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Zhou H, Zhu R, Xia Y, Zhang X, Wang Z, Lorimer GH, Ghiladi RA, Bayram H, Wang J. Neuropeptides affecting social behavior in mammals: Oxytocin. Peptides 2024; 177:171223. [PMID: 38626843 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2024.171223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/30/2024]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT), a neuropeptide consisting of only nine amino acids, is synthesized in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. Although OXT is best known for its role in lactation and parturition, recent research has shown that it also has a significant impact on social behaviors in mammals. However, a comprehensive review of this topic is still lacking. In this paper, we systematically reviewed the effects of OXT on social behavior in mammals. These effects of OXT from the perspective of five key behavioral dimensions were summarized: parental behavior, anxiety, aggression, attachment, and empathy. To date, researchers have agreed that OXT plays a positive regulatory role in a wide range of social behaviors, but there have been controversially reported results. In this review, we have provided a detailed panorama of the role of OXT in social behavior and, for the first time, delved into the underlying regulatory mechanisms, which may help better understand the multifaceted role of OXT. Levels of OXT in previous human studies were also summarized to provide insights for diagnosis of mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Zhou
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | - Rui Zhu
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | - Yuqing Xia
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | - Xinming Zhang
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | - Zixu Wang
- National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China
| | | | - Reza A Ghiladi
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Hasan Bayram
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Koç University School of Medicine, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
| | - Jun Wang
- Cooperative Innovation Center of Industrial Fermentation (Ministry of Education & Hubei Province), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; International Center for Redox Biology & Precision Medicine of Hubei Province, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China; National "111" Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430068, China.
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Hou W, Ma H, Huang C, Li Y, Li L, Zhang L, Qu Y, Xun Y, Yang Q, He Z, Tai F. Effects of paternal deprivation on empathetic behavior and the involvement of oxytocin receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex. Horm Behav 2024; 162:105536. [PMID: 38522143 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Paternal deprivation (PD) impairs social cognition and sociality and increases levels of anxiety-like behavior. However, whether PD affects the levels of empathy in offspring and its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. The present study found that PD increased anxiety-like behavior in mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus), impaired sociality, reduced the ability of emotional contagion, and the level of consolation behavior. Meanwhile, PD reduced OT neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in both male and female mandarin voles. PD decreased the level of OT receptor (OTR) mRNA in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of male and female mandarin voles. Besides, OTR overexpression in the ACC reversed the PD-induced changes in anxiety-like behavior, social preference, emotional contagion, and consolation behavior. Interference of OTR expression in the ACC increased levels of anxiety-like behaviors, while it reduced levels of sociality, emotional contagion, and consolation. These results revealed that the OTR in the ACC is involved in the effects of PD on empathetic behaviors, and provide mechanistic insight into how social experiences affect empathetic behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjuan Hou
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China; School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, 264005, China
| | - Huan Ma
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Caihong Huang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yin Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Lu Li
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Lizi Zhang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yishan Qu
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Yufeng Xun
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Qixuan Yang
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China
| | - Zhixiong He
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China.
| | - Fadao Tai
- Institute of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an 710062, China.
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Liu C, Guo Z, Pang J, Zhang Y, Yang Z, Cao J, Zhang T. Administration of Atosiban, an oxytocin receptor antagonist, ameliorates autistic-like behaviors in a female rat model of valproic acid-induced autism. Behav Brain Res 2024; 469:115052. [PMID: 38782096 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder with gender differences. Oxytocin (OXT) is currently an important candidate drug for autism, but the lack of data on female autism is a big issue. It has been reported that the effect of OXT is likely to be different between male and female ASD patients. In the study, we specifically explored the role of the OXT signaling pathway in a VPA-induced female rat's model of autism. The data showed that there was an increase of either oxytocin or its receptor expressions in both the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex of VPA-induced female offspring. To determine if the excess of OXT signaling contributed to autism symptoms in female rats, exogenous oxytocin and oxytocin receptor antagonists Atosiban were used in the experiment. It was found that exogenous oxytocin triggered autism-like behaviors in wild-type female rats by intranasal administration. More interestingly, several autism-like deficits including social interaction, anxiety, and repeat stereotypical sexual behavior in the VPA female offspring were significantly attenuated by oxytocin receptor antagonists Atosiban. Moreover, Atosiban also effectively improved the synaptic plasticity impairment induced by VPA in female offspring. Our results suggest that oxytocin receptor antagonists significantly improve autistic-like behaviors in a female rat model of valproic acid-induced autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhua Liu
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Zhengyang Guo
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Jiyi Pang
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Yuying Zhang
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Zhuo Yang
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Jianting Cao
- Graduate School of Engineering, Saitama Institute of Technology, Fukaya 369-0217, Japan
| | - Tao Zhang
- College of Life Sciences and Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials Ministry of Education, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China.
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Arnold CA, Bagg MK, Harvey AR. The psychophysiology of music-based interventions and the experience of pain. Front Psychol 2024; 15:1361857. [PMID: 38800683 PMCID: PMC11122921 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1361857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
In modern times there is increasing acceptance that music-based interventions are useful aids in the clinical treatment of a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions, including helping to reduce the perception of pain. Indeed, the belief that music, whether listening or performing, can alter human pain experiences has a long history, dating back to the ancient Greeks, and its potential healing properties have long been appreciated by indigenous cultures around the world. The subjective experience of acute or chronic pain is complex, influenced by many intersecting physiological and psychological factors, and it is therefore to be expected that the impact of music therapy on the pain experience may vary from one situation to another, and from one person to another. Where pain persists and becomes chronic, aberrant central processing is a key feature associated with the ongoing pain experience. Nonetheless, beneficial effects of exposure to music on pain relief have been reported across a wide range of acute and chronic conditions, and it has been shown to be effective in neonates, children and adults. In this comprehensive review we examine the various neurochemical, physiological and psychological factors that underpin the impact of music on the pain experience, factors that potentially operate at many levels - the periphery, spinal cord, brainstem, limbic system and multiple areas of cerebral cortex. We discuss the extent to which these factors, individually or in combination, influence how music affects both the quality and intensity of pain, noting that there remains controversy about the respective roles that diverse central and peripheral processes play in this experience. Better understanding of the mechanisms that underlie music's impact on pain perception together with insights into central processing of pain should aid in developing more effective synergistic approaches when music therapy is combined with clinical treatments. The ubiquitous nature of music also facilitates application from the therapeutic environment into daily life, for ongoing individual and social benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn A. Arnold
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Caulfield Pain Management and Research Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew K. Bagg
- School of Health Sciences, University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, WA, Australia
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Alan R. Harvey
- Perron Institute for Neurological and Translational Science, Perth, WA, Australia
- School of Human Sciences and Conservatorium of Music, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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Atila C, Refardt J, Christ-Crain M. Arginine vasopressin deficiency: diagnosis, management and the relevance of oxytocin deficiency. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2024:10.1038/s41574-024-00985-x. [PMID: 38693275 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-024-00985-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Polyuria-polydipsia syndrome can be caused by central diabetes insipidus, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus or primary polydipsia. To avoid confusion with diabetes mellitus, the name 'central diabetes insipidus' was changed in 2022 to arginine vasopressin (AVP) deficiency and 'nephrogenic diabetes insipidus' was renamed as AVP resistance. To differentiate the three entities, various osmotic and non-osmotic copeptin-based stimulation tests have been introduced in the past decade. The hypertonic saline test plus plasma copeptin measurement emerged as the test with highest diagnostic accuracy, replacing the water deprivation test as the gold standard in differential diagnosis of the polyuria-polydipsia syndrome. The mainstay of treatment for AVP deficiency is AVP replacement with desmopressin, a synthetic analogue of AVP specific for AVP receptor 2 (AVPR2), which usually leads to rapid improvements in polyuria and polydipsia. The main adverse effect of desmopressin is dilutional hyponatraemia, which can be reduced by regularly performing the so-called desmopressin escape method. Evidence from the past few years suggests an additional oxytocin deficiency in patients with AVP deficiency. This potential deficiency should be further evaluated in future studies, including feasible provocation tests for clinical practice and interventional trials with oxytocin substitution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cihan Atila
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Research University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Julie Refardt
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Research University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Mirjam Christ-Crain
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
- Department of Clinical Research University of Basel, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
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Jansen M, Overgaauw S, de Bruijn ERA. L-DOPA and oxytocin influence the neural correlates of performance monitoring for self and others. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024; 241:1079-1092. [PMID: 38286857 PMCID: PMC11031497 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06541-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE The ability to monitor the consequences of our actions for others is imperative for flexible and adaptive behavior, and allows us to act in a (pro)social manner. Yet, little is known about the neurochemical mechanisms underlying alterations in (pro)social performance monitoring. OBJECTIVE The aim of this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was to improve our understanding of the role of dopamine and oxytocin and their potential overlap in the neural mechanisms underlying performance monitoring for own versus others' outcomes. METHOD Using a double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over design, 30 healthy male volunteers were administered oxytocin (24 international units), the dopamine precursor L-DOPA (100 mg + 25 mg carbidopa), or placebo in three sessions. Participants performed a computerized cannon shooting game in two recipient conditions where mistakes resulted in negative monetary consequences for (1) oneself or (2) an anonymous other participant. RESULTS Results indicated reduced error-correct differentiation in the ventral striatum after L-DOPA compared to placebo, independent of recipient. Hence, pharmacological manipulation of dopamine via L-DOPA modulated performance-monitoring activity in a brain region associated with reward prediction and processing in a domain-general manner. In contrast, oxytocin modulated the BOLD response in a recipient-specific manner, such that it specifically enhanced activity for errors that affected the other in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), a region previously implicated in the processing of social rewards and prediction errors. Behaviorally, we also found reduced target sizes-indicative of better performance-after oxytocin, regardless of recipient. Moreover, after oxytocin lower target sizes specifically predicted higher pgACC activity when performing for others. CONCLUSIONS These different behavioral and neural patterns after oxytocin compared to L-DOPA administration highlight a divergent role of each neurochemical in modulating the neural mechanisms underlying social performance monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrthe Jansen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Sandy Overgaauw
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen R A de Bruijn
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden, The Netherlands
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Sartorius AM, Rokicki J, Birkeland S, Bettella F, Barth C, de Lange AMG, Haram M, Shadrin A, Winterton A, Steen NE, Schwarz E, Stein DJ, Andreassen OA, van der Meer D, Westlye LT, Theofanopoulou C, Quintana DS. An evolutionary timeline of the oxytocin signaling pathway. Commun Biol 2024; 7:471. [PMID: 38632466 PMCID: PMC11024182 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06094-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide associated with both psychological and somatic processes like parturition and social bonding. Although oxytocin homologs have been identified in many species, the evolutionary timeline of the entire oxytocin signaling gene pathway has yet to be described. Using protein sequence similarity searches, microsynteny, and phylostratigraphy, we assigned the genes supporting the oxytocin pathway to different phylostrata based on when we found they likely arose in evolution. We show that the majority (64%) of genes in the pathway are 'modern'. Most of the modern genes evolved around the emergence of vertebrates or jawed vertebrates (540 - 530 million years ago, 'mya'), including OXTR, OXT and CD38. Of those, 45% were under positive selection at some point during vertebrate evolution. We also found that 18% of the genes in the oxytocin pathway are 'ancient', meaning their emergence dates back to cellular organisms and opisthokonta (3500-1100 mya). The remaining genes (18%) that evolved after ancient and before modern genes were classified as 'medium-aged'. Functional analyses revealed that, in humans, medium-aged oxytocin pathway genes are highly expressed in contractile organs, while modern genes in the oxytocin pathway are primarily expressed in the brain and muscle tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina M Sartorius
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jaroslav Rokicki
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri Birkeland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Francesco Bettella
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Medical Genetics, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Claudia Barth
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ann-Marie G de Lange
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Marit Haram
- Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Mental Health and Suicide, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alexey Shadrin
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Adriano Winterton
- Department of Child Health and Development, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nils Eiel Steen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Emanuel Schwarz
- Hector Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Dan J Stein
- SA MRC Unit on Risk & Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Dennis van der Meer
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Lars T Westlye
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Daniel S Quintana
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Institute of Clinical Medicine and Division of Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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Chiș A, Oltean LE, Bîlc M, Vulturar R, Șoflău R, David D, Szentágotai-Tătar A, Miu AC. Gene-Environment Interactions in Irrational Beliefs: The Roles of Childhood Adversity and Multiple Candidate Genes. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4206. [PMID: 38673790 PMCID: PMC11050227 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the view that maladaptive thinking is the causal mechanism of mental disorders. While this view is supported by extensive evidence, very limited work has addressed the factors that contribute to the development of maladaptive thinking. The present study aimed to uncover interactions between childhood maltreatment and multiple genetic differences in irrational beliefs. Childhood maltreatment and irrational beliefs were assessed using multiple self-report instruments in a sample of healthy volunteers (N = 452). Eighteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in six candidate genes related to neurotransmitter function (COMT; SLC6A4; OXTR), neurotrophic factors (BDNF), and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (NR3C1; CRHR1). Gene-environment interactions (G×E) were first explored in models that employed one measure of childhood maltreatment and one measure of irrational beliefs. These effects were then followed up in models in which either the childhood maltreatment measure, the irrational belief measure, or both were substituted by parallel measures. Consistent results across models indicated that childhood maltreatment was positively associated with irrational beliefs, and these relations were significantly influenced by COMT rs165774 and OXTR rs53576. These results remain preliminary until independent replication, but they represent the best available evidence to date on G×E in a fundamental mechanism of psychopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adina Chiș
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.C.); (R.V.)
