role in determining resilience to stress and vulnerability to stress-precipitated psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression. In this study, we examined the effect of a reduction in maternal dietary protein during pregnancy on the brain neurochemistry and behavior of offspring. We focused specifically on the serotonin system, the 5-HT1A receptor and the responsivity of offspring as adults to stress. Dams were fed either a low protein diet (10% protein by weight) or isocaloric control diet (20% protein by weight). The low protein diet did not alter maternal food intake and body weight, or litter size and the average birth weight of male or female littermates. 5-HT1A receptor function, as measured by quantitative autoradiography of 8-OH-DPAT (1 μM)-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding, was markedly reduced in hippocampus of weanling female, but not male offspring (postnatal day, PND 21) of dams fed the low protein diet. The number of serotonergic cell bodies in the rostral raphe, and 5-HT metabolism in the limbic system of weanling offspring was not altered by maternal low protein diet. The deficit in hippocampal 5-HT1A receptor function observed in weanling female offspring persisted into adulthood (PND 112), and was accompanied by an increased sensitivity to stress, specifically increased immobility during a 15-minute forced swim challenge and increased anorexia following 30-minute restraint (PND 97-100). The present work begins to uncover important future directions for understanding the early developmental origins of resilience to stress, and factors that may put individuals at greater risk for stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenrui Ye
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Michael Duffy Pitlock
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Martin A Javors
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA; Department of Pharmacology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Brent J Thompson
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - James D Lechleiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Julie G Hensler
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Girotti M, Adler SM, Bulin SE, Fucich EA, Paredes D, Morilak DA. Prefrontal cortex executive processes affected by stress in health and disease. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 85:161-179. [PMID: 28690203 PMCID: PMC5756532 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2017] [Revised: 07/01/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Prefrontal cortical executive functions comprise a number of cognitive capabilities necessary for goal directed behavior and adaptation to a changing environment. Executive dysfunction that leads to maladaptive behavior and is a symptom of psychiatric pathology can be instigated or exacerbated by stress. In this review we survey research addressing the impact of stress on executive function, with specific focus on working memory, attention, response inhibition, and cognitive flexibility. We then consider the neurochemical pathways underlying these cognitive capabilities and, where known, how stress alters them. Finally, we review work exploring potential pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches that can ameliorate deficits in executive function. Both preclinical and clinical literature indicates that chronic stress negatively affects executive function. Although some of the circuitry and neurochemical processes underlying executive function have been characterized, a great deal is still unknown regarding how stress affects these processes. Additional work focusing on this question is needed in order to make progress on developing interventions that ameliorate executive dysfunction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milena Girotti
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| | - Samantha M Adler
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Sarah E Bulin
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Fucich
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Denisse Paredes
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - David A Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Dr, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Activity in the Ventral Medial Prefrontal Cortex Is Necessary for the Therapeutic Effects of Extinction in Rats. J Neurosci 2018; 38:1408-1417. [PMID: 29335360 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0635-17.2017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Poor response and high relapse rates remain problematic in the treatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Although mechanisms of pharmacotherapies are intensely studied, little is known about mechanisms of behavioral therapy that could inform improved treatments. We have previously demonstrated the therapeutic effects of extinction learning as a behavioral intervention modeling exposure therapy in rats. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that activity in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) during extinction is necessary for its therapeutic effects. The inhibitory Gi-coupled designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug CaMKIIα-hM4Di was expressed in vmPFC before administering chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). vmPFC projection neurons were then inhibited during extinction treatment by administering clozapine-N-oxide. Coping behavior and cognitive flexibility were assessed 24 h later on the shock-probe defensive burying test and attentional set-shifting test, respectively. Replicating previous results, extinction reversed the CUS-induced deficits in coping behavior and cognitive flexibility. Inhibiting vmPFC during extinction blocked these therapeutic effects. Further, increasing vmPFC activity with the excitatory Gq-coupled designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug hM3Dq 24 h before testing was sufficient to reverse the CUS-induced deficits. CUS reduced mPFC responsivity, assessed by measuring afferent-evoked field potentials in the mPFC, and this reduction was reversed by extinction treatment 24 h before testing. These results demonstrate the necessity of vmPFC activity in the therapeutic effects of extinction as a model of exposure therapy, and suggest that increased vmPFC activity induced by extinction is sufficient to produce lasting plastic changes that underlie its beneficial effects.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Stress-related psychiatric disorders remain poorly treated. Psychotherapies can be effective, but their mechanisms remain unknown, hindering progress toward improved treatment. We used a rat model of behavioral therapy to identify potential targets for enhancing treatment. Fear extinction as a therapeutic behavioral intervention reversed stress-induced cognitive dysfunction and passive coping in rats, modeling components of stress-related psychiatric disease. Extinction also reversed stress-induced attenuation of mPFC responsivity. The therapeutic effects were prevented by blocking activity of glutamatergic neurons in the mPFC during extinction, and were mimicked by inducing activity in lieu of extinction. Thus, activity and plasticity in the mPFC underlie the beneficial effects of extinction on cognitive flexibility and coping behavior compromised by stress, and could be targets to enhance behavioral therapy.
