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Chan SY, Low XZ, Ngoh ZM, Ong ZY, Kee MZL, Huang P, Kumar S, Rifkin-Graboi A, Chong YS, Chen H, Tan KH, Chan JKY, Fortier MV, Gluckman PD, Zhou JH, Meaney MJ, Tan AP. Neonatal Nucleus Accumbens Microstructure Modulates Individual Susceptibility to Preconception Maternal Stress in Relation to Externalizing Behaviors. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2024:S0890-8567(24)00071-6. [PMID: 38423282 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2023.12.011] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Maternal stress influences in utero brain development and is a modifiable risk factor for offspring psychopathologies. Reward circuitry dysfunction underlies various internalizing and externalizing psychopathologies. This study examined (1) the association between maternal stress and microstructural characteristics of the neonatal nucleus accumbens (NAcc), a major node of the reward circuitry, and (2) whether neonatal NAcc microstructure modulates individual susceptibility to maternal stress in relation to childhood behavioral problems. METHOD K-means longitudinal cluster analysis was performed to determine trajectories of maternal stress measures (Perceived Stress Scale [PSS], hair cortisol) from preconception to the third trimester. Neonatal NAcc microstructural measures (orientation density index [ODI] and intracellular volume fraction [ICVF]) were compared across trajectories. We then examined the interaction between maternal stress and neonatal NAcc microstructure on child internalizing and externalizing behaviors, assessed between ages 3 and 4 years. RESULTS Two trajectories of maternal stress magnitude ("low"/"high") were identified for both PSS (n = 287) and hair cortisol (n = 336). Right neonatal NAcc ODI (rNAcc-ODI) was significantly lower in "low" relative to "high" PSS trajectories (n = 77, p = .04). PSS at preconception had the strongest association with rNAcc-ODI (r = 0.293, p = .029). No differences in NAcc microstructure were found between hair cortisol trajectories. A significant interaction between preconception PSS and rNAcc-ODI on externalizing behavior was observed (n = 47, p = .047). CONCLUSION Our study showed that the preconception period contributes to in utero NAcc development, and that NAcc microstructure modulates individual susceptibility to preconception maternal stress in relation to externalizing problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Yu Chan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Xi Zhen Low
- National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhen Ming Ngoh
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zi Yan Ong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michelle Z L Kee
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Pei Huang
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Anne Rifkin-Graboi
- National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yap-Seng Chong
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore; National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore; National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Helen Chen
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Duke-National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kok Hian Tan
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Duke-National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jerry K Y Chan
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Duke-National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Marielle V Fortier
- KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Duke-National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Peter D Gluckman
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Michael J Meaney
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore; National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Ai Peng Tan
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A∗STAR), Singapore, Singapore; National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore; National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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Le Merrer J, Detraux B, Gandía J, De Groote A, Fonteneau M, de Kerchove d'Exaerde A, Becker JAJ. Balance Between Projecting Neuronal Populations of the Nucleus Accumbens Controls Social Behavior in Mice. Biol Psychiatry 2024; 95:123-135. [PMID: 37207936 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Deficient social interactions are a hallmark of major neuropsychiatric disorders, and accumulating evidence points to altered social reward and motivation as key underlying mechanisms of these pathologies. In the present study, we further explored the role of the balance of activity between D1 and D2 receptor-expressing striatal projection neurons (D1R- and D2R-SPNs) in the control of social behavior, challenging the hypothesis that excessive D2R-SPN activity, rather than deficient D1R-SPN activity, compromises social behavior. METHODS We selectively ablated D1R- and D2R-SPNs using an inducible diphtheria toxin receptor-mediated cell targeting strategy and assessed social behavior as well as repetitive/perseverative behavior, motor function, and anxiety levels. We tested the effects of optogenetic stimulation of D2R-SPNs in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and pharmacological compounds repressing D2R-SPN. RESULTS Targeted deletion of D1R-SPNs in the NAc blunted social behavior in mice, facilitated motor skill learning, and increased anxiety levels. These behaviors were normalized by pharmacological inhibition of D2R-SPN, which also repressed transcription in the efferent nucleus, the ventral pallidum. Ablation of D1R-SPNs in the dorsal striatum had no impact on social behavior but impaired motor skill learning and decreased anxiety levels. Deletion of D2R-SPNs in the NAc produced motor stereotypies but facilitated social behavior and impaired motor skill learning. We mimicked excessive D2R-SPN activity by optically stimulating D2R-SPNs in the NAc and observed a severe deficit in social interaction that was prevented by D2R-SPN pharmacological inhibition. CONCLUSIONS Repressing D2R-SPN activity may represent a promising therapeutic strategy to relieve social deficits in neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Le Merrer
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Unité Mixte de Recherche Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 7247, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement 0085, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France; iBrain, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1253 Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours, Tours, France.
| | - Bérangère Detraux
- Neurophy Lab, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jorge Gandía
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Unité Mixte de Recherche Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 7247, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement 0085, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Aurélie De Groote
- Neurophy Lab, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Fonteneau
- iBrain, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1253 Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours, Tours, France
| | - Alban de Kerchove d'Exaerde
- Neurophy Lab, ULB Neuroscience Institute, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; WELBIO, Wavre, Belgium.