- Department of Molecular Sciences, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Lia-Ecaterina Oltean
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (L.-E.O.); (R.Ș.); (D.D.)
- The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Mirela Bîlc
- Institute for General Practice and Interprofessional Care, University Hospital Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany;
| | - Romana Vulturar
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.C.); (R.V.)
- Department of Molecular Sciences, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Pasteur Street, 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Radu Șoflău
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (L.-E.O.); (R.Ș.); (D.D.)
- The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Daniel David
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (L.-E.O.); (R.Ș.); (D.D.)
- The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Aurora Szentágotai-Tătar
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (L.-E.O.); (R.Ș.); (D.D.)
- The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Andrei C. Miu
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania; (A.C.); (R.V.)
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Ford CL, McDonough AA, Horie K, Young LJ. Melanocortin agonism in a social context selectively activates nucleus accumbens in an oxytocin-dependent manner. Neuropharmacology 2024; 247:109848. [PMID: 38253222 PMCID: PMC10923148 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Social deficits are debilitating features of many psychiatric disorders, including autism. While time-intensive behavioral therapy is moderately effective, there are no pharmacological interventions for social deficits in autism. Many studies have attempted to treat social deficits using the neuropeptide oxytocin for its powerful neuromodulatory abilities and influence on social behaviors and cognition. However, clinical trials utilizing supplementation paradigms in which exogenous oxytocin is chronically administered independent of context have failed. An alternative treatment paradigm suggests pharmacologically activating the endogenous oxytocin system during behavioral therapy to enhance the efficacy of therapy by facilitating social learning. To this end, melanocortin receptor agonists like Melanotan II (MTII), which induces central oxytocin release and accelerates formation of partner preference, a form of social learning, in prairie voles, are promising pharmacological tools. To model pharmacological activation of the endogenous oxytocin system during behavioral therapy, we administered MTII prior to social interactions between male and female voles. We assessed its effect on oxytocin-dependent activity in brain regions subserving social learning using Fos expression as a proxy for neuronal activation. In non-social contexts, MTII only activated hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, a primary site of oxytocin synthesis. However, during social interactions, MTII selectively increased oxytocin-dependent activation of nucleus accumbens, a site critical for social learning. These results suggest a mechanism for the MTII-induced acceleration of partner preference formation observed in previous studies. Moreover, they are consistent with the hypothesis that pharmacologically activating the endogenous oxytocin system with a melanocortin agonist during behavioral therapy has potential to facilitate social learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles L Ford
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
| | - Anna A McDonough
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Kengo Horie
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Larry J Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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10
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Mosse IB, Sedlyar NG, Mosse KA, Kilchevsky AV. DNA methylation differences in genes associated with human personal disorders and deviant behavior. AIMS Neurosci 2024; 11:39-48. [PMID: 38617039 PMCID: PMC11007406 DOI: 10.3934/neuroscience.2024003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is involved in the progression of mental disorders, including deviant behavior, brain developmental, and personality disorders. The large number of genes has been studied for their activity association with stress and depression; however, the obtained results for the majority of these genes are contradictory. The aim of our study was to investigate the possible contribution of methylation level changes to the development of personality disorders and deviant behavior. A systematic study of CpG Islands in 21 target regions, including the promoter and intron regions of the 12 genes was performed in DNA samples extracted from peripheral blood cells, to obtain an overview of their methylation status. High-throughput sequencing of converted DNA samples was performed and calling of the methylation sites on the "original top strand" in CpG islands was carried out in the Bismark pipeline. The initial methylation profile of 77 patients and 48 controls samples revealed a significant difference in 7 CpG sites in 6 genes. The most significant hypermethylation was found for the target sites of the HTR2A (p-value = 1.2 × 10-13) and OXTR (p-value = 2.3 × 10-7) genes. These data support the previous reports that alterations in DNA methylation may play an important role in the dysregulation of gene expression associated with personality disorders and deviant behavior, and confirm their potential use as biomarkers to improve thediagnosis, prognosis, and assessment of response to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. B. Mosse
- Laboratory of Human Genetics, the Institute of Genetics and Cytology, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Republic of Belarus
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11
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Malvasi A, Ballini A, Tinelli A, Fioretti B, Vimercati A, Gliozheni E, Baldini GM, Cascardi E, Dellino M, Bonetti M, Cicinelli E, Vitagliano A, Damiani GR. Oxytocin augmentation and neurotransmitters in prolonged delivery: An experimental appraisal. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol X 2024; 21:100273. [PMID: 38274243 PMCID: PMC10809121 DOI: 10.1016/j.eurox.2023.100273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The uterus is a highly innervated organ, and during labor, this innervation is at its highest level. Oxytocinergic fibers play an important role in labor and delivery and, in particular, the Lower Uterine Segment, cervix, and fundus are all controlled by motor neurofibers. Oxytocin is a neurohormone that acts on receptors located on the membrane of the smooth cells of the myometrium. During the stages of labor and delivery, its binding causes myofibers to contract, which enables the fundus of the uterus to act as a mediator. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of oxytocinergic fibers in prolonged and non-prolonged dystocic delivery in a cohort of 90 patients, evaluated during the first and second stages of labor. Myometrial tissue samples were collected and evaluated by electron microscopy, in order to quantify differences in neurofibers concentrations between the investigated and control cohorts of patients. The authors of this experiment showed that the concentration of oxytocinergic fibers differs between non-prolonged and prolonged dystocic delivery. In particular, in prolonged dystocic delivery, compared to non-prolonged dystocic delivery, there is a lower amount of oxytocin fiber. The increase in oxytocin appeared to be ineffective in patients who experienced prolonged dystocic delivery, since the dystocic labor ended as a result of the altered presence of oxytocinergic fibers detected in this group of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Malvasi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Andrea Ballini
- Department of clinical and experimental medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, 71122, Italy
| | - Andrea Tinelli
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and CERICSAL (CEntro di RIcerca Clinico SALentino), Veris Delli Ponti Hospital, 73020 Scorrano, Italy
| | - Bernard Fioretti
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, Via dell'Elce di Sotto 8, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Antonella Vimercati
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Elko Gliozheni
- Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, 06156 Perugia, Italy
- University of Medicine of Tirana, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tirana, Albania
| | - Giorgio Maria Baldini
- Momo Fertilife, IVF Clinic, Bisceglie, 76011, Italy
- University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70121, Bari, Italy
| | - Eliano Cascardi
- Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Policlinico of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Miriam Dellino
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Monica Bonetti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Ettore Cicinelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Amerigo Vitagliano
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Gianluca Raffaello Damiani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
- Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Bari, Bari, Italy
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12
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Xu T, Chen Z, Zhou X, Wang L, Zhou F, Yao D, Zhou B, Becker B. The central renin-angiotensin system: A genetic pathway, functional decoding, and selective target engagement characterization in humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2306936121. [PMID: 38349873 PMCID: PMC10895353 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2306936121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Accumulating evidence suggests that the brain renin angiotensin system (RAS) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of cognition and behavior as well as in the neuropathology of neurological and mental disorders. The angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) mediates most functional and neuropathology-relevant actions associated with the central RAS. However, an overarching comprehension to guide translation and utilize the therapeutic potential of the central RAS in humans is currently lacking. We conducted a comprehensive characterization of the RAS using an innovative combination of transcriptomic gene expression mapping, image-based behavioral decoding, and pre-registered randomized controlled discovery-replication pharmacological resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) trials (N = 132) with a selective AT1R antagonist. The AT1R exhibited a particular dense expression in a subcortical network encompassing the thalamus, striatum, and amygdalo-hippocampal formation. Behavioral decoding of the AT1R gene expression brain map showed an association with memory, stress, reward, and motivational processes. Transient pharmacological blockade of the AT1R further decreased neural activity in subcortical systems characterized by a high AT1R expression, while increasing functional connectivity in the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamo-cortical circuitry. Effects of AT1R blockade on the network level were specifically associated with the transcriptomic signatures of the dopaminergic, opioid, acetylcholine, and corticotropin-releasing hormone signaling systems. The robustness of the results was supported in an independent pharmacological fMRI trial. These findings present a biologically informed comprehensive characterization of the central AT1R pathways and their functional relevance on the neural and behavioral level in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Xu
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, People’s Republic of China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu610054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhiyi Chen
- Experimental Research Center for Medical and Psychological Science, School of Psychology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing400037, People’s Republic of China
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing400715, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing400715, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xinqi Zhou
- Institute of Brain and Psychological Sciences, Sichuan Normal University, Chengdu 610066, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lan Wang
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, People’s Republic of China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu610054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng Zhou
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing400715, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing400715, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dezhong Yao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu610054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Bo Zhou
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, People’s Republic of China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- The Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu610054, People’s Republic of China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu610054, People’s Republic of China
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong999077, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong999077, People’s Republic of China
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13
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Li ZH, Li B, Zhang XY, Zhu JN. Neuropeptides and Their Roles in the Cerebellum. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2332. [PMID: 38397008 PMCID: PMC10889816 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Although more than 30 different types of neuropeptides have been identified in various cell types and circuits of the cerebellum, their unique functions in the cerebellum remain poorly understood. Given the nature of their diffuse distribution, peptidergic systems are generally assumed to exert a modulatory effect on the cerebellum via adaptively tuning neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, and synaptic plasticity within cerebellar circuits. Moreover, cerebellar neuropeptides have also been revealed to be involved in the neurogenetic and developmental regulation of the developing cerebellum, including survival, migration, differentiation, and maturation of the Purkinje cells and granule cells in the cerebellar cortex. On the other hand, cerebellar neuropeptides hold a critical position in the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of many cerebellar-related motor and psychiatric disorders, such as cerebellar ataxias and autism. Over the past two decades, a growing body of evidence has indicated neuropeptides as potential therapeutic targets to ameliorate these diseases effectively. Therefore, this review focuses on eight cerebellar neuropeptides that have attracted more attention in recent years and have significant potential for clinical application associated with neurodegenerative and/or neuropsychiatric disorders, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor, corticotropin-releasing factor, angiotensin II, neuropeptide Y, orexin, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, oxytocin, and secretin, which may provide novel insights and a framework for our understanding of cerebellar-related disorders and have implications for novel treatments targeting neuropeptide systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Hao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Z.-H.L.); (J.-N.Z.)
| | - Bin Li
- Women and Children’s Medical Research Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Xiao-Yang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Z.-H.L.); (J.-N.Z.)