Collapse
|
19
|
Barfield ET, Gourley SL. Adolescent Corticosterone and TrkB Pharmaco-Manipulations Sex-Dependently Impact Instrumental Reversal Learning Later in Life. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:237. [PMID: 29270114 PMCID: PMC5725412 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life trauma can increase the risk for, and severity of, several psychiatric illnesses. These include drug use disorders, and some correlations appear to be stronger in women. Understanding the long-term consequences of developmental stressor or stress hormone exposure and possible sex differences is critically important. So-called “reversal learning” tasks are commonly used in rodents to model cognitive deficits in stress- and addiction-related illnesses in humans. Here, we exposed mice to the primary stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) during early adolescence (postnatal days 31–42), then tested behavioral flexibility in adulthood using an instrumental reversal learning task. CORT-exposed female, but not male, mice developed perseverative errors. Despite resilience to subchronic CORT exposure, males developed reversal performance impairments following exposure to physical stressors. Administration of a putative tyrosine kinase receptor B (trkB) agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), during adolescence blocked CORT-induced errors in females and improved performance in males. Conversely, blockade of trkB by ANA-12 impaired performance. These data suggest that trkB-based interventions could have certain protective benefits in the context of early-life stressor exposure. We consider the implications of our findings in an extended “Discussion” section.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth T Barfield
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Shannon L Gourley
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Buhusi M, Brown CK, Buhusi CV. Impaired Latent Inhibition in GDNF-Deficient Mice Exposed to Chronic Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:177. [PMID: 29066960 PMCID: PMC5641315 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased reactivity to stress is maladaptive and linked to abnormal behaviors and psychopathology. Chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) alters catecholaminergic neurotransmission and remodels neuronal circuits involved in learning, attention and decision making. Glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is essential for the physiology and survival of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra and of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus. Up-regulation of GDNF expression during stress is linked to resilience; on the other hand, the inability to up-regulate GDNF in response to stress, as a result of either genetic or epigenetic modifications, induces behavioral alterations. For example, GDNF-deficient mice exposed to chronic stress exhibit alterations of executive function, such as increased temporal discounting. Here we investigated the effects of CUS on latent inhibition (LI), a measure of selective attention and learning, in GDNF-heterozygous (HET) mice and their wild-type (WT) littermate controls. No differences in LI were found between GDNF HET and WT mice under baseline experimental conditions. However, following CUS, GDNF-deficient mice failed to express LI. Moreover, stressed GDNF-HET mice, but not their WT controls, showed decreased neuronal activation (number of c-Fos positive neurons) in the nucleus accumbens shell and increased activation in the nucleus accumbens core, both key regions in the expression of LI. Our results add LI to the list of behaviors affected by chronic stress and support a role for GDNF deficits in stress-induced pathological behaviors relevant to schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mona Buhusi
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Colten K Brown
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| | - Catalin V Buhusi
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Jett JD, Bulin SE, Hatherall LC, McCartney CM, Morilak DA. Deficits in cognitive flexibility induced by chronic unpredictable stress are associated with impaired glutamate neurotransmission in the rat medial prefrontal cortex. Neuroscience 2017; 346:284-297. [PMID: 28131625 PMCID: PMC5344040 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in cognitive flexibility, the ability to modify behavior in response to changes in the environment, contribute to the onset and maintenance of stress-related neuropsychiatric illnesses, such as depression. Cognitive flexibility depends on medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) function, and in depressed patients, cognitive inflexibility is associated with hypoactivity and decreased glutamate receptor expression in the mPFC. Rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) exhibit compromised mPFC function on the extradimensional (ED) set-shifting task of the attentional set-shifting test. Moreover, CUS-induced ED deficits are associated with dendritic atrophy and decreased glutamate receptor expression in the mPFC. This evidence suggests that impaired glutamate signaling may underlie stress-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility. To test this hypothesis, we first demonstrated that blocking NMDA or AMPA receptors in the mPFC during ED replicated CUS-induced deficits in naïve rats. Secondly, we found that expression of activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) mRNA, a marker of behaviorally induced glutamate-mediated plasticity, was increased in the mPFC following ED. We then showed that CUS compromised excitatory afferent activation of the mPFC following pharmacological stimulation of the mediodorsal thalamus (MDT), indicated by a reduced induction of c-fos expression. Subsequently, in vivo recordings of evoked potentials in the mPFC indicated that CUS impaired afferent activation of the mPFC evoked by MDT stimulation, but not the ventral hippocampus. Lastly, glutamate microdialysis showed that CUS attenuated the acute stress-evoked increase in extracellular glutamate in the mPFC. Together, these results demonstrate that CUS-induced ED deficits are associated with compromised glutamate neurotransmission in the mPFC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julianne D Jett