| | - Jérôme A J Becker
- Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Unité Mixte de Recherche Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 7247, Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement 0085, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France; iBrain, Unité Mixte de Recherche 1253 Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université de Tours, Tours, France
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Favoretto CA, Pagliusi M, Morais-Silva G. Involvement of brain cell phenotypes in stress-vulnerability and resilience. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1175514. [PMID: 37476833 PMCID: PMC10354562 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1175514] [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: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-related disorders' prevalence is epidemically increasing in modern society, leading to a severe impact on individuals' well-being and a great economic burden on public resources. Based on this, it is critical to understand the mechanisms by which stress induces these disorders. The study of stress made great progress in the past decades, from deeper into the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to the understanding of the involvement of a single cell subtype on stress outcomes. In fact, many studies have used state-of-the-art tools such as chemogenetic, optogenetic, genetic manipulation, electrophysiology, pharmacology, and immunohistochemistry to investigate the role of specific cell subtypes in the stress response. In this review, we aim to gather studies addressing the involvement of specific brain cell subtypes in stress-related responses, exploring possible mechanisms associated with stress vulnerability versus resilience in preclinical models. We particularly focus on the involvement of the astrocytes, microglia, medium spiny neurons, parvalbumin neurons, pyramidal neurons, serotonergic neurons, and interneurons of different brain areas in stress-induced outcomes, resilience, and vulnerability to stress. We believe that this review can shed light on how diverse molecular mechanisms, involving specific receptors, neurotrophic factors, epigenetic enzymes, and miRNAs, among others, within these brain cell subtypes, are associated with the expression of a stress-susceptible or resilient phenotype, advancing the understanding/knowledge on the specific machinery implicate in those events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiane Aparecida Favoretto
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marco Pagliusi
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo (USP), Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Gessynger Morais-Silva
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil
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Decker Ramirez EB, Arnold ME, McConnell KT, Solomon MG, Amico KN, Schank JR. The effects of lipopolysaccharide exposure on social interaction, cytokine expression, and alcohol consumption in male and female mice. Physiol Behav 2023; 265:114159. [PMID: 36931488 PMCID: PMC10121933 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114159] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Much recent research has demonstrated a role of inflammatory pathways in depressive-like behavior and excess alcohol consumption. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a cell wall component of gram-negative bacteria that can be used to trigger a strong inflammatory response in rodents in a preclinical research setting to study the mechanisms behind this relationship. In our study, we exposed male and female mice to LPS and assessed depressive-like behavior using the social interaction (SI) test, alcohol consumption in the two-bottle choice procedure, and expression of inflammatory mediators using quantitative PCR. We found that LPS administration decreased SI in female mice but had no significant impact on male mice when assessed 24 h after injection. LPS resulted in increased proinflammatory cytokine expression in both male and female mice; however, some aspects of the cytokine upregulation observed was greater in female mice as compared to males. A separate cohort of male and female mice underwent drinking for 12 days before receiving a saline or LPS injection, which we found to increase alcohol intake in both males and females. We have previously observed a role of the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) in escalated alcohol intake, and in the inflammatory and behavioral response to LPS. The NK1R is the endogenous target of the neuropeptide SP, and this system has wide ranging roles in depression, anxiety, drug/alcohol seeking, pain, and inflammation. Thus, we administered a NK1R antagonist prior to alcohol access. This treatment reduced escalated alcohol consumption in female mice treated with LPS but did not affect drinking in males. Taken together, these results indicate that females are more sensitive to some physiological and behavioral effects of LPS administration, but that LPS escalates alcohol consumption in both sexes. Furthermore, NK1R antagonism can reduce alcohol consumption that is escalated by LPS treatment, in line with our previous findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- E B Decker Ramirez
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - M E Arnold
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - K T McConnell
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - M G Solomon
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - K N Amico
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - J R Schank
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602 USA.
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5
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Fox ME, Wulff AB, Franco D, Choi EY, Calarco CA, Engeln M, Turner MD, Chandra R, Rhodes VM, Thompson SM, Ament SA, Lobo MK. Adaptations in Nucleus Accumbens Neuron Subtypes Mediate Negative Affective Behaviors in Fentanyl Abstinence. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:489-501. [PMID: 36435669 PMCID: PMC9931633 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid discontinuation generates a withdrawal syndrome marked by increased negative affect. Increased symptoms of anxiety and dysphoria during opioid discontinuation are significant barriers to achieving long-term abstinence in opioid-dependent individuals. While adaptations in the nucleus accumbens are implicated in opioid abstinence syndrome, the precise neural mechanisms are poorly understood. Additionally, our current knowledge is limited to changes following natural and semisynthetic opioids, despite recent increases in synthetic opioid use and overdose. METHODS We used a combination of cell subtype-specific viral labeling and electrophysiology in male and female mice to investigate structural and functional plasticity in nucleus accumbens medium spiny neuron (MSN) subtypes after fentanyl abstinence. We characterized molecular adaptations after fentanyl abstinence with subtype-specific RNA sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis. We used viral-mediated gene transfer to manipulate the molecular signature of fentanyl abstinence in D1-MSNs. RESULTS Here, we show that fentanyl abstinence increases anxiety-like behavior, decreases social interaction, and engenders MSN subtype-specific plasticity in both sexes. D1-MSNs, but not D2-MSNs, exhibit dendritic atrophy and an increase in excitatory drive. We identified a cluster of coexpressed dendritic morphology genes downregulated selectively in D1-MSNs that are transcriptionally coregulated by E2F1. E2f1 expression in D1-MSNs protects against loss of dendritic complexity, altered physiology, and negative affect-like behaviors caused by fentanyl abstinence. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that fentanyl abstinence causes unique structural, functional, and molecular changes in nucleus accumbens D1-MSNs that can be targeted to alleviate negative affective symptoms during abstinence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Fox
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania; Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
| | - Andreas B Wulff
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Daniela Franco
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Eric Y Choi
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Cali A Calarco
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Michel Engeln
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Makeda D Turner
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ramesh Chandra
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Victoria M Rhodes
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Scott M Thompson
- Department of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Seth A Ament
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
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6
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Konar-Nié M, Guzman-Castillo A, Armijo-Weingart L, Aguayo LG. Aging in nucleus accumbens and its impact on alcohol use disorders. Alcohol 2023; 107:73-90. [PMID: 36087859 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Ethanol is one of the most widely consumed drugs in the world and prolonged excessive ethanol intake might lead to alcohol use disorders (AUDs), which are characterized by neuroadaptations in different brain regions, such as in the reward circuitry. In addition, the global population is aging, and it appears that they are increasing their ethanol consumption. Although research involving the effects of alcohol in aging subjects is limited, differential effects have been described. For example, studies in human subjects show that older adults perform worse in tests assessing working memory, attention, and cognition as compared to younger adults. Interestingly, in the field of the neurobiological basis of ethanol actions, there is a significant dichotomy between what we know about the effects of ethanol on neurochemical targets in young animals and how it might affect them in the aging brain. To be able to understand the distinct effects of ethanol in the aging brain, the following questions need to be answered: (1) How does physiological aging impact the function of an ethanol-relevant region (e.g., the nucleus accumbens)? and (2) How does ethanol affect these neurobiological systems in the aged brain? This review discusses the available data to try to understand how aging affects the nucleus accumbens (nAc) and its neurochemical response to alcohol. The data show that there is little information on the effects of ethanol in aged mice and rats, and that many studies had considered 2-3-month-old mice as adults, which needs to be reconsidered since more recent literature defines 6 months as young adults and >18 months as an older mouse. Considering the actual relevance of an aged worldwide population and that this segment is drinking more frequently, it appears at least reasonable to explore how ethanol affects the brain in adult and aged models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Macarena Konar-Nié
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile.
