1
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Gutierrez-Castellanos N, Sarra D, Godinho BS, Mainen ZF. Maturation of cortical input to dorsal raphe nucleus increases behavioral persistence in mice. eLife 2024; 13:e93485. [PMID: 38477558 PMCID: PMC10994666 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93485] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability to persist toward a desired objective is a fundamental aspect of behavioral control whose impairment is implicated in several behavioral disorders. One of the prominent features of behavioral persistence is that its maturation occurs relatively late in development. This is presumed to echo the developmental time course of a corresponding circuit within late-maturing parts of the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex, but the specific identity of the responsible circuits is unknown. Here, we used a genetic approach to describe the maturation of the projection from layer 5 neurons of the neocortex to the dorsal raphe nucleus in mice. Using optogenetic-assisted circuit mapping, we show that this projection undergoes a dramatic increase in synaptic potency between postnatal weeks 3 and 8, corresponding to the transition from juvenile to adult. We then show that this period corresponds to an increase in the behavioral persistence that mice exhibit in a foraging task. Finally, we used a genetic targeting strategy that primarily affected neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex, to selectively ablate this pathway in adulthood and show that mice revert to a behavioral phenotype similar to juveniles. These results suggest that frontal cortical to dorsal raphe input is a critical anatomical and functional substrate of the development and manifestation of behavioral persistence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dario Sarra
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud FoundationLisbonPortugal
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Beatriz S Godinho
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud FoundationLisbonPortugal
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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2
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Guzulaitis R, Palmer LM. A thalamocortical pathway controlling impulsive behavior. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:1018-1024. [PMID: 37778915 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.09.001] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Planning and anticipating motor actions enables movements to be quickly and accurately executed. However, if anticipation is not properly controlled, it can lead to premature impulsive actions. Impulsive behavior is defined as actions that are poorly conceived and are often risky and inappropriate. Historically, impulsive behavior was thought to be primarily controlled by the frontal cortex and basal ganglia. More recently, two additional brain regions, the ventromedial (VM) thalamus and the anterior lateral motor cortex (ALM), have been shown to have an important role in mice. Here, we explore this newly discovered role of the thalamocortical pathway and suggest cellular mechanisms that may be involved in driving the cortical activity that contributes to impulsive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucy M Palmer
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
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3
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Ulloa Severino FP, Lawal OO, Sakers K, Wang S, Kim N, Friedman AD, Johnson SA, Sriworarat C, Hughes RH, Soderling SH, Kim IH, Yin HH, Eroglu C. Training-induced circuit-specific excitatory synaptogenesis in mice is required for effort control. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5522. [PMID: 37684234 PMCID: PMC10491649 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41078-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Synaptogenesis is essential for circuit development; however, it is unknown whether it is critical for the establishment and performance of goal-directed voluntary behaviors. Here, we show that operant conditioning via lever-press for food reward training in mice induces excitatory synapse formation onto a subset of anterior cingulate cortex neurons projecting to the dorsomedial striatum (ACC→DMS). Training-induced synaptogenesis is controlled by the Gabapentin/Thrombospondin receptor α2δ-1, which is an essential neuronal protein for proper intracortical excitatory synaptogenesis. Using germline and conditional knockout mice, we found that deletion of α2δ-1 in the adult ACC→DMS circuit diminishes training-induced excitatory synaptogenesis. Surprisingly, this manipulation does not impact learning but results in a significant increase in effort exertion without affecting sensitivity to reward value or changing contingencies. Bidirectional optogenetic manipulation of ACC→DMS neurons rescues or phenocopies the behaviors of the α2δ-1 cKO mice, highlighting the importance of synaptogenesis within this cortico-striatal circuit in regulating effort exertion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Paolo Ulloa Severino
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Cajal Institute (CSIC), Madrid, 28001, Spain.