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Sarah E Bulin
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Lauren C Hatherall
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Carlie M McCartney
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - David A Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Therapeutic Effects of Extinction Learning as a Model of Exposure Therapy in Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:3092-3102. [PMID: 27417516 PMCID: PMC5101557 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Current treatments for stress-related psychiatric disorders, such as depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are inadequate. Cognitive behavioral psychotherapies, including exposure therapy, are an alternative to pharmacotherapy, but the neurobiological mechanisms are unknown. Preclinical models demonstrating therapeutic effects of behavioral interventions are required to investigate such mechanisms. Exposure therapy bears similarity to extinction learning. Thus, we investigated the therapeutic effects of extinction learning as a behavioral intervention to model exposure therapy in rats, testing its effectiveness in reversing chronic stress-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility and coping behavior that resemble dimensions of depression and PTSD. Rats were fear-conditioned by pairing a tone with footshock, and then exposed to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) that induces deficits in cognitive set-shifting and active coping behavior. They then received an extinction learning session as a therapeutic intervention by repeated exposure to the tone with no shock. Effects on cognitive flexibility and coping behavior were assessed 24 h later on the attentional set-shifting test or shock-probe defensive burying test, respectively. Extinction reversed the CUS-induced deficits in cognitive flexibility and coping behavior, and increased phosphorylation of ribosomal protein S6 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of stress-compromised rats, suggesting a role for activity-dependent protein synthesis in the therapeutic effect. Inhibiting protein synthesis by microinjecting anisomycin into mPFC blocked the therapeutic effect of extinction on cognitive flexibility. These results demonstrate the utility of extinction as a model by which to study mechanisms underlying exposure therapy, and suggest these mechanisms involve protein synthesis in the mPFC, the further study of which may identify novel therapeutic targets.
Collapse
|
23
|
Type-7 metabotropic glutamate receptors negatively regulate α 1-adrenergic receptor signalling. Neuropharmacology 2016; 113:343-353. [PMID: 27769854 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Revised: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We studied the interaction between mGlu7 and α1-adrenergic receptors in heterologous expression systems, brain slices, and living animals. L-2-Amino-4-phosphonobutanoate (L-AP4), and l-serine-O-phosphate (L-SOP), which activate group III mGlu receptors, restrained the stimulation of polyphosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis induced by the α1-adrenergic receptor agonist, phenylephrine, in HEK 293 cells co-expressing α1-adrenergic and mGlu7 receptors. The inibitory action of L-AP4 was abrogated by (i) the mGlu7 receptor antagonist, XAP044; (ii) the C-terminal portion of type-2 G protein coupled receptor kinase; and (iii) the MAP kinase inhibitors, UO126 and PD98059. This suggests that the functional interaction between mGlu7 and α1-adrenergic receptors was mediated by the βγ-subunits of the Gi protein and required the activation of the MAP kinase pathway. Remarkably, activation of neither mGlu2 nor mGlu4 receptors reduced α1-adrenergic receptor-mediated PI hydrolysis. In mouse cortical slices, both L-AP4 and L-SOP were able to attenuate norepinephrine- and phenylephrine-stimulated PI hydrolysis at concentrations consistent with the activation of mGlu7 receptors. L-AP4 failed to affect norepinephrine-stimulated PI hydrolysis in cortical slices from mGlu7-/- mice, but retained its inhibitory activity in slices from mGlu4-/- mice. At behavioural level, i.c.v. injection of phenylephrine produced antidepressant-like effects in the forced swim test. The action of phenylephrine was attenuated by L-SOP, which was inactive per se. Finally, both phenylephrine and L-SOP increased corticosterone levels in mice, but the increase was halved when the two drugs were administered in combination. Our data demonstrate that α1-adrenergic and mGlu7 receptors functionally interact and suggest that this interaction might be targeted in the treatment of stress-related disorders.