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jing-Ning Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Department of Physiology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; (Z.-H.L.); (J.-N.Z.)
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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14
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He J, Li Q, Zhang Q. rvTWAS: identifying gene-trait association using sequences by utilizing transcriptome-directed feature selection. Genetics 2024; 226:iyad204. [PMID: 38001381 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Toward the identification of genetic basis of complex traits, transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) is successful in integrating transcriptome data. However, TWAS is only applicable for common variants, excluding rare variants in exome or whole-genome sequences. This is partly because of the inherent limitation of TWAS protocols that rely on predicting gene expressions. Our previous research has revealed the insight into TWAS: the 2 steps in TWAS, building and applying the expression prediction models, are essentially genetic feature selection and aggregations that do not have to involve predictions. Based on this insight disentangling TWAS, rare variants' inability of predicting expression traits is no longer an obstacle. Herein, we developed "rare variant TWAS," or rvTWAS, that first uses a Bayesian model to conduct expression-directed feature selection and then uses a kernel machine to carry out feature aggregation, forming a model leveraging expressions for association mapping including rare variants. We demonstrated the performance of rvTWAS by thorough simulations and real data analysis in 3 psychiatric disorders, namely schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. We confirmed that rvTWAS outperforms existing TWAS protocols and revealed additional genes underlying psychiatric disorders. Particularly, we formed a hypothetical mechanism in which zinc finger genes impact all 3 disorders through transcriptional regulations. rvTWAS will open a door for sequence-based association mappings integrating gene expressions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingni He
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Qing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Qingrun Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 1N4, Canada
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 1N4, Canada
- Arnie Charbonneau Cancer Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary T2N 1N4, Canada
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15
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Bottemanne H, English I, Bottemanne L, Torres P, Beauquier B, Joly L. From love to pain: is oxytocin the key to grief complications? L'ENCEPHALE 2024; 50:85-90. [PMID: 37993287 DOI: 10.1016/j.encep.2023.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
While most adults confronted with the death of a loved one manage to grieve, about 10-20% of individuals develop complicated grief, characterized by persistent distress and impaired social skills, or pathological grief, defined by the onset or decompensation of a psychiatric disorder. Little is known about the biological causes of these grief complications. Recent work suggests that oxytocin, a major neuroendocrine hormone regulating many neurocognitive mechanisms, may be involved in this process. Oxytocin is widely studied and well known for its impact on the mother-child bond and hormonal and brain systems related to attachment and social interactions. In this article, we propose a neurocognitive model of grief complications based on existing data on the role of oxytocin in interpersonal attachment and its impact on brain activity. We suggest that complicated grief is associated with dysfunctional cerebral oxytocinergic signaling and persistent hyperactivation of the nucleus accumbens. This mechanism is involved in limiting the reduction of interpersonal attachment to the deceased during acute phases and in searching for new interpersonal relationships during the recovery phase. We show how the exploration of cerebral oxytocinergic signaling would improve the understanding of physiological grief mechanisms in the general population and could allow the development of new therapeutic perspectives against the complications of grief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Bottemanne
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau (ICM), UMR 7225/UMRS 1127, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France; Department of Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, DMU Neuroscience, AP-HP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France; Department of Philosophy, SND Research Unit, UMR 8011, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
| | - Isolde English
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau (ICM), UMR 7225/UMRS 1127, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Laure Bottemanne
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau (ICM), UMR 7225/UMRS 1127, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France
| | - Paloma Torres
- Department of Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, DMU Neuroscience, AP-HP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | | | - Lucie Joly
- Paris Brain Institute - Institut du Cerveau (ICM), UMR 7225/UMRS 1127, CNRS, Inserm, Paris, France; Department of Psychiatry, Saint-Antoine Hospital, DMU Neuroscience, AP-HP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
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16
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Procyshyn TL, Leclerc Bédard LA, Crespi BJ, Bartz JA. CD38 genetic variation is associated with increased personal distress to an emotional stimulus. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2571. [PMID: 38297097 PMCID: PMC10831108 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53081-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic variation in CD38-a putative oxytocin pathway gene-has been linked to higher oxytocin levels, empathy, and sensitive parenting, but also to more negative interpersonal outcomes (e.g., alienation from friends and family, poorer romantic relationship quality). To reconcile these seemingly contradictory findings, we drew upon the idea that CD38 variation may heighten social-emotional sensitivity and, consequently, make individuals prone to negative emotions in distressing interpersonal situations. To test this hypothesis, we performed a secondary analysis of a dataset including participants' (n = 171; 94 females) empathic concern ("sympathetic") and distress-related ("anxious") responses to an emotional video. Distress responses were higher for the CD38 rs3796863 AA/AC group vs. the CC group (p = 0.03, η2 = 0.027); however, there was no significant effect of genotype for empathic concern responses to the video or for indices of trait empathy. These findings provide preliminary evidence that, in the face of an interpersonal stressor, CD38 genetic variation may predict more self-focused, aversive emotional reactions. More broadly, this finding highlights the need to adopt a more nuanced perspective in which the influence of oxytocin system variation (assessed by oxytocin-related genetic variation) should be considered in light of the social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya L Procyshyn
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 8AH, UK.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Laury-Ann Leclerc Bédard
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College Avenue, Montreal, H3A 1G1, Canada
| | - Bernard J Crespi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Jennifer A Bartz
- Department of Psychology, McGill University, 2001 McGill College Avenue, Montreal, H3A 1G1, Canada
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Fikri LH, As'ad S, Hatta M, Syamsuddin S, Prasetya H, Maddeppungeng M, Aminuddin A, Zainuddin AA, Hasanah I. Hypnotherapy influence on maternal psychological, breastfeeding, mRNA-OXTR expression, and OXTR protein. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL HYPNOSIS 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38241176 DOI: 10.1080/00029157.2023.2293288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Hypnotherapy has emerged as a potential alternative to improve exclusive breastfeeding rates, particularly in countries like Indonesia where they are below optimal levels. This study aims to evaluate the impact of audio hypnotherapy on the psychological, exclusive breastfeeding behavior, the OXTR protein and mRNA expression gene OXTR in mothers of infants aged 0-6 months. This study employed a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial design, conducted from November 2022 to May 2023 in 11 primary health centers. The study population included breastfeeding mothers with infants aged 0-6 months, with a total sample size of 70 respondents who were randomly divided into intervention (received audio hypnotherapy) and control groups (received standard care). The psychological condition was measured using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Exclusive breastfeeding behavior was assessed based on both quality and quantity. Genetic factors were evaluated through mRNA OXTR expression using real-time PCR and protein OXTR levels using ELISA. Analyzing data using linear and logistic regression models. Both bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed significant differences in psychological condition (p < .0001). There were big differences in the exclusive breastfeeding behavior (p < .0001), as well as in the amounts of protein OXTR and mRNA expression of the OXTR gene (p < .0001). We recommend the implementation of audio hypnotherapy as an effective complementary therapeutic approach to manage the psychological well-being, exclusive breastfeeding behavior, the mRNA expression of the OXTR gene and levels of OXTR protein in mothers of infants aged 0-6 months.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalu Hamzi Fikri
- Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia
- Provincial Health office, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
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18
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Davies C, Martins D, Dipasquale O, McCutcheon RA, De Micheli A, Ramella-Cravaro V, Provenzani U, Rutigliano G, Cappucciati M, Oliver D, Williams S, Zelaya F, Allen P, Murguia S, Taylor D, Shergill S, Morrison P, McGuire P, Paloyelis Y, Fusar-Poli P. Connectome dysfunction in patients at clinical high risk for psychosis and modulation by oxytocin. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02406-x. [PMID: 38243074 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02406-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Abnormalities in functional brain networks (functional connectome) are increasingly implicated in people at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis (CHR-P). Intranasal oxytocin, a potential novel treatment for the CHR-P state, modulates network topology in healthy individuals. However, its connectomic effects in people at CHR-P remain unknown. Forty-seven men (30 CHR-P and 17 healthy controls) received acute challenges of both intranasal oxytocin 40 IU and placebo in two parallel randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over studies which had similar but not identical designs. Multi-echo resting-state fMRI data was acquired at approximately 1 h post-dosing. Using a graph theoretical approach, the effects of group (CHR-P vs healthy control), treatment (oxytocin vs placebo) and respective interactions were tested on graph metrics describing the topology of the functional connectome. Group effects were observed in 12 regions (all pFDR < 0.05) most localised to the frontoparietal network. Treatment effects were found in 7 regions (all pFDR < 0.05) predominantly within the ventral attention network. Our major finding was that many effects of oxytocin on network topology differ across CHR-P and healthy individuals, with significant interaction effects observed in numerous subcortical regions strongly implicated in psychosis onset, such as the thalamus, pallidum and nucleus accumbens, and cortical regions which localised primarily to the default mode network (12 regions, all pFDR < 0.05). Collectively, our findings provide new insights on aberrant functional brain network organisation associated with psychosis risk and demonstrate, for the first time, that oxytocin modulates network topology in brain regions implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis in a clinical status (CHR-P vs healthy control) specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cathy Davies
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Daniel Martins
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Genève, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ottavia Dipasquale
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrea De Micheli
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Outreach And Support in South London (OASIS) Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Valentina Ramella-Cravaro
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Umberto Provenzani
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Grazia Rutigliano
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marco Cappucciati
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dominic Oliver
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Steve Williams
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Fernando Zelaya
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paul Allen
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Silvia Murguia
- Tower Hamlets Early Detection Service, East London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - David Taylor
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sukhi Shergill
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Kent and Medway Medical School, Canterbury, UK
| | - Paul Morrison
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Yannis Paloyelis
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Paolo Fusar-Poli
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Outreach And Support in South London (OASIS) Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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19
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Haaf R, Brandi ML, Albantakis L, Lahnakoski JM, Henco L, Schilbach L. Peripheral oxytocin levels are linked to hypothalamic gray matter volume in autistic adults: a cross-sectional secondary data analysis. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1380. [PMID: 38228703 PMCID: PMC10791615 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-50770-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is known to modulate social behavior and cognition and has been discussed as pathophysiological and therapeutic factor for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An accumulating body of evidence indicates the hypothalamus to be of particular importance with regard to the underlying neurobiology. Here we used a region of interest voxel-based morphometry (VBM) approach to investigate hypothalamic gray matter volume (GMV) in autistic (n = 29, age 36.03 ± 11.0) and non-autistic adults (n = 27, age 30.96 ± 11.2). Peripheral plasma OXT levels and the autism spectrum quotient (AQ) were used for correlation analyses. Results showed no differences in hypothalamic GMV in autistic compared to non-autistic adults but suggested a differential association between hypothalamic GMV and OXT levels, such that a positive association was found for the ASD group. In addition, hypothalamic GMV showed a positive association with autistic traits in the ASD group. Bearing in mind the limitations such as a relatively small sample size, a wide age range and a high rate of psychopharmacological treatment in the ASD sample, these results provide new preliminary evidence for a potentially important role of the HTH in ASD and its relationship to the OXT system, but also point towards the importance of interindividual differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raoul Haaf
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
- Graduate School, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt- Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Marie-Luise Brandi
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Laura Albantakis
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Outpatient and Day Clinic for Disorders of Social Interaction, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Juha M Lahnakoski
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Neurosciences and Medicine, Brain and Behaviour (INM-7), Research Center Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lara Henco
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonhard Schilbach
- Independent Max Planck Research Group for Social Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Outpatient and Day Clinic for Disorders of Social Interaction, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Munich, Germany
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
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20
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Ferraro S, Nigri A, Bruzzone MG, Medina Carrion JP, Fedeli D, Demichelis G, Chiapparini L, Ciullo G, Gonzalez AA, Proietti Cecchini A, Giani L, Becker B, Leone M. Involvement of the ipsilateral-to-the-pain anterior-superior hypothalamic subunit in chronic cluster headache. J Headache Pain 2024; 25:7. [PMID: 38212704 PMCID: PMC10782620 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-023-01711-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite hypothalamus has long being considered to be involved in the pathophysiology of cluster headache, the inconsistencies of previous neuroimaging studies and a limited understanding of the hypothalamic areas involved, impede a comprehensive interpretation of its involvement in this condition. METHODS We used an automated algorithm to extract hypothalamic subunit volumes from 105 cluster headache patients (57 chronic and 48 episodic) and 59 healthy individuals; after correcting the measures for the respective intracranial volumes, we performed the relevant comparisons employing logist regression models. Only for subunits that emerged as abnormal, we calculated their correlation with the years of illness and the number of headache attacks per day, and the effects of lithium treatment. As a post-hoc approach, using the 7 T resting-state fMRI dataset from the Human Connectome Project, we investigated whether the observed abnormal subunit, comprising the paraventricular nucleus and preoptic area, shows robust functional connectivity with the mesocorticolimbic system, which is known to be modulated by oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus and that is is abnormal in chronic cluster headache patients. RESULTS Patients with chronic (but not episodic) cluster headache, compared to control participants, present an increased volume of the anterior-superior hypothalamic subunit ipsilateral to the pain, which, remarkably, also correlates significantly with the number of daily attacks. The post-hoc approach showed that this hypothalamic area presents robust functional connectivity with the mesocorticolimbic system under physiological conditions. No evidence of the effects of lithium treatment on this abnormal subunit was found. CONCLUSIONS We identified the ipsilateral-to-the-pain antero-superior subunit, where the paraventricular nucleus and preoptic area are located, as the key hypothalamic region of the pathophysiology of chronic cluster headache. The significant correlation between the volume of this area and the number of daily attacks crucially reinforces this interpretation. The well-known roles of the paraventricular nucleus in coordinating autonomic and neuroendocrine flow in stress adaptation and modulation of trigeminovascular mechanisms offer important insights into the understanding of the pathophysiology of cluster headache.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Ferraro
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Nigri
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy.