| | - Alejandra Guzman-Castillo
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile; Programa en Neurociencia, Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile.
| | - Lorena Armijo-Weingart
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile; Programa en Neurociencia, Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile.
| | - Luis Gerardo Aguayo
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile; Programa en Neurociencia, Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Universidad de Concepción, Concepcion, Chile.
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Morais-Silva G, Campbell RR, Nam H, Basu M, Pagliusi M, Fox ME, Chan CS, Iñiguez SD, Ament S, Cramer N, Marin MT, Lobo MK. Molecular, Circuit, and Stress Response Characterization of Ventral Pallidum Npas1-Neurons. J Neurosci 2023; 43:405-418. [PMID: 36443000 PMCID: PMC9864552 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0971-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered activity of the ventral pallidum (VP) underlies disrupted motivation in stress and drug exposure. The VP is a very heterogeneous structure composed of many neuron types with distinct physiological properties and projections. Neuronal PAS 1-positive (Npas1+) VP neurons are thought to send projections to brain regions critical for motivational behavior. While Npas1+ neurons have been characterized in the globus pallidus external, there is limited information on these neurons in the VP. To address this limitation, we evaluated the projection targets of the VP Npas1+ neurons and performed RNA-sequencing on ribosome-associated mRNA from VP Npas1+ neurons to determine their molecular identity. Finally, we used a chemogenetic approach to manipulate VP Npas1+ neurons during social defeat stress (SDS) and behavioral tasks related to anxiety and motivation in Npas1-Cre mice. We used a similar approach in females using the chronic witness defeat stress (CWDS). We identified VP Npas1+ projections to the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, medial and lateral habenula, lateral hypothalamus, thalamus, medial and lateral septum, and periaqueductal gray area. VP Npas1+ neurons displayed distinct translatome representing distinct biological processes. Chemogenetic activation of hM3D(Gq) receptors in VP Npas1+ neurons increased susceptibility to a subthreshold SDS and anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze and open field while the activation of hM4D(Gi) receptors in VP Npas1+ neurons enhanced resilience to chronic SDS and CWDS. Thus, the activity of VP Npas1+ neurons modulates susceptibility to social stressors and anxiety-like behavior. Our studies provide new information on VP Npas1+ neuron circuitry, molecular identity, and their role in stress response.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ventral pallidum (VP) is a structure connected to both reward-related and aversive brain centers. It is a key brain area that signals the hedonic value of natural rewards. Disruption in the VP underlies altered motivation in stress and substance use disorder. However, VP is a very heterogeneous area with multiple neuron subtypes. This study characterized the projection pattern and molecular signatures of VP Neuronal PAS 1-positive (Npas1+) neurons. We further used tools to alter receptor signaling in VP Npas1+ neurons in stress to demonstrate a role for these neurons in stress behavioral outcomes. Our studies have implications for understanding brain cell type identities and their role in brain disorders, such as depression, a serious disorder that is precipitated by stressful events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gessynger Morais-Silva
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Araraquara, Sao Paulo 14800903, Brazil
- Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos/Sao Paulo State University, CEP 13565-905, São Carlos/Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Rianne R Campbell
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Hyungwoo Nam
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Mahashweta Basu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Marco Pagliusi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, State University of Campinas, SP-13083-872, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Megan E Fox
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - C Savio Chan
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Sergio D Iñiguez
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79902
| | - Seth Ament
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Nathan Cramer
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
| | - Marcelo Tadeu Marin
- Sao Paulo State University (UNESP), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Araraquara, Sao Paulo 14800903, Brazil
- Joint Graduate Program in Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos/Sao Paulo State University, CEP 13565-905, São Carlos/Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201
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Engeln M, Fox ME, Chandra R, Choi EY, Nam H, Qadir H, Thomas SS, Rhodes VM, Turner MD, Herman RJ, Calarco CA, Lobo MK. Transcriptome profiling of the ventral pallidum reveals a role for pallido-thalamic neurons in cocaine reward. Mol Psychiatry 2022; 27:3980-3991. [PMID: 35764708 PMCID: PMC9722585 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01668-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Psychostimulant exposure alters the activity of ventral pallidum (VP) projection neurons. However, the molecular underpinnings of these circuit dysfunctions are unclear. We used RNA-sequencing to reveal alterations in the transcriptional landscape of the VP that are induced by cocaine self-administration in mice. We then probed gene expression in select VP neuronal subpopulations to isolate a circuit associated with cocaine intake. Finally, we used both overexpression and CRISPR-mediated knockdown to test the role of a gene target on cocaine-mediated behaviors as well as dendritic spine density. Our results showed that a large proportion (55%) of genes associated with structural plasticity were changed 24 h following cocaine intake. Among them, the transcription factor Nr4a1 (Nuclear receptor subfamily 4, group A, member 1, or Nur77) showed high expression levels. We found that the VP to mediodorsal thalamus (VP → MDT) projection neurons specifically were recapitulating this increase in Nr4a1 expression. Overexpressing Nr4a1 in VP → MDT neurons enhanced drug-seeking and drug-induced reinstatement, while Nr4a1 knockdown prevented self-administration acquisition and subsequent cocaine-mediated behaviors. Moreover, we showed that Nr4a1 negatively regulated spine dynamics in this specific cell subpopulation. Together, our study identifies for the first time the transcriptional mechanisms occurring in VP in drug exposure. Our study provides further understanding on the role of Nr4a1 in cocaine-related behaviors and identifies the crucial role of the VP → MDT circuit in drug intake and relapse-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Engeln
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
- Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.