Collapse
|
24
|
Kaushal R, Taylor BK, Jamal AB, Zhang L, Ma F, Donahue R, Westlund KN. GABA-A receptor activity in the noradrenergic locus coeruleus drives trigeminal neuropathic pain in the rat; contribution of NAα1 receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex. Neuroscience 2016; 334:148-159. [PMID: 27520081 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Trigeminal neuropathic pain is described as constant excruciating facial pain. The study goal was to investigate the role of nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) in a model of chronic orofacial neuropathic pain (CCI-ION). The study examines LC's relationship to both the medullary dorsal horn receiving trigeminal nerve sensory innervation and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). LC is a major source of CNS noradrenaline (NA) and a primary nucleus involved in pain modulation. Although descending inhibition of acute pain by LC is well established, contribution of the LC to facilitation of chronic neuropathic pain is also reported. In the present study, a rat orofacial pain model of trigeminal neuropathy was induced by chronic constrictive injury of the infraorbital nerve (CCI-ION). Orofacial neuropathic pain was indicated by development of whisker pad mechanical hypersensitivity. Hypersensitivity was alleviated by selective elimination of NA neurons, including LC (A6 cell group), with the neurotoxin anti-dopamine-β-hydroxylase saporin (anti-DβH-saporin) microinjected either intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) or into trigeminal spinal nucleus caudalis (spVc). The GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline, administered directly into LC (week 8) inhibited hypersensitivity. This indicates a valence shift in which increased GABAA signaling ongoing in LC after trigeminal nerve injury paradoxically produces excitatory facilitation of the chronic pain state. Microinjection of NAα1 receptor antagonist, benoxathian, into mPFC attenuated whisker pad hypersensitivity, while NAα2 receptor antagonist, idazoxan, was ineffective. Thus, GABAA-mediated activation of NA neurons during CCI-ION can facilitate hypersensitivity through NAα1 receptors in the mPFC. These data indicate LC is a chronic pain generator.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Kaushal
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, United States
| | - B K Taylor
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, United States
| | - A B Jamal
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, United States
| | - L Zhang
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, United States
| | - F Ma
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, United States
| | - R Donahue
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, United States
| | - K N Westlund
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Effects of stress on behavioral flexibility in rodents. Neuroscience 2016; 345:176-192. [PMID: 27066767 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2015] [Revised: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to switch between different rules or concepts and behavioral flexibility is the overt physical manifestation of these shifts. Behavioral flexibility is essential for adaptive responses and commonly measured by reversal learning and set-shifting performance in rodents. Both tasks have demonstrated vulnerability to stress with effects dependent upon stressor type and number of repetitions. This review compares the effects of stress on reversal learning and set-shifting to provide insight into the differential effect of stress on cognition. Acute and short-term repetition of stress appears to facilitate reversal learning whereas the longer term repetition of stress impairs reversal learning. Stress facilitated intradimensional set-shifting within a single, short-term stress protocol but otherwise generally impaired set-shifting performance in acute and repeated stress paradigms. Chronic unpredictable stress impairs reversal learning and set-shifting whereas repeated cold intermittent stress selectively impairs reversal learning and has no effect on set-shifting. In considering the mechanisms underlying the effects of stress on behavioral flexibility, pharmacological manipulations performed in conjunction with stress are also reviewed. Blocking corticosterone receptors does not affect the facilitation of reversal learning following acute stress but the prevention of corticosterone synthesis rescues repeated stress-induced set-shifting impairment. Enhancing post-synaptic norepinephrine function, serotonin availability, and dopamine receptor activation rescues and/or prevents behavioral flexibility performance following stress. While this review highlights a lack of a standardization of stress paradigms, some consistent effects are apparent. Future studies are necessary to specify the mechanisms underlying the stress-induced impairments of behavioral flexibility, which will aid in alleviating these symptoms in patients with some psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
|
26
|