| | - Maria Grazia Bruzzone
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Jean Paul Medina Carrion
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Fedeli
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Greta Demichelis
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
| | - Luisa Chiapparini
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
- Radiology Unit, Fodazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ciullo
- Department of Neuroradiology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Via Celoria 11, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Ariosky Areces Gonzalez
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Pinar del Río "Hermanos Saiz Montes de Oca", Pinar del Río, Cuba
| | | | - Luca Giani
- Department of Neurology, Fondazione Maugeri, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Benjamin Becker
- School of Life Science and Technology, MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Massimo Leone
- Department of Neuroalgology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy
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21
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Zhang X, He T, Wu Z, Wang Y, Liu H, Zhang B, Yang S, Wang D, Huang C, Duan J, Xu X, Xu X, Hashimoto K, Jiang R, Yang L, Yang C. The role of CD38 in inflammation-induced depression-like behavior and the antidepressant effect of (R)-ketamine. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 115:64-79. [PMID: 37793489 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.09.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
CD38 is involved in immune responses, cell proliferation, and has been identified in the brain, where it is implicated in inflammation processes and psychiatric disorders. We hypothesized that dysfunctional CD38 activity in the brain may contribute to the pathogenesis of depression. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, we used a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like model and conducted behavioral tests, molecular and morphological methods, along with optogenetic techniques. We microinjected adeno-associated virus into the hippocampal CA3 region with stereotaxic instrumentation. Our results showed a marked increase in CD38 expression in both the hippocampus and cortex of LPS-treated mice. Additionally, pharmacological inhibition and genetic knockout of CD38 effectively alleviated neuroinflammation, microglia activation, synaptic defects, and Sirt1/STAT3 signaling, subsequently improving depression-like behaviors. Moreover, optogenetic activation of glutamatergic neurons of hippocampal CA3 reduced the susceptibility of mice to depression-like behaviors, accompanied by reduced CD38 expression. We also found that (R)-ketamine, which displayed antidepressant effects, was linked to its anti-inflammatory properties by suppressing increased CD38 expression and reversing synaptic defects. In conclusion, hippocampal CD38 is closely linked to depression-like behaviors in an inflammation model, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for antidepressant development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinying Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Teng He
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Zifeng Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Hanyu Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Bingyuan Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Siqi Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Di Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Chaoli Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Jiahao Duan
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China
| | - Xiangyang Xu
- Nhwa Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Jiangsu Nhwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd & Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Central Nervous System Drug Research and Development, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Xiangqing Xu
- Nhwa Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Jiangsu Nhwa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd & Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Central Nervous System Drug Research and Development, Xuzhou 221116, China
| | - Kenji Hashimoto
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
| | - Riyue Jiang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Ling Yang
- Department of Cardiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou 213003, China.
| | - Chun Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
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22
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Liu R, Sun D, Xing X, Chen Q, Lu B, Meng B, Yuan H, Mo L, Sheng L, Zheng J, Wang Q, Chen J, Chen X. Intranasal oxytocin alleviates comorbid depressive symptoms in neuropathic pain via elevating hippocampal BDNF production in both female and male mice. Neuropharmacology 2024; 242:109769. [PMID: 37913985 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
The comorbidity of pain and depression is frequently observed in patients suffering from chronic pain and depression. However, the comorbid mechanism is not well elucidated and the therapeutic medication is still inadequate. Oxytocin is a neuropeptide synthesized in the hypothalamus. It has been reported to relieve chronic pain and depressive symptoms. However, the analgesic action and mechanisms of oxytocin have mainly been investigated using peripheral or spinal administration. Because of the advantage of intranasal delivery of oxytocin in crossing the blood-brain barrier, we investigated the effect of intranasal application of oxytocin on neuropathic pain and comorbid depressive symptoms in both female and male mice. In female and male mice receiving spared nerve injury (SNI) surgery, intranasal oxytocin (2.4 μg, daily for 28 days) attenuated depression-like behavior, but did not alleviate mechanical hyperalgesia. Intranasal oxytocin not only inhibited the activation of microglia and astrocytes, but also increased the downregulated oxytocin receptor (OTR) expression, reversed the elevated GluN2A, and restored the decreased BDNF expression in the hippocampus. SNI also decreased OTR expression in the spinal cord and increased spinal GluN2A and BDNF. However, intranasal oxytocin treatment did not change the expression levels of OTR, GluN2A, or BDNF in the spinal cord of neuropathic mice. The results suggest that the oxytocin signaling in the hippocampus is involved in the comorbidity of pain and depression, and intranasal oxytocin may have the potential to treat depressive symptoms in neuropathic pain patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongjun Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, China
| | - Daofan Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, China
| | - Xiuzhong Xing
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, China
| | - Qingge Chen
- The People's Hospital of Bozhou, Bozhou, Anhui, 236800, China
| | - Bo Lu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, China
| | - Bo Meng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, China
| | - Hui Yuan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, China
| | - Lan Mo
- Hunan Chest Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, 410013, China
| | - Liufang Sheng
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, China
| | - Jinwei Zheng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, China
| | - Qiusheng Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, China
| | - Junping Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ningbo No. 2 Hospital, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315010, China.
| | - Xiaowei Chen
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Health Science Center, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, 315211, China.
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23
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Menon R, Neumann ID. Detection, processing and reinforcement of social cues: regulation by the oxytocin system. Nat Rev Neurosci 2023; 24:761-777. [PMID: 37891399 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-023-00759-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Many social behaviours are evolutionarily conserved and are essential for the healthy development of an individual. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) is crucial for the fine-tuned regulation of social interactions in mammals. The advent and application of state-of-the-art methodological approaches that allow the activity of neuronal circuits involving OXT to be monitored and functionally manipulated in laboratory mammals have deepened our understanding of the roles of OXT in these behaviours. In this Review, we discuss how OXT promotes the sensory detection and evaluation of social cues, the subsequent approach and display of social behaviour, and the rewarding consequences of social interactions in selected reproductive and non-reproductive social behaviours. Social stressors - such as social isolation, exposure to social defeat or social trauma, and partner loss - are often paralleled by maladaptations of the OXT system, and restoring OXT system functioning can reinstate socio-emotional allostasis. Thus, the OXT system acts as a dynamic mediator of appropriate behavioural adaptations to environmental challenges by enhancing and reinforcing social salience and buffering social stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Menon
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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24
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Berven H, Kverneng S, Sheard E, Søgnen M, Af Geijerstam SA, Haugarvoll K, Skeie GO, Dölle C, Tzoulis C. NR-SAFE: a randomized, double-blind safety trial of high dose nicotinamide riboside in Parkinson's disease. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7793. [PMID: 38016950 PMCID: PMC10684646 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43514-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) replenishment therapy using nicotinamide riboside (NR) shows promise for Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. However, the optimal dose of NR remains unknown, and doses exceeding 2000 mg daily have not been tested in humans. To evaluate the safety of high-dose NR therapy, we conducted a single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase I trial on 20 individuals with PD, randomized 1:1 on NR 1500 mg twice daily (n = 10) or placebo (n = 10) for four weeks. The trial was conducted at the Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. The primary outcome was safety, defined as the frequency of moderate and severe adverse events. Secondary outcomes were tolerability defined as frequency of mild adverse events, change in the whole blood and urine NAD metabolome, and change in the clinical severity of PD, measured by MDS-UPDRS. All 20 participants completed the trial. The trial met all prespecified outcomes. NR therapy was well tolerated with no moderate or severe adverse events, and no significant difference in mild adverse events. NR therapy was associated with clinical improvement of total MDS-UPDRS scores. However, this change was also associated with a shorter interval since the last levodopa dose. NR greatly augmented the blood NAD metabolome with up to 5-fold increase in blood NAD+ levels. While NR-recipients exhibited a slight initial rise in serum homocysteine levels, the integrity of the methyl donor pool remained intact. Our results support extending the dose range of NR in phase II clinical trials to 3000 mg per day, with appropriate safety monitoring. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT05344404.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haakon Berven
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
- K.G. Jebsen Center for Translational Research in Parkinson's disease, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Simon Kverneng
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
- K.G. Jebsen Center for Translational Research in Parkinson's disease, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Erika Sheard
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway
| | - Mona Søgnen
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Kristoffer Haugarvoll
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway
| | - Geir-Olve Skeie
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway
| | - Christian Dölle
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
- K.G. Jebsen Center for Translational Research in Parkinson's disease, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Charalampos Tzoulis
- Neuro-SysMed, Department of Neurology, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway.
- Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
- K.G. Jebsen Center for Translational Research in Parkinson's disease, University of Bergen, Pb 7804, 5020, Bergen, Norway.