| | | | - Kristina Sakers
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Shiyi Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Namsoo Kim
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | | | - Sarah Anne Johnson
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | | | - Ryan H Hughes
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Scott H Soderling
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences (DIBS), Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Il Hwan Kim
- Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health and Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38103, USA
| | - Henry H Yin
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences (DIBS), Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
| | - Cagla Eroglu
- Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Duke Institute for Brain Sciences (DIBS), Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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4
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Fang Q, Frohlich F. Dissection of neuronal circuits underlying sustained attention with the five-choice serial reaction time task. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105306. [PMID: 37419229 PMCID: PMC10517644 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105306] [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: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Attention deficits are common in psychiatric and neurological disorders. The transdiagnostic nature of impaired attention suggests a common set of underlying neural circuits. Yet, there are no circuit-based treatments such as non-invasive brain stimulation currently available due to the lack of sufficiently delineated network targets. Therefore, to better treat attentional deficits, a comprehensive functional dissection of neural circuits underlying attention is imperative. This can be achieved by taking advantage of preclinical animal models and well-designed behavioral assays of attention. The resulting findings in turn can be translated to the development of novel interventions with the goal of advancing them to clinical practice. Here we show that the five-choice serial reaction time task has greatly facilitated the study of the neural circuits underlying attention in a well-controlled setting. We first introduce the task and then focus on its application in preclinical studies on sustained attention, especially in the context of state-of-the-art neuronal perturbations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Fang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Flavio Frohlich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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5
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Jendryka MM, Lewin U, van der Veen B, Kapanaiah SKT, Prex V, Strahnen D, Akam T, Liss B, Pekcec A, Nissen W, Kätzel D. Control of sustained attention and impulsivity by G q-protein signalling in parvalbumin interneurons of the anterior cingulate cortex. Transl Psychiatry 2023; 13:243. [PMID: 37407615 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-023-02541-z] [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: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) has been implicated in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). More specifically, an appropriate balance of excitatory and inhibitory activity in the ACC may be critical for the control of impulsivity, hyperactivity, and sustained attention which are centrally affected in ADHD. Hence, pharmacological augmentation of parvalbumin- (PV) or somatostatin-positive (Sst) inhibitory ACC interneurons could be a potential treatment strategy. We, therefore, tested whether stimulation of Gq-protein-coupled receptors (GqPCRs) in these interneurons could improve attention or impulsivity assessed with the 5-choice-serial reaction-time task in male mice. When challenging impulse control behaviourally or pharmacologically, activation of the chemogenetic GqPCR hM3Dq in ACC PV-cells caused a selective decrease of active erroneous-i.e. incorrect and premature-responses, indicating improved attentional and impulse control. When challenging attention, in contrast, omissions were increased, albeit without extension of reward latencies or decreases of attentional accuracy. These effects largely resembled those of the ADHD medication atomoxetine. Additionally, they were mostly independent of each other within individual animals. GqPCR activation in ACC PV-cells also reduced hyperactivity. In contrast, if hM3Dq was activated in Sst-interneurons, no improvement of impulse control was observed, and a reduction of incorrect responses was only induced at high agonist levels and accompanied by reduced motivational drive. These results suggest that the activation of GqPCRs expressed specifically in PV-cells of the ACC may be a viable strategy to improve certain aspects of sustained attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity in ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin M Jendryka
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Div. Research Germany, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Uwe Lewin
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | | | - Vivien Prex
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Strahnen
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Akam
- Department of Experimental Psychology and Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Birgit Liss
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
- Linacre College and New College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Anton Pekcec
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Div. Research Germany, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Wiebke Nissen
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Div. Research Germany, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Dennis Kätzel
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
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6