Radley J, Morilak D, Viau V, Campeau S. Chronic stress and brain plasticity: Mechanisms underlying adaptive and maladaptive changes and implications for stress-related CNS disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 58:79-91. [PMID: 26116544 PMCID: PMC4684432 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2014] [Revised: 06/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/19/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress responses entail neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral changes to promote effective coping with real or perceived threats to one's safety. While these responses are critical for the survival of the individual, adverse effects of repeated exposure to stress are widely known to have deleterious effects on health. Thus, a considerable effort in the search for treatments to stress-related CNS disorders necessitates unraveling the brain mechanisms responsible for adaptation under acute conditions and their perturbations following chronic stress exposure. This paper is based upon a symposium from the 2014 International Behavioral Neuroscience Meeting, summarizing some recent advances in understanding the effects of stress on adaptive and maladaptive responses subserved by limbic forebrain networks. An important theme highlighted in this review is that the same networks mediating neuroendocrine, autonomic, and behavioral processes during adaptive coping also comprise targets of the effects of repeated stress exposure in the development of maladaptive states. Where possible, reference is made to the similarity of neurobiological substrates and effects observed following repeated exposure to stress in laboratory animals and the clinical features of stress-related disorders in humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jason Radley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Iowa, IA, United States
| | - David Morilak
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Victor Viau
- Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Serge Campeau
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Jett JD, Boley AM, Girotti M, Shah A, Lodge DJ, Morilak DA. Antidepressant-like cognitive and behavioral effects of acute ketamine administration associated with plasticity in the ventral hippocampus to medial prefrontal cortex pathway. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:3123-33. [PMID: 25986748 PMCID: PMC4536154 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-3957-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Acute low-dose administration of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, ketamine, produces rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects in humans and rodents. Recently, we found that the long-lasting effect of ketamine on the forced swim test requires ventral hippocampal (vHipp) activity at the time of drug administration. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a target of the vHipp dysregulated in depression, is important for cognitive flexibility and response strategy selection. Deficits in cognitive flexibility, the ability to modify thoughts and behaviors in response to changes in the environment, are associated with depression. We have shown that chronic stress impairs cognitive flexibility on the attentional set-shifting test (AST) and induces a shift from active to passive response strategies on the shock-probe defensive burying test (SPDB). OBJECTIVE In this study, we tested the effects of ketamine on chronic stress-induced changes in cognitive flexibility and coping behavior on the AST and SPDB, respectively. Subsequently, we investigated vHipp-mPFC plasticity as a potential mechanism of ketamine's therapeutic action. RESULTS Ketamine reversed deficits in cognitive flexibility and restored active coping behavior in chronically stressed rats. Further, high frequency stimulation in the vHipp replicated ketamine's antidepressant-like effects on the forced swim test and AST, but not on the SPDB. CONCLUSION These results show that ketamine restores cognitive flexibility and coping response strategy compromised by stress. Activity in the vHipp-mPFC pathway may represent a neural substrate for some of the antidepressant-like behavioral effects of ketamine, including cognitive flexibility, but other circuits may mediate the effects of ketamine on coping response strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julianne D Jett
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MC 7764, San Antonio, TX, 78229-3900, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Treatment of cognitive dysfunction in major depressive disorder—a review of the preclinical evidence for efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and the multimodal-acting antidepressant vortioxetine. Eur J Pharmacol 2015; 753:19-31. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.07.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Revised: 06/06/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
|
29
|
Snyder K, Barry M, Plona Z, Ho A, Zhang XY, Valentino RJ. The impact of social stress during adolescence or adulthood and coping strategy on cognitive function of female rats. Behav Brain Res 2015; 286:175-83. [PMID: 25746514 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.02.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The age of stressor exposure can determine its neurobehavioral impact. For example, exposure of adolescent male rats to resident-intruder stress impairs cognitive flexibility in adulthood. The current study examined the impact of this stressor in female rats. Rats were exposed to resident-intruder stress during early adolescence (EA), mid-adolescence (MA) or adulthood (Adult). They were tested in an operant strategy-shifting task for side discrimination (SD), reversal learning (REV) and strategy set-shifting (SHIFT) the following week. Performance varied with age, stress and coping style. MA and EA rats performed SD and SHIFT better than other ages, respectively. Social stress impaired performance in rats depending on their coping strategy as determined by a short (SL) or long (LL) latency to become subordinate. SL rats were impaired in SD and REV, whereas EA-LL rats were impaired in SHIFT. These impairing effects of female adolescent stress did not endure into adulthood. Strategy set-shifting performance for female adolescents was positively correlated with medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) activation as indicated by c-fos expression suggesting that this region is engaged during task performance. This contrasts with the inverse relationship between these indices reported for male adolescent rats. Together, the results demonstrate that social stress produces cognitive impairments for female rats that depend on age and coping style but unlike males, the impairing effects of female adolescent social stress are immediate and do not endure into adulthood. Sex differences in the impact of adolescent social stress on cognition may reflect differences in mPFC engagement during the task.