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25
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Tang L, Li J, Hu C, Zhou B, Lam PKS, Chen L. Isothiazolinone dysregulates the pattern of miRNA secretion: Endocrine implications for neurogenesis. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 181:108308. [PMID: 37939439 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Isothiazolinones are extensively used as preservatives and disinfectants in personal care products and household items. The unintended exposure of humans and animals to isothiazolinones has led to increasing concerns about their health hazards. The compound 4,5-Dichloro-2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (DCOIT), a representative isothiazolinone, can simultaneously induce endocrine disruption and neurotoxicity. However, the underlying mechanisms and linkages remain unclear. Our purpose was to elucidate the role of miRNAs as the signaling communicator during the crosstalk between endocrine and nervous systems in response to DCOIT stress. H295R cells were exposed to DCOIT, after which the alterations in intracellular miRNA composition, exosome secretory machinery, and extracellular miRNA composition were examined. Then, a PC12 cell line of neuronal differentiation potential was cultured with the extract of extracellular miRNAs from DCOIT-exposed H295R cell media to explore the functional implications in neurogenesis. The results showed that DCOIT exposure resulted in 349 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) in H295R cells, which were closely related to the regulation of multiple endocrine pathways. In the media of H295R cells exposed to DCOIT, 66 DEMs were identified, showing distinct compositions compared to intracellular DEMs with only 2 common DEMs (e.g., novel-m0541-5p of inverse changes in the cell and medium). Functional annotation showed that extracellular DEMs were not only associated with sex endocrine synchronization, but were also implicated in nervous system development, morphogenesis, and tumor. Incubating PC12 cells with the extracellular exosomes (containing miRNAs) from DCOIT-exposed H295R cells significantly increased the neurite growth, promoted neuronal differentiation, and shaped the transcriptomic fingerprint, implying that miRNAs may communicate transduction of toxic information of DCOIT in endocrine system to neurons. Overall, the present findings provide novel insight into the endocrine disrupting and neural toxicity of DCOIT. The miRNAs have the potential to serve as the epigenetic mechanism of systems toxicology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhu Tang
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jing Li
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chenyan Hu
- School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Bingsheng Zhou
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Paul K S Lam
- Department of Science, School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lianguo Chen
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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Weinstein SR, Erickson EN, Molina R, Bell AF. Maternal outcomes related to Genetic and epigenetic Variation in the oxytocin system: A scoping review. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 16:100209. [PMID: 38108031 PMCID: PMC10724832 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose In this scoping review, we synthesize the literature on oxytocin and oxytocin receptor genetic and epigenetic variation in relationship to breastfeeding, maternal caregiving behavior, and maternal mental health. Methods A literature search was conducted in early 2022, and updated in 2023, utilizing the PRISMA scoping review reporting method, using the following MeSH headings and key terms: oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, genetics, epigenetics, methylation, pregnancy, postnatal, breastfeeding, lactation, mother-infant relations and perinatal outcomes. The search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Library. Inclusion criteria included: human literature which was peer reviewed and found in primary sources, printed in the English language. In addition, the study must have reported genetic/epigenetic data in either the oxytocin or oxytocin receptor gene (maternal or infant up to 12 months after birth) in relation to a breastfeeding, maternal caregiving behavior or a maternal mental health outcome. There was no date limitation. Four authors reviewed studies for eligibility. Data was extracted using a structured data extraction form. Results A total of 23 studies met inclusion criteria for this review (breastfeeding n = 4, maternal caregiving behavior n = 7, and maternal mental health n = 16). Seventeen papers reported on oxytocin or oxytocin receptor genotype and nine reported epigenetic associations (namely DNA methylation). These totals are greater than 23, as studies reported on multiple outcomes. One paper assessed the interaction between genotype and methylation. While a number of genotype variations were reported, the single nucleotide polymorphism rs53576 on the oxytocin receptor gene was the most studied. Overall, variation in this polymorphism was related to postnatal depression symptoms. Among numerous epigenetic markers, site -934 was the most studied methylation site, and methylation status was associated with maternal depression and maternal caregiving behavior outcomes. Results suggest that early life experiences impact adult maternal caregiving behaviors and mental health outcomes, and vary based on genetic vulnerability. Breastfeeding outcomes were minimally studied. Conclusion This scoping review found that genetic and epigenetic variation at the oxytocin and oxytocin receptor genes were associated with maternal caregiving behavior and mental health, likely through complex gene and environment interactions. The findings suggest that maternal early life experiences and stress impact later caregiving behaviors and mental health in the postnatal period. The findings highlight potential pathways by which environment, experiences, and genes interact to impact maternal caregiving behavior and maternal mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rodin Molina
- Frontier Nursing University, Hyden, KY, USA
- BabyMoon Inn Birth Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Aleeca F. Bell
- University of Arizona College of Nursing, Tucson, AZ, USA
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Boender AJ, Johnson ZV, Gruenhagen GW, Horie K, Hegarty BE, Streelman JT, Walum H, Young LJ. Natural variation in oxytocin receptor signaling causes widespread changes in brain transcription: a link to the natural killer gene complex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.26.564214. [PMID: 37961356 PMCID: PMC10634851 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.26.564214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is a highly conserved neuropeptide that modulates social cognition, and variation in its receptor gene (Oxtr) is associated with divergent social phenotypes. The cellular mechanisms connecting Oxtr genotype to social phenotype remain obscure. We exploit an association between Oxtr polymorphisms and striatal-specific OXTR density in prairie voles to investigate how OXTR signaling influences the brain transcriptome. We discover widespread, OXTR signaling-dependent transcriptomic changes. Interestingly, OXTR signaling robustly modulates gene expression of C-type lectin-like receptors (CTLRs) in the natural killer gene complex, a genomic region associated with immune function. CTLRs are positioned to control microglial synaptic pruning; a process important for shaping neural circuits. Similar relationships between OXTR RNA and CTLR gene expression were found in human striatum. These data suggest a potential molecular mechanism by which variation in OXTR signaling due to genetic background and/or life-long social experiences, including nurturing/neglect, may affect circuit connectivity and social behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjen J. Boender
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zachary V. Johnson
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - George W. Gruenhagen
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kengo Horie
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brianna E. Hegarty
- School of Biological Sciences, Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jeffrey T. Streelman
- School of Biological Sciences, Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hasse Walum
- Marcus Autism Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Division of Autism & Related Disorders, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Larry J. Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Værøy H, Lahaye E, Dubessy C, Benard M, Nicol M, Cherifi Y, Takhlidjt S, do Rego JL, do Rego JC, Chartrel N, Fetissov SO. Immunoglobulin G is a natural oxytocin carrier which modulates oxytocin receptor signaling: relevance to aggressive behavior in humans. DISCOVER MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 3:21. [PMID: 37983005 PMCID: PMC10587035 DOI: 10.1007/s44192-023-00048-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin is a neuropeptide produced mainly in the hypothalamus and secreted in the CNS and blood. In the brain, it plays a major role in promoting social interactions. Here we show that in human plasma about 60% of oxytocin is naturally bound to IgG which modulates oxytocin receptor signaling. Further, we found that IgG of violent aggressive inmates were characterized by lower affinity for oxytocin, causing decreased oxytocin carrier capacity and reduced receptor activation as compared to men from the general population. Moreover, peripheral administration of oxytocin together with human oxytocin-reactive IgG to resident mice in a resident-intruder test, reduced c-fos activation in several brain regions involved in the regulation of aggressive/defensive behavior correlating with the attack number and duration. We conclude that IgG is a natural oxytocin carrier protein modulating oxytocin receptor signaling which can be relevant to the biological mechanisms of aggressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henning Værøy
- Department of Psychiatric Research, Akershus University Hospital, 1478, Nordbyhagen, Norway.
| | - Emilie Lahaye
- INSERM 1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication Laboratory, University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Christophe Dubessy
- INSERM 1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication Laboratory, University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
- INSERM US51, CNRS UAR 2026, Imagine Platform PRIMACEN- HeRacLeS, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Magalie Benard
- INSERM US51, CNRS UAR 2026, Imagine Platform PRIMACEN- HeRacLeS, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Marion Nicol
- INSERM 1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication Laboratory, University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Yamina Cherifi
- INSERM 1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication Laboratory, University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Saloua Takhlidjt
- INSERM 1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication Laboratory, University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Jean-Luc do Rego
- INSERM US51, CNRS UAR 2026, Behavioral Analysis Platform SCAC-HeRacLeS, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Jean-Claude do Rego
- INSERM US51, CNRS UAR 2026, Behavioral Analysis Platform SCAC-HeRacLeS, Institute for Research and Innovation in Biomedicine (IRIB), University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Nicolas Chartrel
- INSERM 1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication Laboratory, University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France
| | - Sergueï O Fetissov
- INSERM 1239, Neuroendocrine, Endocrine and Germinal Differentiation and Communication Laboratory, University of Rouen Normandie, 76000, Rouen, France.
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Kamrani-Sharif R, Hayes AW, Gholami M, Salehirad M, Allahverdikhani M, Motaghinejad M, Emanuele E. Oxytocin as neuro-hormone and neuro-regulator exert neuroprotective properties: A mechanistic graphical review. Neuropeptides 2023; 101:102352. [PMID: 37354708 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2023.102352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodegeneration is progressive cell loss in specific neuronal populations, often resulting in clinical consequences with significant medical, societal, and economic implications. Because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties, oxytocin has been proposed as a potential neuroprotective and neurobehavioral therapeutic agent, including modulating mood disturbances and cognitive enchantment. METHODS Literature searches were conducted using the following databases Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier Science Direct, Google Scholar, the Core Collection, and Cochrane from January 2000 to February 2023 for articles dealing with oxytocin neuroprotective properties in preventing or treating neurodegenerative disorders and diseases with a focus on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis/cell death. RESULTS The neuroprotective effects of oxytocin appears to be mediated by its anti-inflammatory properties, inhibition of neuro inflammation, activation of several antioxidant enzymes, inhibition of oxidative stress and free radical formation, activation of free radical scavengers, prevent of mitochondrial dysfunction, and inhibition of apoptosis. CONCLUSION Oxytocin acts as a neuroprotective agent by preventing neuro-apoptosis, neuro-inflammation, and neuronal oxidative stress, and by restoring mitochondrial function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roya Kamrani-Sharif
- Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center (CRDRC), National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - A Wallace Hayes
- University of South Florida College of Public Health, Tampa, FL, USA; Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Mina Gholami
- Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center (CRDRC), National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahsa Salehirad
- Cognitive and Neuroscience Research Center (CNRC), Amir-Almomenin Hospital, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Maryam Allahverdikhani
- Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center (CRDRC), National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Motaghinejad
- Chronic Respiratory Disease Research Center (CRDRC), National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (NRITLD), Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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30
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Kong XJ, Kang J, Liu K. Probiotic and intra-nasal oxytocin combination therapy on autonomic function and gut-brain axis signaling in young children and teens with autism spectrum disorder. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 166:1-9. [PMID: 37639877 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Autonomic dysfunction has been widely studied in individuals with autism spectral disorder (ASD); however, the autonomic response to probiotic and oxytocin (OT) combination intervention has not yet been explored. We conducted the present study that includes 35 individuals with ASD aged 3-20 years to explore autonomic responses to daily Lactobacillus plantarum probiotic supplementation and OT nasal spray treatment both alone and in combination. We identified significant improvements in autonomic indices from subjects receiving combination treatment relative to those receiving placebo. Parameters that were observed to improve following combination treatment are time domain metrics of heart rate variability (HRV), including the root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD), standard deviation of normal-to-normal R-R intervals (SDNN), and proportion of the number of pairs of adjacent NN intervals that differ by more than 50ms (pNN50, p < 0.05). Furthermore, individuals that received either probiotics or OT alone demonstrated fewer changes in RMSSD, pNN50, and SDNN. Several parameters that demonstrated significant improvements in combination therapy were found to be correlated with baseline levels of OT (LF power: r = -0.86, p = 0.024; mean HR: r = 0.89, p = 0.012). Additionally, Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) raw total scores (mean HR, r = 0.86, p = 0.024) and Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) raw total scores (mean HR r = 0.94, p = 0.017) were correlated with mean heart rate (HR) and HRV-derived parameters. These results provide further evidence of synergy of probiotic and OT combination and help us gain a better understanding of the role of the gut-brain axis in ASD phenotypes and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Jun Kong
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Jiayi Kang
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Kevin Liu
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
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31