| | - Megan E Fox
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | - Ramesh Chandra
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Eric Y Choi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hyungwoo Nam
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Houman Qadir
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shavin S Thomas
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Victoria M Rhodes
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Makeda D Turner
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Rae J Herman
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Cali A Calarco
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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9
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Avalos MP, Guzman AS, Garcia-Keller C, Mongi-Bragato B, Esparza MA, Rigoni D, Sanchez MA, Calfa GD, Bollati FA, Cancela LM. Impairment of glutamate homeostasis in the nucleus accumbens core underpins cross-sensitization to cocaine following chronic restraint stress. Front Physiol 2022; 13:896268. [PMID: 36091376 PMCID: PMC9462460 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.896268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Though the facilitating influence of stress on drug abuse is well documented, the mechanisms underlying this interaction have yet to be fully elucidated. The present study explores the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning the sensitized response to the psychomotor-stimulating effects of cocaine following chronic restraint stress (CRS), emphasizing the differential contribution of both subcompartments of the nucleus accumbens (NA), the core (NAcore) and shell (NAshell), to this phenomenon. Adult male Wistar rats were restrained for 2 h/day for 7 days and, 2 weeks after the last stress exposure (day 21), all animals were randomly assigned to behavioral, biochemical or neurochemical tests. Our results demonstrated that the enduring CRS-induced increase in psychostimulant response to cocaine was paralleled by an increase of extracellular dopamine levels in the NAcore, but not the NAshell, greater than that observed in the non-stress group. Furthermore, we found that CRS induced an impairment of glutamate homeostasis in the NAcore, but not the NAshell. Its hallmarks were increased basal extracellular glutamate concentrations driven by a CRS-induced downregulation of GLT-1, blunted glutamate levels in response to cocaine and postsynaptic structural remodeling in pre-stressed animals. In addition, ceftriaxone, a known GLT-1 enhancer, prevented the CRS-induced GLT-1 downregulation, increased basal extracellular glutamate concentrations and changes in structural plasticity in the NAcore as well as behavioral cross-sensitization to cocaine, emphasizing the biological importance of GLT-1 in the comorbidity between chronic stress exposure and drug abuse. A future perspective concerning the paramount relevance of the stress-induced disruption of glutamate homeostasis as a vulnerability factor to the development of stress and substance use disorders during early life or adulthood of descendants is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Flavia A. Bollati
- Departamento de Farmacología Otto Orsingher, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Liliana M. Cancela
- Departamento de Farmacología Otto Orsingher, Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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10
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Life extension factor klotho regulates behavioral responses to stress via modulation of GluN2B function in the nucleus accumbens. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1710-1720. [PMID: 35449449 PMCID: PMC9283408 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01323-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Klotho is a life extension factor that has the ability to regulate the function of GluN2B-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), whose dysfunction in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) underlies critical aspects of the pathophysiology of major depression. Here, we study the functional relevance of klotho in the pathogenesis of depression. A chronic social defeat stress paradigm, in which mice are categorized as either susceptible or unsusceptible based on their performance in a social interaction test, was used in this study. We found that the expression of klotho was largely decreased in the NAc of susceptible mice compared to control or unsusceptible mice. Genetic knockdown of klotho in the NAc induced behavioral alterations relevant to depression in naive mice, while overexpression of klotho produced an antidepressive effect in normal mice and ameliorated the behavioral responses to stress in susceptible mice. Molecularly, knockdown of klotho in the NAc resulted in selective decreases in total and synaptic GluN2B expression that were identical to those in susceptible mice. Elevation of klotho in the NAc reversed the reductions in GluN2B expressions and altered synaptic transmission and spine density in the NAc of susceptible mice. Furthermore, blockade of GluN2B with a specific antagonist abolished the beneficial effects of klotho elevation in susceptible mice. Collectively, we demonstrated that klotho in the NAc modulates behavioral responses to stress by regulating the function of GluN2B-containing NMDARs. These results reveal a novel role for klotho in the pathogenesis of depression, providing new insights into the molecular basis of major depression.