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Cushnie AK, Tang W, Heilbronner SR. Connecting Circuits with Networks in Addiction Neuroscience: A Salience Network Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24109083. [PMID: 37240428 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109083] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Human neuroimaging has demonstrated the existence of large-scale functional networks in the cerebral cortex consisting of topographically distant brain regions with functionally correlated activity. The salience network (SN), which is involved in detecting salient stimuli and mediating inter-network communication, is a crucial functional network that is disrupted in addiction. Individuals with addiction display dysfunctional structural and functional connectivity of the SN. Furthermore, while there is a growing body of evidence regarding the SN, addiction, and the relationship between the two, there are still many unknowns, and there are fundamental limitations to human neuroimaging studies. At the same time, advances in molecular and systems neuroscience techniques allow researchers to manipulate neural circuits in nonhuman animals with increasing precision. Here, we describe attempts to translate human functional networks to nonhuman animals to uncover circuit-level mechanisms. To do this, we review the structural and functional connections of the salience network and its homology across species. We then describe the existing literature in which circuit-specific perturbation of the SN sheds light on how functional cortical networks operate, both within and outside the context of addiction. Finally, we highlight key outstanding opportunities for mechanistic studies of the SN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana K Cushnie
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 2-164 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Wei Tang
- Department of Computer Science, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - Sarah R Heilbronner
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, 2-164 Jackson Hall, 321 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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7
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Sanchez EO, Bangasser DA. The effects of early life stress on impulsivity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 137:104638. [PMID: 35341796 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Elevated impulsivity is a symptom shared by various psychiatric disorders such as substance use disorder, bipolar disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, impulsivity is not a unitary construct and impulsive behaviors fall into two subcategories: impulsive action and impulsive choice. Impulsive choice refers to the tendency to prefer immediate, small rewards over delayed, large rewards, whereas impulsive action involves difficulty inhibiting rash, premature, or mistimed behaviors. These behaviors are mediated by the mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) system, which consists of projections from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. Early life stress (ELS) alters both impulsive choice and impulsive action in rodents. ELS also changes DA receptor expression, transmission, and activity within the mesocorticolimbic system. This review integrates the dopamine, impulsivity, and ELS literature to provide evidence that ELS alters impulsivity via inducing changes in the mesocorticolimbic DA system. Understanding how ELS affects brain circuits associated with impulsivity can help advance treatments aimed towards reducing impulsivity symptoms in a variety of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Ordoñes Sanchez
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
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8
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Kilonzo K, Strahnen D, Prex V, Gems J, van der Veen B, Kapanaiah SKT, Murthy BKB, Schulz S, Sprengel R, Bannerman D, Kätzel D. Distinct contributions of GluA1-containing AMPA receptors of different hippocampal subfields to salience processing, memory and impulse control. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:102. [PMID: 35288531 PMCID: PMC8921206 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01863-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with a broad range of severe and currently pharmacoresistant cognitive deficits. Prior evidence suggests that hypofunction of AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs) containing the subunit GLUA1, encoded by GRIA1, might be causally related to impairments of selective attention and memory in this disorder, at least in some patients. In order to clarify the roles of GluA1 in distinct cell populations, we investigated behavioural consequences of selective Gria1-knockout in excitatory neurons of subdivisions of the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus, assessing sustained attention, impulsivity, cognitive flexibility, anxiety, sociability, hyperactivity, and various forms of short-term memory in mice. We found that virally induced reduction of GluA1 across multiple hippocampal subfields impaired spatial working memory. Transgene-mediated ablation of GluA1 from excitatory cells of CA2 impaired short-term memory for conspecifics and objects. Gria1 knockout in CA3 pyramidal cells caused mild impairments of object-related and spatial short-term memory, but appeared to partially increase social interaction and sustained attention and to reduce motor impulsivity. Our data suggest that reduced hippocampal GluA1 expression-as seen in some patients with schizophrenia-may be a central cause particularly for several short-term memory deficits. However, as impulse control and sustained attention actually appeared to improve with GluA1 ablation in CA3, strategies of enhancement of AMPAR signalling likely require a fine balance to be therapeutically effective across the broad symptom spectrum of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasyoka Kilonzo
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Daniel Strahnen
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Vivien Prex
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - John Gems
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Bastiaan van der Veen
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | | | - Bhargavi K. B. Murthy
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Stefanie Schulz
- grid.6582.90000 0004 1936 9748Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Rolf Sprengel
- grid.414703.50000 0001 2202 0959Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - David Bannerman
- grid.4991.50000 0004 1936 8948Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dennis Kätzel
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
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9