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Muhie S, Gautam A, Misganaw B, Yang R, Mellon SH, Hoke A, Flory J, Daigle B, Swift K, Hood L, Doyle FJ, Wolkowitz OM, Marmar CR, Ressler K, Yehuda R, Hammamieh R, Jett M. Integrated analysis of proteomics, epigenomics and metabolomics data revealed divergent pathway activation patterns in the recent versus chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 113:303-316. [PMID: 37516387 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolomics, proteomics and DNA methylome assays, when done in tandem from the same blood sample and analyzed together, offer an opportunity to evaluate the molecular basis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) course and pathogenesis. We performed separate metabolomics, proteomics, and DNA methylome assays on blood samples from two well-characterized cohorts of 159 active duty male participants with relatively recent onset PTSD (<1.5 years) and 300 male veterans with chronic PTSD (>7 years). Analyses of the multi-omics datasets from these two independent cohorts were used to identify convergent and distinct molecular profiles that might constitute potential signatures of severity and progression of PTSD and its comorbid conditions. Molecular signatures indicative of homeostatic processes such as signaling and metabolic pathways involved in cellular remodeling, neurogenesis, molecular safeguards against oxidative stress, metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids, regulation of normal immune response, post-transcriptional regulation, cellular maintenance and markers of longevity were significantly activated in the active duty participants with recent PTSD. In contrast, we observed significantly altered multimodal molecular signatures associated with chronic inflammation, neurodegeneration, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, and cellular attritions in the veterans with chronic PTSD. Activation status of signaling and metabolic pathways at the early and late timepoints of PTSD demonstrated the differential molecular changes related to homeostatic processes at its recent and multi-system syndromes at its chronic phase. Molecular alterations in the recent PTSD seem to indicate some sort of recalibration or compensatory response, possibly directed in mitigating the pathological trajectory of the disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seid Muhie
- Medical Readiness Systems Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; The Geneva Foundation, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Aarti Gautam
- Medical Readiness Systems Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Burook Misganaw
- Medical Readiness Systems Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; Vysnova Inc. Landover, MD 20785, USA
| | - Ruoting Yang
- Medical Readiness Systems Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Synthia H Mellon
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Allison Hoke
- Medical Readiness Systems Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Janine Flory
- Department of Psychiatry, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Bernie Daigle
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Computer Science, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Kevin Swift
- Medical Readiness Systems Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Leroy Hood
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Francis J Doyle
- Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02134, USA
| | - Owen M Wolkowitz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Charles R Marmar
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Kerry Ressler
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Rachel Yehuda
- Department of Psychiatry, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10468, USA
| | - Rasha Hammamieh
- Medical Readiness Systems Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Marti Jett
- US Army Medical Research and Development Command, HQ, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
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Kraus J, Výborová E, Silani G. The effect of intranasal oxytocin on social reward processing in humans: a systematic review. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1244027. [PMID: 37779612 PMCID: PMC10536251 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1244027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the neurobiology of social reward processing is fundamental, holding promises for reducing maladaptive/dysfunctional social behaviors and boosting the benefits associated with a healthy social life. Current research shows that processing of social (vs. non-social) rewards may be driven by oxytocinergic signaling. However, studies in humans often led to mixed results. This review aimed to systematically summarize available experimental results that assessed the modulation of social reward processing by intranasal oxytocin (IN-OXY) administration in humans. The literature search yielded 385 results, of which 19 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. The effects of IN-OXY on subjective, behavioral, and (neuro)physiological output variables are discussed in relation to moderating variables-reward phase, reward type, onset and dosage, participants' sex/gender, and clinical condition. Results indicate that IN-OXY is mostly effective during the consumption ("liking") of social rewards. These effects are likely exerted by modulating the activity of the prefrontal cortex, insula, precuneus, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and striatum. Finally, we provide suggestions for designing future oxytocin studies. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42021278945, identifier CRD42021278945.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Kraus
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Eliška Výborová
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Giorgia Silani
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Schimmer J, Patwell R, Küppers S, Grinevich V. The Relationship Between Oxytocin and Alcohol Dependence. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2023. [PMID: 37697074 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2023_444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
The hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is well known for its prosocial, anxiolytic, and ameliorating effects on various psychiatric conditions, including alcohol use disorder (AUD). In this chapter, we will first introduce the basic neurophysiology of the OT system and its interaction with other neuromodulatory and neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Next, we provide an overview over the current state of research examining the effects of acute and chronic alcohol exposure on the OT system as well as the effects of OT system manipulation on alcohol-related behaviors in rodents and humans. In rodent models of AUD, OT has been repeatedly shown to reduce ethanol consumption, particularly in models of acute alcohol exposure. In humans however, the results of OT administration on alcohol-related behaviors are promising but not yet conclusive. Therefore, we further discuss several physiological and methodological limitations to the effective application of OT in the clinic and how they may be mitigated by the application of synthetic OT receptor (OTR) agonists. Finally, we discuss the potential efficacy of cutting-edge pharmacology and gene therapies designed to specifically enhance endogenous OT release and thereby rescue deficient expression of OT in the brains of patients with severe forms of AUD and other incurable mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Schimmer
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Ryan Patwell
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stephanie Küppers
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Central Institute of Mental Health, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
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Yoshida M, Momita K, Kuwahara M, Kasuya E, Sutoh M, Yayou KI. Behavior and heart rate variability after intranasal administration of oxytocin in Holstein steers. J Vet Med Sci 2023; 85:956-963. [PMID: 37495517 PMCID: PMC10539827 DOI: 10.1292/jvms.22-0323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide that regulates memory, emotion, stress response, and behavior in the brain. In our previous study with cattle, we demonstrated the anti-stress effect of intracerebroventricularly administered OXT on the central nervous system. However, it is important to investigate the effects of this peptide after intranasal administration, as it offers convenience and non-invasiveness for practical use. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of intranasal OXT on the behavior and autonomic nervous system of Holstein steers. The experiment followed a within-subjects design, including a total of six steers. Each steer received intranasal administration of either 1 mL of saline (SAL), 100 µg OXT (OXT100), or 200 µg OXT (OXT200). However, due to some issues, the sample size for the OXT200 group was reduced to five. After these treatments, we conducted electrocardiography recordings to analyze heart rate variability (HRV) and also made behavioral observations for 90 min. OXT200 tended to increase the time spent ruminating while lying down (Steel's multiple comparison test; P=0.053). In contrast, OXT treatment did not affect HRV indices. In conclusion, the current OXT dosage did not significantly affects behavior or the autonomic nervous system. However, the observed tendency to increase rumination may suggest a central effect of OXT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masumi Yoshida
- Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Chiba Prefecture Agricultural Mutual Aid Union Federation, Chiba, Japan
| | - Kosuke Momita
- School of Agriculture, Tokai University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Megmilk Snow Brand, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Kuwahara
- Department of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Etsuko Kasuya
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Madoka Sutoh
- College of Agriculture, Ibaraki University, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Yayou
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ibaraki, Japan
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35
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Cuesta-Marti C, Uhlig F, Muguerza B, Hyland N, Clarke G, Schellekens H. Microbes, oxytocin and stress: Converging players regulating eating behavior. J Neuroendocrinol 2023; 35:e13243. [PMID: 36872624 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin is a peptide-hormone extensively studied for its multifaceted biological functions and has recently gained attention for its role in eating behavior, through its action as an anorexigenic neuropeptide. Moreover, the gut microbiota is involved in oxytocinergic signaling through the brain-gut axis, specifically in the regulation of social behavior. The gut microbiota is also implicated in appetite regulation and is postulated to play a role in central regulation of hedonic eating. In this review, we provide an overview on oxytocin and its individual links with the microbiome, the homeostatic and non-homeostatic regulation of eating behavior as well as social behavior and stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Cuesta-Marti
- Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, Cork, Ireland
| | - Friederike Uhlig
- APC Microbiome Ireland, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Begoña Muguerza
- Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, Cork, Ireland
- Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Nutrigenomics Research Group, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Niall Hyland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Gerard Clarke
- APC Microbiome Ireland, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Harriët Schellekens
- Department of Anatomy & Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- APC Microbiome Ireland, Cork, Ireland
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Vogt C, Floegel M, Kasper J, Gispert-Sánchez S, Kell CA. Oxytocinergic modulation of speech production-a double-blind placebo-controlled fMRI study. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2023; 18:nsad035. [PMID: 37384576 PMCID: PMC10348401 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsad035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Many socio-affective behaviors, such as speech, are modulated by oxytocin. While oxytocin modulates speech perception, it is not known whether it also affects speech production. Here, we investigated effects of oxytocin administration and interactions with the functional rs53576 oxytocin receptor (OXTR) polymorphism on produced speech and its underlying brain activity. During functional magnetic resonance imaging, 52 healthy male participants read sentences out loud with either neutral or happy intonation, a covert reading condition served as a common baseline. Participants were studied once under the influence of intranasal oxytocin and in another session under placebo. Oxytocin administration increased the second formant of produced vowels. This acoustic feature has previously been associated with speech valence; however, the acoustic differences were not perceptually distinguishable in our experimental setting. When preparing to speak, oxytocin enhanced brain activity in sensorimotor cortices and regions of both dorsal and right ventral speech processing streams, as well as subcortical and cortical limbic and executive control regions. In some of these regions, the rs53576 OXTR polymorphism modulated oxytocin administration-related brain activity. Oxytocin also gated cortical-basal ganglia circuits involved in the generation of happy prosody. Our findings suggest that several neural processes underlying speech production are modulated by oxytocin, including control of not only affective intonation but also sensorimotor aspects during emotionally neutral speech.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Vogt
- Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany
| | - Mareike Floegel
- Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany
| | - Johannes Kasper
- Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany
| | - Suzana Gispert-Sánchez
- Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany
- Experimental Neurology, Department of Neurology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany
| | - Christian A Kell
- Department of Neurology and Brain Imaging Center Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Schleusenweg 2-16, Frankfurt am Main 60528, Germany
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Yao S, Chen Y, Zhuang Q, Zhang Y, Lan C, Zhu S, Becker B, Kendrick KM. Sniffing oxytocin: Nose to brain or nose to blood? Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3083-3091. [PMID: 37185959 PMCID: PMC10615745 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02075-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
In recent years ample studies have reported that intranasal administration of the neuropeptide oxytocin can facilitate social motivation and cognition in healthy and clinical populations. However, it is still unclear how effects are mediated since intranasally administered oxytocin can both directly enter the brain (nose to brain) and increase peripheral vascular concentrations (nose to blood). The relative functional contributions of these routes are not established and have received insufficient attention in the field. The current study used vasoconstrictor pretreatment to prevent intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) from increasing peripheral concentrations and measured effects on both resting-state neural (electroencephalography) and physiological responses (electrocardiogram, electrogastrogram and skin conductance). Results demonstrated that intranasal oxytocin alone produced robust and widespread increases of delta-beta cross-frequency coupling (CFC) from 30 min post-treatment but did not influence peripheral physiological measures. As predicted, vasoconstrictor pretreatment greatly reduced the normal increase in peripheral oxytocin concentrations and, importantly, abolished the majority of intranasal oxytocin effects on delta-beta CFC. Furthermore, time-dependent positive correlations were found between increases in plasma oxytocin concentrations and corresponding increases in delta-beta CFC following oxytocin treatment alone. Our findings suggest a critical role of peripheral vasculature-mediated routes on neural effects of exogenous oxytocin administration with important translational implications for its use as an intervention in psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuxia Yao
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
| | - Yuanshu Chen
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Qian Zhuang
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Center for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
| | - Yingying Zhang
- Department of Molecular Psychology, Institute of Psychology and Education, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Chunmei Lan
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Siyu Zhu
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Benjamin Becker
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- Center of Psychosomatic Medicine, Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
- The MOE Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China.