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11
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Du Y, Shi Y, Wang X, Song H, Wang X, Hao Y, Zhao Y, Guo X, Shi M, Gong M, Song L, Wang S, Gao Y, Shi H. Hippocampal Semaphorin 3B Improves Depression-like Behaviours in Mice by Upregulating Synaptic Plasticity and Inhibiting Neuronal Apoptosis. J Neurochem 2022; 163:133-148. [PMID: 35892177 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Depression is a global health problem, and there is a pressing need for a better understanding of its pathogenesis. Semaphorin 3B (Sema 3B) is an important axon guidance molecule that is primarily expressed in neurons and contributes to synaptic plasticity. Our previous studies using a high-throughput microarray assay suggested that Sema 3B expression was tremendously decreased during the development of depression, but the specific role and mechanisms of Sema 3B in depression are still unknown. Herein, we report that levels of Sema 3B protein are decreased in the hippocampus and serum of chronic mild stress (CMS)-treated mice. Increasing the levels of Sema 3B, either by injecting AAV-Sema 3B into the hippocampus or by injecting recombinant Sema 3B protein into the lateral ventricles, alleviated CMS-induced depression-like behaviours and enhanced the resistance to acute stress by increasing dendritic spine density in hippocampal neurons. In contrast, interfering the function of Sema 3B by injecting anti-Sema 3B antibody into the lateral ventricles decreased the resistance to acute stress. In vitro, corticosterone (CORT) treatment decreased survival rate and protein levels of Sema 3B and synapse-associated proteins in HT22 cells. Overexpression of Sema 3B improved the decreased survival rate caused by CORT by inhibiting apoptosis and increasing levels of synaptic-associated proteins. And knockdown of Sema 3B reduces the cellular resistance to CORT and the levels of synapse-associated proteins. These findings represent the first evidence for the neuroprotective mechanism of Sema 3B against stresses, suggesting that Sema 3B could be a promising novel target for the prevention and treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuru Du
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yun Shi
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Key Laboratory of Neural and Vascular Biology, Ministry of Education of, China, Shijiazhuang, Hebei
| | - Xi Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China.,Department of Endocrinology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Han Song
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xinhao Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ying Hao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ye Zhao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiangfei Guo
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Mengxu Shi
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Miao Gong
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Li Song
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Haishui Shi
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Shijiazhuang, China.,Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Medical and Health Science, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, China
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12
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Pagliusi M, Franco D, Cole S, Morais-Silva G, Chandra R, Fox ME, Iñiguez SD, Sartori CR, Lobo MK. The BDNF-TrkB Pathway Acts Through Nucleus Accumbens D2 Expressing Neurons to Mediate Stress Susceptible Outcomes. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:854494. [PMID: 35722560 PMCID: PMC9200970 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.854494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has a critical role in stress response including neuropsychiatric disorders that are precipitated by stress, such as major depressive disorder (MDD). BDNF acts through its full-length BDNF receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) to trigger a pro-plasticity effect. In contrast, the truncated isoform of the BDNF receptor (TrkB.t1) triggers an anti-plasticity effect. In stress outcomes, BDNF acting in the hippocampus has a stress resilience effect, and, inversely, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), BDNF acts as a stress susceptible molecule. It is unknown if BDNF-TrkB acts on a specific NAc projection neuron, i.e., medium spiny neuron (MSN or spiny projection neuron), a subtype in stress outcomes. To determine this, we performed chronic social or vicarious witness defeat stress (CSDS or CWDS) in mice expressing TrkB.t1 in dopamine receptor 1 or 2 containing MSNs (D1- or D2-MSNs). Our results showed that TrkB.t1 overexpression in NAc D2-MSNs prevented the CSDS-induced social avoidance or other stress susceptible behaviors in male and female mice. We further showed that this overexpression in D2-MSNs blocked stress susceptible behavior induced by intra-NAc BDNF infusion. In contrast, our results demonstrate that overexpression of TrkB.t1 on NAc D1-MSNs facilitates the SDS susceptible behaviors. Our study provides enhanced details into the NAc cell subtype role of BDNF-TrkB signaling in stress outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Pagliusi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Daniela Franco
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shannon Cole
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Gessynger Morais-Silva
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University, Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Ramesh Chandra
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Megan E. Fox
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sergio D. Iñiguez
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, United States
| | - Cesar R. Sartori
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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13
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Serrano ME, Kim E, Petrinovic MM, Turkheimer F, Cash D. Imaging Synaptic Density: The Next Holy Grail of Neuroscience? Front Neurosci 2022; 16:796129. [PMID: 35401097 PMCID: PMC8990757 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.796129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain is the central and most complex organ in the nervous system, comprising billions of neurons that constantly communicate through trillions of connections called synapses. Despite being formed mainly during prenatal and early postnatal development, synapses are continually refined and eliminated throughout life via complicated and hitherto incompletely understood mechanisms. Failure to correctly regulate the numbers and distribution of synapses has been associated with many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including autism, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and schizophrenia. Therefore, measurements of brain synaptic density, as well as early detection of synaptic dysfunction, are essential for understanding normal and abnormal brain development. To date, multiple synaptic density markers have been proposed and investigated in experimental models of brain disorders. The majority of the gold standard methodologies (e.g., electron microscopy or immunohistochemistry) visualize synapses or measure changes in pre- and postsynaptic proteins ex vivo. However, the invasive nature of these classic methodologies precludes their use in living organisms. The recent development of positron emission tomography (PET) tracers [such as (18F)UCB-H or (11C)UCB-J] that bind to a putative synaptic density marker, the synaptic vesicle 2A (SV2A) protein, is heralding a likely paradigm shift in detecting synaptic alterations in patients. Despite their limited specificity, novel, non-invasive magnetic resonance (MR)-based methods also show promise in inferring synaptic information by linking to glutamate neurotransmission. Although promising, all these methods entail various advantages and limitations that must be addressed before becoming part of routine clinical practice. In this review, we summarize and discuss current ex vivo and in vivo methods of quantifying synaptic density, including an evaluation of their reliability and experimental utility. We conclude with a critical assessment of challenges that need to be overcome before successfully employing synaptic density biomarkers as diagnostic and/or prognostic tools in the study of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Elisa Serrano