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Snyder
- The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Mark Barry
- The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Zachary Plona
- The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Andrew Ho
- The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Xiao-Yan Zhang
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Rita J Valentino
- The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Kao CY, Stalla G, Stalla J, Wotjak CT, Anderzhanova E. Norepinephrine and corticosterone in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus predict PTSD-like symptoms in mice. Eur J Neurosci 2015; 41:1139-48. [PMID: 25720329 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This study measured changes in brain extracellular norepinephrine (NE) and free corticosterone (CORT) levels in a mouse model of post-traumatic stress disorder and related them to hyperarousal and fear memory retention. To this end, microdialysis in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the hippocampus (HPC) of male C57BL/6NCrl mice was performed during an acoustic startle response (ASR) and following an electric foot shock (FS), as well as during an ASR and recall of contextual fear (CF) 1 day later. Changes in ASR-stimulated NE levels in the mPFC corresponded to ASR 34 days after FS. Changes in basal and ASR-stimulated extracellular NE levels in the HPC, in contrast, were related to expression of early (day 2) and late (day 34) CF after FS. The increase in extracellular NE levels correlated in a U-shape manner with arousal levels and CF, thus suggesting a non-direct relationship. Stress of different modalities/strength (ASR, FS and CF) caused a similar relative increase in free CORT levels both in the mPFC and the HPC. One day after FS, ASR-induced increases in the CORT content in the mPFC tended to correlate with the FS-potentiated ASR in a U-shape manner. Taken together, these data show that the intracerebral increase in free CORT was likely related to an immediate response to stress, whereas NE neurotransmission in the forebrain predicted arousal and CF 1 month after trauma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C-Y Kao
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany; Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Chaijale NN, Snyder K, Arner J, Curtis AL, Valentino RJ. Repeated social stress increases reward salience and impairs encoding of prediction by rat locus coeruleus neurons. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:513-23. [PMID: 25109891 PMCID: PMC4443966 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2014.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2014] [Revised: 07/16/2014] [Accepted: 08/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Stress is implicated in psychopathology characterized by cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive responses to stress are regulated by the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system. As social stress is a prevalent human stressor, this study determined the impact of repeated social stress on the relationship between LC neuronal activity and behavior during the performance of cognitive tasks. Social stress-exposed rats performed better at intradimensional set shifting (IDS) and made fewer perseverative errors during reversal learning (REV). LC neurons of control rats were task responsive, being activated after the choice and before reward. Social stress shifted LC neuronal activity from being task responsive to being reward responsive during IDS and REV. LC neurons of stressed rats were activated by reward and tonically inhibited by reward omission with incorrect choices. In contrast, LC neurons of stress-naive rats were only tonically inhibited by reward omission. Reward-related LC activation in stressed rats was unrelated to predictability because it did not habituate as learning progressed. The findings suggest that social stress history increases reward salience and impairs processes that compute predictability for LC neurons. These effects of social stress on LC neuronal activity could facilitate learning as indicated by improved performance in stressed rats. However, the ability of social stress history to enhance responses to behavioral outcomes may have a role in the association between stress and addictive behaviors. In addition, magnified fluctuations in LC activity in response to opposing behavioral consequences may underlie volatile changes in emotional arousal that characterize post-traumatic stress disorder.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nayla N Chaijale
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kevin Snyder
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jay Arner
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Andre L Curtis