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Imaizumi J, Kamada S, Taniguchi M, Sugimoto T, Maeda T, Arakaki R, Yamamoto S, Shirakawa A, Mineda A, Yoshida A, Iwasa T, Kaji T. Developmental Changes in Hypothalamic and Serum Oxytocin Levels in Prenatally Normally Nourished and Undernourished Rats. Nutrients 2023; 15:2768. [PMID: 37375670 DOI: 10.3390/nu15122768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in the activities of some metabolic factors have been suggested to increase the risk of conditions associated with the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). We examined changes in oxytocin (OT), a metabolic factor, and OT receptor (OTR) mRNA levels throughout the developmental period in rats of intrauterine undernutrition. Pregnant rats were divided into two groups: a maternal normal nutrition (mNN) and maternal undernutrition (mUN) group. Serum OT concentrations and hypothalamic mRNA levels of OT and OTR were measured in both offspring at various postnatal stages. Both offspring showed significant increases in serum OT concentrations during the neonatal period, significant reductions around the pubertal period, and significant increases in adulthood. Hypothalamic OT mRNA expression levels gradually increased from the neonatal to pubertal period and decreased in adulthood in both offspring. In the pre-weaning period, hypothalamic OT mRNA expression levels were significantly lower in the mUN offspring than in the mNN offspring. In the mUN offspring, hypothalamic OTR mRNA expression levels transiently increased during the neonatal period, decreased around the pubertal period, and increased again in adulthood, whereas transient changes were not detected in mNN offspring. These changes could affect nutritional and metabolic regulation systems in later life and play a role in the mechanisms underlying DOHaD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junki Imaizumi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Shuhei Kamada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Miyu Taniguchi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Tatsuro Sugimoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Takaaki Maeda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Arakaki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Shota Yamamoto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
- Department of Renal and Genitourinary Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8648, Japan
| | - Aya Shirakawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Ayuka Mineda
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Atsuko Yoshida
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Takeshi Iwasa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
| | - Takashi Kaji
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan
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Liu H, Li W, Liu N, Tang J, Sun L, Xu J, Ji Y, Xie Y, Ding H, Ye Z, Yu C, Qin W. Structural covariances of prefrontal subregions selectively associate with dopamine-related gene coexpression and schizophrenia. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:8035-8045. [PMID: 36935097 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence highlights that dopamine (DA) system dysregulation and prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction may underlie the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. However, the associations among DA genes, PFC morphometry, and schizophrenia have not yet been fully clarified. Based on the brain gene expression dataset from Allen Human Brain Atlas and structural magnetic resonance imaging data (NDIS = 1727, NREP = 408), we first identified 10 out of 22 PFC subregions whose gray matter volume (GMV) covariance profiles were reliably associated with their DA genes coexpression profiles, then four out of the identified 10 PFC subregions demonstrated abnormally increased GMV covariance with the hippocampus, insula, and medial frontal areas in schizophrenia patients (NCASE = 100; NCONTROL = 102). Moreover, based on a schizophrenia postmortem expression dataset, we found that the DA genes coexpression of schizophrenia was significantly reduced between the middle frontal gyrus and hippocampus, in which 21 DA genes showed significantly unsynchronized expression changes, and the 21 genes' brain expression were enriched in brain activity invoked by working memory, reward, speech production, and episodic memory. Our findings indicate the DA genes selectively regulate the structural covariance of PFC subregions by their coexpression profiles, which may underlie the disrupted GMV covariance and impaired cognitive functions in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaigui Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Nana Liu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Jie Tang
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Lixin Sun
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Jiayuan Xu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Yuan Ji
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Yingying Xie
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Hao Ding
- School of Medical Imaging, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Zhaoxiang Ye
- Department of Radiology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Chunshui Yu
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Wen Qin
- Department of Radiology and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Functional Imaging, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin 300052, China
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Mohamed W, Kumar J, Alghamdi BS, Soliman AH, Toshihide Y. Neurodegeneration and inflammation crosstalk: Therapeutic targets and perspectives. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2023; 14:95-110. [PMID: 37388502 PMCID: PMC10300452 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Glia, which was formerly considered to exist just to connect neurons, now plays a key function in a wide range of physiological events, including formation of memory, learning, neuroplasticity, synaptic plasticity, energy consumption, and homeostasis of ions. Glial cells regulate the brain's immune responses and confers nutritional and structural aid to neurons, making them an important player in a broad range of neurological disorders. Alzheimer's, ALS, Parkinson's, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and epilepsy are a few of the neurodegenerative diseases that have been linked to microglia and astroglia cells, in particular. Synapse growth is aided by glial cell activity, and this activity has an effect on neuronal signalling. Each glial malfunction in diverse neurodegenerative diseases is distinct, and we will discuss its significance in the progression of the illness, as well as its potential for future treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wael Mohamed
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan, Malaysia
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, Menoufia Medical School, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Jaya Kumar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, UKM Medical Centre (UKMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
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41
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Murray SB, Rokicki J, Sartorius AM, Winterton A, Andreassen OA, Westlye LT, Nagata JM, Quintana DS. Brain-based gene expression of putative risk genes for anorexia nervosa. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:2612-2619. [PMID: 37221367 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02110-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The etiology of anorexia nervosa (AN) remains elusive. Recent genome-wide association studies identified the first genes liked to AN which reached genome-wide significance, although our understanding of how these genes confer risk remains preliminary. Here, we leverage the Allen Human Brain Atlas to characterize the spatially distributed gene expression patterns of genes linked to AN in the non-disordered human brain, developing whole-brain maps of AN gene expression. We found that genes associated with AN are most expressed in the brain, relative to all other body tissue types, and demonstrate gene-specific expression patterns which extend to cerebellar, temporal and basal ganglia structures in particular. fMRI meta-analyses reveal that AN gene expression maps correspond with functional brain activity involved in processing and anticipating appetitive and aversive cues. Findings offer novel insights around putative mechanisms through which genes associated with AN may confer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart B Murray
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jaroslav Rokicki
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division for Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychiatry, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Alina M Sartorius
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division for Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Adriano Winterton
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division for Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Division of Mental and Physical Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ole A Andreassen
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division for Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Lars T Westlye
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division for Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jason M Nagata
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel S Quintana
- Norwegian Centre for Mental Disorders Research (NORMENT), Division for Mental Health and Addiction, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
- Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- KG Jebsen Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
- NevSom, Department of Rare Disorders and Disabilities, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
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42
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Tomberlin JK, Miranda C, Flint C, Harris E, Wu G. Lactation in the human. Anim Front 2023; 13:64-70. [PMID: 37324212 PMCID: PMC10425138 DOI: 10.1093/af/vfad021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Chelsea Miranda
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Casey Flint
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Erin Harris
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
| | - Guoyao Wu
- Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
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Schneider E, Hopf D, Aguilar-Raab C, Scheele D, Neubauer AB, Sailer U, Hurlemann R, Eckstein M, Ditzen B. Affectionate touch and diurnal oxytocin levels: An ecological momentary assessment study. eLife 2023; 12:81241. [PMID: 37252874 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Affectionate touch, which is vital for mental and physical health, was restricted during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study investigated the association between momentary affectionate touch and subjective well-being, as well as salivary oxytocin and cortisol in everyday life during the pandemic. Methods In the first step, we measured anxiety and depression symptoms, loneliness and attitudes toward social touch in a large cross-sectional online survey (N = 1050). From this sample, N = 247 participants completed ecological momentary assessments over 2 days with six daily assessments by answering smartphone-based questions on affectionate touch and momentary mental state, and providing concomitant saliva samples for cortisol and oxytocin assessment. Results Multilevel models showed that on a within-person level, affectionate touch was associated with decreased self-reported anxiety, general burden, stress, and increased oxytocin levels. On a between-person level, affectionate touch was associated with decreased cortisol levels and higher happiness. Moreover, individuals with a positive attitude toward social touch experiencing loneliness reported more mental health problems. Conclusions Our results suggest that affectionate touch is linked to higher endogenous oxytocin in times of pandemic and lockdown and might buffer stress on a subjective and hormonal level. These findings might have implications for preventing mental burden during social contact restrictions. Funding The study was funded by the German Research Foundation, the German Psychological Society, and German Academic Exchange Service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Schneider
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dora Hopf
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Corina Aguilar-Raab
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dirk Scheele
- Department of Social Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Andreas B Neubauer
- Department for Education and Human Development, DIPF|Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt, Germany
- Center for Research on Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Uta Sailer
- Department of Behavioural Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - René Hurlemann
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oldenburg, Bad ZwischenahnOldenburg, Germany
| | - Monika Eckstein
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Beate Ditzen
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Neville MC, Demerath EW, Hahn-Holbrook J, Hovey RC, Martin-Carli J, McGuire MA, Newton ER, Rasmussen KM, Rudolph MC, Raiten DJ. Parental factors that impact the ecology of human mammary development, milk secretion, and milk composition-a report from "Breastmilk Ecology: Genesis of Infant Nutrition (BEGIN)" Working Group 1. Am J Clin Nutr 2023; 117 Suppl 1:S11-S27. [PMID: 37173058 PMCID: PMC10232333 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajcnut.2022.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The goal of Working Group 1 in the Breastmilk Ecology: Genesis of Infant Nutrition (BEGIN) Project was to outline factors influencing biological processes governing human milk secretion and to evaluate our current knowledge of these processes. Many factors regulate mammary gland development in utero, during puberty, in pregnancy, through secretory activation, and at weaning. These factors include breast anatomy, breast vasculature, diet, and the lactating parent's hormonal milieu including estrogen, progesterone, placental lactogen, cortisol, prolactin, and growth hormone. We examine the effects of time of day and postpartum interval on milk secretion, along with the role and mechanisms of lactating parent-infant interactions on milk secretion and bonding, with particular attention to the actions of oxytocin on the mammary gland and the pleasure systems in the brain. We then consider the potential effects of clinical conditions including infection, pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, cardiovascular health, inflammatory states, mastitis, and particularly, gestational diabetes and obesity. Although we know a great deal about the transporter systems by which zinc and calcium pass from the blood stream into milk, the interactions and cellular localization of transporters that carry substrates such as glucose, amino acids, copper, and the many other trace metals present in human milk across plasma and intracellular membranes require more research. We pose the question of how cultured mammary alveolar cells and animal models can help answer lingering questions about the mechanisms and regulation of human milk secretion. We raise questions about the role of the lactating parent and the infant microbiome and the immune system during breast development, secretion of immune molecules into milk, and protection of the breast from pathogens. Finally, we consider the effect of medications, recreational and illicit drugs, pesticides, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals on milk secretion and composition, emphasizing that this area needs much more research attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C Neville
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Ellen W Demerath
- Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States
| | - Jennifer Hahn-Holbrook
- Department of Psychological Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, CA, United States
| | - Russell C Hovey
- Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Jayne Martin-Carli
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Mark A McGuire
- Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Edward R Newton
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, United States
| | - Kathleen M Rasmussen
- Nancy Schlegel Meinig Professor of Maternal and Child Nutrition, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Michael C Rudolph
- The University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK, United States
| | - Daniel J Raiten
- Pediatric Growth and Nutrition Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Szewczyk AK, Ulutas S, Aktürk T, Al-Hassany L, Börner C, Cernigliaro F, Kodounis M, Lo Cascio S, Mikolajek D, Onan D, Ragaglini C, Ratti S, Rivera-Mancilla E, Tsanoula S, Villino R, Messlinger K, Maassen Van Den Brink A, de Vries T. Prolactin and oxytocin: potential targets for migraine treatment. J Headache Pain 2023; 24:31. [PMID: 36967387 PMCID: PMC10041814 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-023-01557-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a severe neurovascular disorder of which the pathophysiology is not yet fully understood. Besides the role of inflammatory mediators that interact with the trigeminovascular system, cyclic fluctuations in sex steroid hormones are involved in the sex dimorphism of migraine attacks. In addition, the pituitary-derived hormone prolactin and the hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin have been reported to play a modulating role in migraine and contribute to its sex-dependent differences. The current narrative review explores the relationship between these two hormones and the pathophysiology of migraine. We describe the physiological role of prolactin and oxytocin, its relationship to migraine and pain, and potential therapies targeting these hormones or their receptors.In summary, oxytocin and prolactin are involved in nociception in opposite ways. Both operate at peripheral and central levels, however, prolactin has a pronociceptive effect, while oxytocin appears to have an antinociceptive effect. Therefore, migraine treatment targeting prolactin should aim to block its effects using prolactin receptor antagonists or monoclonal antibodies specifically acting at migraine-pain related structures. This action should be local in order to avoid a decrease in prolactin levels throughout the body and associated adverse effects. In contrast, treatment targeting oxytocin should enhance its signalling and antinociceptive effects, for example using intranasal administration of oxytocin, or possibly other oxytocin receptor agonists. Interestingly, the prolactin receptor and oxytocin receptor are co-localized with estrogen receptors as well as calcitonin gene-related peptide and its receptor, providing a positive perspective on the possibilities for an adequate pharmacological treatment of these nociceptive pathways. Nevertheless, many questions remain to be answered. More particularly, there is insufficient data on the role of sex hormones in men and the correct dosing according to sex differences, hormonal changes and comorbidities. The above remains a major challenge for future development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K Szewczyk