- Department of Neuroimaging, The BRAIN Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Eugene Kim
- Department of Neuroimaging, The BRAIN Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Marija M Petrinovic
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Federico Turkheimer
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Diana Cash
- Department of Neuroimaging, The BRAIN Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Kings College London, London, United Kingdom
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14
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Bottom RT, Kozanian OO, Rohac DJ, Erickson MA, Huffman KJ. Transgenerational Effects of Prenatal Ethanol Exposure in Prepubescent Mice. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:812429. [PMID: 35386207 PMCID: PMC8978834 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.812429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) represent a leading cause of non-genetic neuropathologies. Recent preclinical evidence from suggests that prenatal ethanol exposure (PrEE), like other environmental exposures, may have a significant, transgenerational impact on the offspring of directly exposed animals, including altered neocortical development at birth and behavior in peri-pubescent mice. How these adverse behavioral outcomes are manifested within the brain at the time of behavioral disruption remains unknown. Methods: A transgenerational mouse model of FASD was used to generate up to a third filial generation of offspring to study. Using a multi-modal battery of behavioral assays, we assessed motor coordination/function, sensorimotor processing, risk-taking behavior, and depressive-like behavior in postnatal day (P) 20 pre-pubescent mice. Additionally, sensory neocortical area connectivity using dye tracing, neocortical gene expression using in situ RNA hybridization, and spine density of spiny stellate cells in the somatosensory cortex using Golgi-Cox staining were examined in mice at P20. Results: We found that PrEE induces behavioral abnormalities including abnormal sensorimotor processing, increased risk-taking behavior, and increased depressive-like behaviors that extend to the F3 generation in 20-day old mice. Assessment of both somatosensory and visual cortical connectivity, as well as cortical RZRβ expression in pre-pubescent mice yielded no significant differences among any experimental generations. In contrast, only directly-exposed F1 mice displayed altered cortical expression of Id2 and decreased spine density among layer IV spiny stellate cells in somatosensory cortex at this pre-pubescent, post weaning age. Conclusion: Our results suggest that robust, clinically-relevant behavioral abnormalities are passed transgenerationally to the offspring of mice directly exposed to prenatal ethanol. Additionally, in contrast to our previous findings in the newborn PrEE mouse, a lack of transgenerational findings within the brain at this later age illuminates the critical need for future studies to attempt to discover the link between neurological function and the described behavioral changes. Overall, our study suggests that multi-generational effects of PrEE may have a substantial impact on human behavior as well as health and well-being and that these effects likely extend beyond early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley T Bottom
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Olga O Kozanian
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - David J Rohac
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Michael A Erickson
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Kelly J Huffman
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States.,Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
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15
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Jiang L, Zhang H, He Y, Liu H, Li S, Chen R, Han S, Zhou Y, Zhang J, Wan X, Xu R, Wang S, Gu H, Wei Q, Qin F, Zhao Y, Chen Y, Li H, Wang L, Wang X, Wang Y, Dai Y, Li M, Chen Y, Zhang H, Hu Y, Bu Q, Zhao Y, Cen X. Synapse differentiation-induced gene 1 regulates stress-induced depression through interaction with the AMPA receptor GluA2 subunit of nucleus accumbens in male mice. Neuropharmacology 2022; 213:109076. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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16
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Avalos MP, Guzman AS, Rigoni D, Gorostiza EA, Sanchez MA, Mongi-Bragato B, Garcia-Keller C, Perassi EM, Virgolini MB, Peralta Ramos JM, Iribarren P, Calfa GD, Bollati FA, Cancela LM. Minocycline prevents chronic restraint stress-induced vulnerability to developing cocaine self-administration and associated glutamatergic mechanisms: a potential role of microglia. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 101:359-376. [PMID: 35065197 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.01.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Stressful experience-induced cocaine-related behaviors are associated with a significant impairment of glutamatergic mechanisms in the Nucleus Accumbens core (NAcore). The hallmarks of disrupted glutamate homeostasis following restraint stress are the enduring imbalance of glutamate efflux after a cocaine stimulus and increased basal concentrations of extracellular glutamate attributed to GLT-1 downregulation in the NAcore. Glutamate transmission is tightly linked to microglia functioning. However, the role of microglia in the biological basis of stress-induced addictive behaviors is still unknown. By using minocycline, a potent inhibitor of microglia activation with anti-inflammatory properties, we determined whether microglia could aid chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced glutamate homeostasis disruption in the NAcore, underpinning stress-induced cocaine self-administration. In this study, adult male rats were restrained for 2 h/day for seven days (day 1-7). From day 16 until completing the experimental protocol, animals received a vehicle or minocycline treatment (30 mg/Kg/12h i.p.). On day 21, animals were assigned to microscopic, biochemical, neurochemical or behavioral studies. We confirm that the CRS-induced facilitation of cocaine self-administration is associated with enduring GLT-1 downregulation, an increase of basal extracellular glutamate and postsynaptic structural plasticity in the NAcore. These alterations were strongly related to the CRS-induced reactive microglia and increased TNF-α mRNA and protein expression, since by administering minocycline, the impaired glutamate homeostasis and the facilitation of cocaine self-administration were prevented. Our findings are the first to demonstrate that minocycline suppresses the CRS-induced facilitation of cocaine self-administration and glutamate homeostasis disruption in the NAcore. A role of microglia is proposed for the development of glutamatergic mechanisms underpinning stress-induced vulnerability to cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Paula Avalos
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Andrea Susana Guzman
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Daiana Rigoni
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ezequiel Axel Gorostiza
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marianela Adela Sanchez
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Bethania Mongi-Bragato
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Constanza Garcia-Keller
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Eduardo Marcelo Perassi
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Fisicoquímica de Córdoba (INFIQC-CONICET), Departamento de Química Teórica y Computacional, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Miriam Beatriz Virgolini
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Javier María Peralta Ramos
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología (CIBICI-CONICET), Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Pablo Iribarren
- Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología (CIBICI-CONICET), Departamento de Bioquímica Clínica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Gastón Diego Calfa
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Flavia Andrea Bollati
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Liliana Marina Cancela
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, X5000HUA, Córdoba, Argentina.