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Rita J Valentino
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA,Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 3416 Civic Center Boulevard, Abramson Pediatric Research Center Rm 402, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA, Tel: +215 590 0650, Fax: +215 590 3364, E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Ashare RL, Schmidt HD. Optimizing treatments for nicotine dependence by increasing cognitive performance during withdrawal. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2014; 9:579-94. [PMID: 24707983 DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2014.908180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Current FDA-approved smoking cessation pharmacotherapies have limited efficacy and are associated with high rates of relapse. Therefore, there is a clear need to develop novel antismoking medications. Nicotine withdrawal is associated with cognitive impairments that predict smoking relapse. It has been proposed that these cognitive deficits are a hallmark of nicotine withdrawal that could be targeted in order to prevent smoking relapse. Thus, pharmacotherapies that increase cognitive performance during nicotine withdrawal may represent potential smoking cessation agents. AREAS COVERED The authors review the clinical literature demonstrating that nicotine withdrawal is associated with deficits in working memory, attention and response inhibition. They then briefly summarize different classes of compounds and strategies to increase cognitive performance during nicotine withdrawal. Particular emphasis has been placed on translational research in order to highlight areas for which there is strong rationale for pilot clinical trials of potential smoking cessation medications. EXPERT OPINION There is emerging evidence that supports deficits in cognitive function as a plausible nicotine withdrawal phenotype. The authors furthermore believe that the translational paradigms presented here may represent efficient and valid means for the evaluation of cognitive-enhancing medications as possible treatments for nicotine dependence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Ashare
- University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction, Department of Psychiatry , 3535 Market St, Suite 4100, Philadelphia, PA 19104 , USA +1 215 746 5789 ;
| | | |
Collapse
|
33
|
Luo F, Tang H, Li BM, Li SH. Activation of α1-adrenoceptors enhances excitatory synaptic transmission via a pre- and postsynaptic protein kinase C-dependent mechanism in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:1281-93. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2013] [Revised: 12/16/2013] [Accepted: 12/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fei Luo
- Institute of Neurobiology & State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology; Institutes of Brain Science; Fudan University; Shanghai 200032 China
| | - Hua Tang
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Diseases; Institute of Life Science; Nanchang University; Nanchang China
| | - Bao-ming Li
- Institute of Neurobiology & State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology; Institutes of Brain Science; Fudan University; Shanghai 200032 China
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Diseases; Institute of Life Science; Nanchang University; Nanchang China
| | - Si-hai Li
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Diseases; Institute of Life Science; Nanchang University; Nanchang China
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Nikiforuk A, Popik P. Neurochemical modulation of stress-induced cognitive inflexibility in a rat model of an attentional set-shifting task. Pharmacol Rep 2013; 65:1479-88. [DOI: 10.1016/s1734-1140(13)71508-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Revised: 10/15/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
35
|
Butts KA, Floresco SB, Phillips AG. Acute stress impairs set-shifting but not reversal learning. Behav Brain Res 2013; 252:222-9. [PMID: 23764458 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2013] [Revised: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The ability to update and modify previously learned behavioral responses in a changing environment is essential for successful utilization of promising opportunities and for coping with adverse events. Valid models of cognitive flexibility that contribute to behavioral flexibility include set-shifting and reversal learning. One immediate effect of acute stress is the selective impairment of performance on higher-order cognitive control tasks mediated by the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) but not the hippocampus. Previous studies show that the mPFC is required for set-shifting but not for reversal learning, therefore the aim of the present experiment is to assess whether exposure to acute stress (15 min of mild tail-pinch stress) given immediately before testing on either a set-shifting or reversal learning tasks would impair performance selectively on the set-shifting task. An automated operant chamber-based task, confirmed that exposure to acute stress significantly disrupts set-shifting but has no effect on reversal learning. Rats exposed to an acute stressor require significantly more trials to reach criterion and make significantly more perseverative errors. Thus, these data reveal that an immediate effect of acute stress is to impair mPFC-dependent cognition selectively by disrupting the ability to inhibit the use of a previously relevant cognitive strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K A Butts
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | |
Collapse
|