- Doctoral School, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
- Department of Neurology, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Samiye Ulutas
- Department of Neurology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Tülin Aktürk
- Department of Neurology, Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Linda Al-Hassany
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Corinna Börner
- Department of Pediatrics - Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU Hospital, Division of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München, Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337, Munich, Germany
- LMU Center for Children with Medical Complexity - iSPZ Hauner, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Lindwurmstr. 4, 80337, Munich, Germany
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, School of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany
- TUM-Neuroimaging Center, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Federica Cernigliaro
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit Department, Pro.M.I.S.E. "G D'Alessandro, University of Palermo, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - Michalis Kodounis
- First Department of Neurology, Eginition Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Salvatore Lo Cascio
- Child Neuropsychiatry Unit Department, Pro.M.I.S.E. "G D'Alessandro, University of Palermo, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - David Mikolajek
- Department of Neurology, City Hospital Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Dilara Onan
- Spine Health Unit, Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Ragaglini
- Neuroscience Section, Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Susanna Ratti
- Neuroscience Section, Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology, University of L'Aquila, 67100, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Eduardo Rivera-Mancilla
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sofia Tsanoula
- Department of Neurology, 401 Military Hospital of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Rafael Villino
- Department of Neurology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Karl Messlinger
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Antoinette Maassen Van Den Brink
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa de Vries
- Division of Vascular Medicine and Pharmacology, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Siecinski SK, Giamberardino SN, Spanos M, Hauser AC, Gibson JR, Chandrasekhar T, Trelles MDP, Rockhill CM, Palumbo ML, Cundiff AW, Montgomery A, Siper P, Minjarez M, Nowinski LA, Marler S, Kwee LC, Shuffrey LC, Alderman C, Weissman J, Zappone B, Mullett JE, Crosson H, Hong N, Luo S, She L, Bhapkar M, Dean R, Scheer A, Johnson JL, King BH, McDougle CJ, Sanders KB, Kim SJ, Kolevzon A, Veenstra-VanderWeele J, Hauser ER, Sikich L, Gregory SG. Genetic and epigenetic signatures associated with plasma oxytocin levels in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Res 2023; 16:502-523. [PMID: 36609850 PMCID: PMC10023458 DOI: 10.1002/aur.2884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OT), the brain's most abundant neuropeptide, plays an important role in social salience and motivation. Clinical trials of the efficacy of OT in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have reported mixed results due in part to ASD's complex etiology. We investigated whether genetic and epigenetic variation contribute to variable endogenous OT levels that modulate sensitivity to OT therapy. To carry out this analysis, we integrated genome-wide profiles of DNA-methylation, transcriptional activity, and genetic variation with plasma OT levels in 290 participants with ASD enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of OT. Our analysis identified genetic variants with novel association with plasma OT, several of which reside in known ASD risk genes. We also show subtle but statistically significant association of plasma OT levels with peripheral transcriptional activity and DNA-methylation profiles across several annotated gene sets. These findings broaden our understanding of the effects of the peripheral oxytocin system and provide novel genetic candidates for future studies to decode the complex etiology of ASD and its interaction with OT signaling and OT-based interventions. LAY SUMMARY: Oxytocin (OT) is an abundant chemical produced by neurons that plays an important role in social interaction and motivation. We investigated whether genetic and epigenetic factors contribute to variable OT levels in the blood. To this, we integrated genetic, gene expression, and non-DNA regulated (epigenetic) signatures with blood OT levels in 290 participants with autism enrolled in an OT clinical trial. We identified genetic association with plasma OT, several of which reside in known autism risk genes. We also show statistically significant association of plasma OT levels with gene expression and epigenetic across several gene pathways. These findings broaden our understanding of the factors that influence OT levels in the blood for future studies to decode the complex presentation of autism and its interaction with OT and OT-based treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen K Siecinski
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Marina Spanos
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Annalise C Hauser
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jason R Gibson
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Tara Chandrasekhar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - M D Pilar Trelles
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Carol M Rockhill
- Department of Psychiatry, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Michelle L Palumbo
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Paige Siper
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mendy Minjarez
- Department of Psychiatry, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lisa A Nowinski
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah Marler
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Lydia C Kwee
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Cheryl Alderman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jordana Weissman
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brooke Zappone
- Department of Psychiatry, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jennifer E Mullett
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hope Crosson
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Natalie Hong
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sheng Luo
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lilin She
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Manjushri Bhapkar
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Russell Dean
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Abby Scheer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jacqueline L Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Bryan H King
- Department of Psychiatry, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Christopher J McDougle
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kevin B Sanders
- Department of Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Soo-Jeong Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Seattle Children’s Hospital and the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Alexander Kolevzon
- Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth R Hauser
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Linmarie Sikich
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Simon G Gregory
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Neurology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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47
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Johnson CE, Hammock EAD, Dewan AK. Vasopressin receptor 1a, oxytocin receptor, and oxytocin knockout male and female mice display normal perceptual abilities towards non-social odorants. Horm Behav 2023; 148:105302. [PMID: 36628861 PMCID: PMC10067158 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Genetic knockouts of the vasopressin receptor 1a (Avpr1a), oxytocin receptor (Oxtr), or oxytocin (Oxt) gene in mice have helped cement the causal relationship between these neuropeptide systems and various social behaviors (e.g., social investigation, recognition, and communication, as well as territoriality and aggression). In mice, these social behaviors depend upon the olfactory system. Thus, it is critical to assess the olfactory capabilities of these knockout models to accurately interpret the observed differences in social behavior. Prior studies utilizing these transgenic mice have sought to test for baseline deficits in olfactory processing; predominantly through use of odor habituation/dishabituation tasks, buried food tests, or investigation assays using non-social odorants. While informative, these assays rely on the animal's intrinsic motivation and locomotor behavior to measure olfactory capabilities and thus, often yield mixed results. Instead, psychophysical analyses using operant conditioning procedures and flow-dilution olfactometry are ideally suited to precisely quantify olfactory perception. In the present study, we used these methods to assess the main olfactory capabilities of adult male and female Avpr1a, Oxtr, and Oxt transgenic mice to volatile non-social odorants. Our results indicate that homozygous and heterozygous knockout mice of all three strains have the same sensitivity and discrimination ability as their wild-type littermates. These data strongly support the hypothesis that the observed social deficits of these global knockout mice are not due to baseline deficits of their main olfactory system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Elise Johnson
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.
| | - Elizabeth Anne Dunn Hammock
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.
| | - Adam Kabir Dewan
- Department of Psychology, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.
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48
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Oxytocin receptor DNA methylation is associated with exogenous oxytocin needs during parturition and postpartum hemorrhage. COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE 2023; 3:11. [PMID: 36707542 PMCID: PMC9882749 DOI: 10.1038/s43856-023-00244-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) is regulated, in part, by DNA methylation. This mechanism has implications for uterine contractility during labor and for prevention or treatment of postpartum hemorrhage, an important contributor to global maternal morbidity and mortality. METHODS We measured and compared the level of OXTR DNA methylation between matched blood and uterine myometrium to evaluate blood as an indicator of uterine methylation status using targeted pyrosequencing and sites from the Illumina EPIC Array. Next, we tested for OXTR DNA methylation differences in blood between individuals who experienced a postpartum hemorrhage arising from uterine atony and matched controls following vaginal birth. Bivariate statistical tests, generalized linear modeling and Poisson regression were used in the analyses. RESULTS Here we show a significant positive correlation between blood and uterine DNA methylation levels at several OXTR loci. Females with higher OXTR DNA methylation in blood had required significantly more exogenous oxytocin during parturition. With higher DNA methylation, those who had oxytocin administered during labor had significantly greater relative risk for postpartum hemorrhage (IRR 2.95, 95% CI 1.53-5.71). CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence that epigenetic variability in OXTR is associated with the amount of oxytocin administered during parturition and moderates subsequent postpartum hemorrhage. Methylation can be measured using a peripheral tissue, suggesting potential use in identifying individuals susceptible to postpartum hemorrhage. Future studies are needed to quantify myometrial gene expression in connection with OXTR methylation.
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49
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Habets PC, Kalafatakis K, Dzyubachyk O, van der Werff SJ, Keo A, Thakrar J, Mahfouz A, Pereira AM, Russell GM, Lightman SL, Meijer OC. Transcriptional and cell type profiles of cortical brain regions showing ultradian cortisol rhythm dependent responses to emotional face stimulation. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 22:100514. [PMID: 36660181 PMCID: PMC9842700 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The characteristic endogenous circadian rhythm of plasma glucocorticoid concentrations is made up from an underlying ultradian pulsatile secretory pattern. Recent evidence has indicated that this ultradian cortisol pulsatility is crucial for normal emotional response in man. In this study, we investigate the anatomical transcriptional and cell type signature of brain regions sensitive to a loss of ultradian rhythmicity in the context of emotional processing. We combine human cell type and transcriptomic atlas data of high spatial resolution with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. We show that the loss of cortisol ultradian rhythm alters emotional processing response in cortical brain areas that are characterized by transcriptional and cellular profiles of GABAergic function. We find that two previously identified key components of rapid non-genomic GC signaling - the ANXA1 gene and retrograde endocannabinoid signaling - show most significant differential expression (q = 3.99e-10) and enrichment (fold enrichment = 5.56, q = 9.09e-4). Our results further indicate that specific cell types, including a specific NPY-expressing GABAergic neuronal cell type, and specific G protein signaling cascades underly the cerebral effects of a loss of ultradian cortisol rhythm. Our results provide a biological mechanistic underpinning of our fMRI findings, indicating specific cell types and cascades as a target for manipulation in future experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe C. Habets
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands,Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, 1081 HZ, Amsterdam, the Netherlands,Corresponding author. Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Konstantinos Kalafatakis
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories of Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, BS1 3NY, Bristol, United Kingdom,Institute of Health Science Education, Barts and the London School of Medicine & Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London Malta Campus, VCT 2520, Victoria Gozo, Malta
| | - Oleh Dzyubachyk
- Department of Radiology, Division of Medical Image Processing, Leiden University Medical Center, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands,Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Section Electron Microscopy, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Steven J.A. van der Werff
- Department of Psychiatry, Leiden University Medical Center LUMC, Leiden, the Netherlands,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Arlin Keo
- Leiden Computational Biology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands,Delft Bioinformatics Lab, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Jamini Thakrar
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories of Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, BS1 3NY, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Ahmed Mahfouz
- Leiden Computational Biology Center, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands,Delft Bioinformatics Lab, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands,Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Alberto M. Pereira
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands,Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Georgina M. Russell
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories of Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, BS1 3NY, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Stafford L. Lightman
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories of Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, BS1 3NY, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Onno C. Meijer
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands,Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, the Netherlands
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50
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Tabak BA, Leng G, Szeto A, Parker KJ, Verbalis JG, Ziegler TE, Lee MR, Neumann ID, Mendez AJ. Advances in human oxytocin measurement: challenges and proposed solutions. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:127-140. [PMID: 35999276 PMCID: PMC9812775 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01719-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin, a neuropeptide known for its role in reproduction and socioemotional processes, may hold promise as a therapeutic agent in treating social impairments in patient populations. However, research has yet to uncover precisely how to manipulate this system for clinical benefit. Moreover, inconsistent use of standardized and validated oxytocin measurement methodologies-including the design and study of hormone secretion and biochemical assays-present unresolved challenges. Human studies measuring peripheral (i.e., in plasma, saliva, or urine) or central (i.e., in cerebrospinal fluid) oxytocin concentrations have involved very diverse methods, including the use of different assay techniques, further compounding this problem. In the present review, we describe the scientific value in measuring human endogenous oxytocin concentrations, common issues in biochemical analysis and study design that researchers face when doing so, and our recommendations for improving studies using valid and reliable methodologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A Tabak
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Gareth Leng
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Angela Szeto
- Department of Psychology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA
| | - Karen J Parker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joseph G Verbalis
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Toni E Ziegler
- Assay Services Unit and Institute for Clinical and Translational Research Core Laboratory, National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mary R Lee
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Inga D Neumann
- Department of Behaviour and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Armando J Mendez
- Diabetes Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
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