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17
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Post-weaning social isolation causes sex-specific alterations to dendritic spine density in subregions of the prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens of adult mice. Brain Res 2022; 1777:147755. [PMID: 34932973 PMCID: PMC8802216 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2021.147755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Post-weaning social isolation stress has been shown to increase addiction-like behavior in adulthood. These long-term behavioral alterations may be due to long lasting isolation-induced structural changes to neurons in brain regions involved in reward processing. Previous studies have shown that various stressors alter dendritic spine density in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the nucleus accumbens, though many of these studies examine the short-term effects of stress, and are primarily conducted in males. There is mounting evidence that males and females exhibit differences in their stress responses, with some studies showing sex differences in stress-induced plasticity. To determine the long-lasting, sex-specific alterations in spine density following post-weaning social isolation, male and female mice were either isolated or group housed at weaning and spine density was measured once they reached adulthood. Post-weaning isolation increased spine density in the PFC of both the males and females, although the effects in the infralimbic cortex were more pronounced in the females. In the nucleus accumbens, adolescent isolation increased spine density in males only in the core and shell. Females also had higher baseline spine density than males in the nucleus accumbens core. Together these data suggest that adolescent social isolation causes long-term, sex-specific alterations to the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens.
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18
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Okuda T, Osako Y, Hidaka C, Nishihara M, Young LJ, Mitsui S, Yuri K. Separation from a bonded partner alters neural response to inflammatory pain in monogamous rodents. Behav Brain Res 2021; 418:113650. [PMID: 34748865 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113650] [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: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Pain experience is known to be modified by social factors, but the brain mechanisms remain unspecified. We recently established an animal model of social stress-induced hyperalgesia (SSIH) using a socially monogamous rodent, the prairie vole, in which males separated from their female partners (loss males) became anxious and displayed exacerbated inflammatory pain behaviors compared to males with partners (paired males). In the present study, to explore the neural pathways involved in SSIH, a difference in neuronal activation in pain-related brain regions, or "pain matrix", during inflammatory pain between paired and loss males was detected using Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-ir). Males were paired with a female and pair bonding was confirmed in all subjects using a partner preference test. During formalin-induced inflammatory pain, both paired and loss males showed a significant induction of Fos-ir throughout the analyzed pain matrix components compared to basal condition (without injection), and no group differences in immunoreactivity were found among the injected males in many brain regions. However, the loss males had significantly lower Fos-ir following inflammatory pain in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens shell than the paired males, even though base Fos-ir levels were comparable between groups. Notably, both regions with different Fos-ir are major components of the dopamine and oxytocin systems, which play critical roles in both pair bonding and pain regulation. The present results suggest the possibility that pain exacerbation by social stress emerges through alteration of signaling in social brain circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Okuda
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan; Department of Physical Therapy, Tosa Rehabilitation College, Otsu, Ohtsu, Kochi 781-5103, Japan.
| | - Yoji Osako
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Chiharu Hidaka
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Makoto Nishihara
- Multidisciplinary Pain Centre, Aichi Medical University, School of Medicine, 21 Karimata, Nagakute, Aichi, 480-1195, Japan
| | - Larry J Young
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Center, Emory University School of Medicine, 954 Gatewood Rd. Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; Center for Social Neural Networks, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8577, Japan
| | - Shinichi Mitsui
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Gunma University Graduate School of Health Sciences, 3-39-22 Showa-machi, Maebashi, Gunma 371-8514, Japan
| | - Kazunari Yuri
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Oko-cho, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
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19
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Rigoni D, Avalos MP, Boezio MJ, Guzmán AS, Calfa GD, Perassi EM, Pierotti SM, Bisbal M, Garcia-Keller C, Cancela LM, Bollati F. Stress-induced vulnerability to develop cocaine addiction depends on cofilin modulation. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100349. [PMID: 34169122 PMCID: PMC8209265 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Actin dynamics in dendritic spines can be associated with the neurobiological mechanisms supporting the comorbidity between stress exposure and cocaine increase rewards. The actin cytoskeleton remodeling in the nucleus accumbens (NA) has been implicated in the expression of stress-induced cross-sensitization with cocaine. The present study evaluates the involvement of cofilin, a direct regulator of actin dynamics, in the impact of stress on vulnerability to cocaine addiction. We assess whether the neurobiological mechanisms that modulate repeated-cocaine administration also occur in a chronic restraint stress-induced cocaine self-administration model. We also determine if chronic stress induces alterations in dendritic spines through dysregulation of cofilin activity in the NA core. Here, we show that the inhibition of cofilin expression in the NA core using viral short-hairpin RNA is sufficient to prevent the cocaine sensitization induced by chronic stress. The reduced cofilin levels also impede a-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor surface expression enhancement and promote the reduction of head diameter in animals pre-exposed to stress after a cocaine challenge in the NA core. Moreover, downregulation of cofilin expression prevents facilitation of the acquisition of cocaine self-administration (SA) in male rats pre-exposed to chronic stress without modifying performance in sucrose SA. These findings reveal a novel, crucial role for cofilin in the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning the comorbidity between stress exposure and addiction-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiana Rigoni
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre and Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maria P. Avalos
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre and Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Maria J. Boezio
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre and Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Andrea S. Guzmán
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre and Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Gaston D. Calfa
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre and Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Eduardo M. Perassi
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Fisicoquímica de Córdoba (INFIQC), Departamento de Química Teórica y Computacional, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre and Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Silvia M. Pierotti
- Cátedra de Bioestadística I y II (Departamento de Matemática), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Avenida Velez Sarfield 161, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Mariano Bisbal
- Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martin Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Friuli 2434, Colinas de Vélez Sarsfield (5016) Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Constanza Garcia-Keller
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Liliana M. Cancela
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre and Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Flavia Bollati
- Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET), Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Haya de la Torre and Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, (5000), Córdoba, Argentina
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20
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Garcia-Keller C, Carter JS, Kruyer A, Kearns AM, Hopkins JL, Hodebourg R, Kalivas PW, Reichel CM. Behavioral and accumbens synaptic plasticity induced by cues associated with restraint stress. Neuropsychopharmacology 2021; 46:1848-1856. [PMID: 34226657 PMCID: PMC8357931 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01074-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to acute stress can increase vulnerability to develop or express many psychiatric disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder. We hypothesized that stress-induced psychiatric vulnerability is associated with enduring neuroplasticity in the nucleus accumbens core because stress exposure can alter drug addiction-related behaviors that are associated with accumbens synaptic plasticity. We used a single 2-h stress session and 3 weeks later exposed male and female rats to stress-conditioned odors in a modified defensive burying task, and quantified both active and avoidant coping strategies. We measured corticosterone, dendritic spine and astrocyte morphology in accumbens, and examined reward sensitivity using a sucrose two-bottle choice and operant sucrose self-administration. Exposure to stress odor increased burying (active coping) and immobility (avoidant coping) in the defensive burying task in female and male rats. Systemic corticosterone was transiently increased by both ongoing acute restraint stress and stress-conditioned odors. Three weeks after administering acute restraint stress, we observed increased dendritic spine density and head diameter, and decreased synaptic association with astroglia and the astroglial glutamate transporter, GLT-1. Exposure to conditioned stress further increased head diameter without affecting spine density or astroglial morphology, and this increase by conditioned stress was correlated with burying behavior. Finally, we found that stress-exposed females have a preference for sweet solutions and higher motivation to seek sucrose than stressed male rats. We conclude that acute stress produced enduring plasticity in accumbens postsynapses and associated astroglia. Moreover, conditioned stress odors induced active behavioral coping strategies that were correlated with dendritic spine morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jordan S Carter
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Anna Kruyer
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Angela M Kearns
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Jordan L Hopkins
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Ritchy Hodebourg
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Peter W Kalivas
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Carmela M Reichel
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
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21
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Huijgens PT, Snoeren EMS, Meisel RL, Mermelstein PG. Effects of gonadectomy and dihydrotestosterone on neuronal plasticity in motivation and reward related brain regions in the male rat. J Neuroendocrinol 2021; 33:e12918. [PMID: 33340384 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Gonadal hormones affect neuronal morphology to ultimately regulate behaviour. In female rats, oestradiol mediates spine plasticity in hypothalamic and limbic brain structures, contributing to long-lasting effects on motivated behaviour. Parallel effects of androgens in male rats have not been extensively studied. Here, we investigated the effect of both castration and androgen replacement on spine plasticity in the nucleus accumbens shell and core (NAcSh and NAcC), caudate putamen (CPu), medial amygdala (MeA) and medial preoptic nucleus (MPN). Intact and castrated (gonadectomy [GDX]) male rats were treated with dihydrotestosterone (DHT, 1.5 mg) or vehicle (oil) in three experimental groups: intact-oil, GDX-oil and GDX-DHT. Spine density and morphology, measured 24 hours after injection, were determined through three-dimensional reconstruction of confocal z-stacks of DiI-labelled dendritic segments. We found that GDX decreased spine density in the MPN, which was rescued by DHT treatment. DHT also increased spine density in the MeA in GDX animals compared to intact oil-treated animals. By contrast, DHT decreased spine density in the NAcSh compared to GDX males. No effect on spine density was observed in the NAcC or CPu. Spine length and spine head diameter were unaffected by GDX and DHT in the investigated brain regions. In addition, immunohistochemistry revealed that DHT treatment of GDX animals rapidly increased the number of cell bodies in the NAcSh positive for phosphorylated cAMP response-element binding protein, a downstream messenger of the androgen receptor. These findings indicate that androgen signalling plays a role in the regulation of spine plasticity within neurocircuits involved in motivated behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patty T Huijgens
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Eelke M S Snoeren
- Department of Psychology, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Robert L Meisel
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Paul G Mermelstein
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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22
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Calarco CA, Lobo MK. Depression and substance use disorders: Clinical comorbidity and shared neurobiology. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 157:245-309. [PMID: 33648671 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD), are the most prevalent psychiatric illnesses, and pose an incredible burden to society, both in terms of disability and in terms of costs associated with medical care and lost work time. MDD has extremely high rates of comorbidity with substance use disorders (SUD) as many of the same neurobiological circuits and molecular mechanisms regulate the reward pathways disrupted in both conditions. MDD may induce SUDs, SUD may contribute to MDD development, or underlying vulnerabilities and common life experience may confer risk to developing both conditions. In this chapter we explore theories of MDD and SUD comorbidity, the neurobiological underpinnings of depression, overlapping cellular and molecular pathways for both conditions, and current treatment approaches for these comorbid conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cali A Calarco
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mary Kay Lobo
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
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