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Desrochers SS, Spring MG, Nautiyal KM. A Role for Serotonin in Modulating Opposing Drive and Brake Circuits of Impulsivity. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:791749. [PMID: 35250501 PMCID: PMC8892181 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.791749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Impulsivity generally refers to a deficit in inhibition, with a focus on understanding the neural circuits which constitute the “brake” on actions and gratification. It is likely that increased impulsivity can arise not only from reduced inhibition, but also from a heightened or exaggerated excitatory “drive.” For example, an action which has more vigor, or is fueled by either increased incentive salience or a stronger action-outcome association, may be harder to inhibit. From this perspective, this review focuses on impulse control as a competition over behavioral output between an initially learned response-reward outcome association, and a subsequently acquired opposing inhibitory association. Our goal is to present a synthesis of research from humans and animal models that supports this dual-systems approach to understanding the behavioral and neural substrates that contribute to impulsivity, with a focus on the neuromodulatory role of serotonin. We review evidence for the role of serotonin signaling in mediating the balance of the “drive” and “brake” circuits. Additionally, we consider parallels of these competing instrumental systems in impulsivity within classical conditioning processes (e.g., extinction) in order to point us to potential behavioral and neural mechanisms that may modulate the competing instrumental associations. Finally, we consider how the balance of these competing associations might contribute to, or be extracted from, our experimental assessments of impulsivity. A careful understanding of the underlying behavioral and circuit level contributions to impulsivity is important for understanding the pathogenesis of increased impulsivity present in a number of psychiatric disorders. Pathological levels of impulsivity in such disorders are likely subserved by deficits in the balance of motivational and inhibitory processes.
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10
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Akam T, Lustig A, Rowland JM, Kapanaiah SKT, Esteve-Agraz J, Panniello M, Márquez C, Kohl MM, Kätzel D, Costa RM, Walton ME. Open-source, Python-based, hardware and software for controlling behavioural neuroscience experiments. eLife 2022; 11:e67846. [PMID: 35043782 PMCID: PMC8769647 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Laboratory behavioural tasks are an essential research tool. As questions asked of behaviour and brain activity become more sophisticated, the ability to specify and run richly structured tasks becomes more important. An increasing focus on reproducibility also necessitates accurate communication of task logic to other researchers. To these ends, we developed pyControl, a system of open-source hardware and software for controlling behavioural experiments comprising a simple yet flexible Python-based syntax for specifying tasks as extended state machines, hardware modules for building behavioural setups, and a graphical user interface designed for efficiently running high-throughput experiments on many setups in parallel, all with extensive online documentation. These tools make it quicker, easier, and cheaper to implement rich behavioural tasks at scale. As important, pyControl facilitates communication and reproducibility of behavioural experiments through a highly readable task definition syntax and self-documenting features. Here, we outline the system's design and rationale, present validation experiments characterising system performance, and demonstrate example applications in freely moving and head-fixed mouse behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Akam
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Centre for the UnknownLisbonPortugal
| | - Andy Lustig
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical InstituteAshburnUnited States
| | - James M Rowland
- Department of Physiology Anatomy & Genetics, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Joan Esteve-Agraz
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)Sant Joan d’AlacantSpain
| | - Mariangela Panniello
- Department of Physiology Anatomy & Genetics, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | - Cristina Márquez
- Instituto de Neurociencias (Universidad Miguel Hernández-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas)Sant Joan d’AlacantSpain
| | - Michael M Kohl
- Department of Physiology Anatomy & Genetics, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, University of GlasgowGlasgowUnited Kingdom
| | - Dennis Kätzel
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm UniversityUlmGermany
| | - Rui M Costa
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Program, Champalimaud Centre for the UnknownLisbonPortugal
- Department of Neuroscience and Neurology, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Mark E Walton
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
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11
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Stanford SC. Animal Models of ADHD? Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2022; 57:363-393. [PMID: 35604570 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2022_342] [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: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
To describe animals that express abnormal behaviors as a model of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) implies that the abnormalities are analogous to those expressed by ADHD patients. The diagnostic features of ADHD comprise inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity and so these behaviors are fundamental for validation of any animal model of this disorder. Several experimental interventions such as neurotoxic lesion of neonatal rats with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), genetic alterations, or selective inbreeding of rodents have produced animals that express each of these impairments to some extent. This article appraises the validity of claims that these procedures have produced a model of ADHD, which is essential if they are to be used to investigate the underlying cause(s) of ADHD and its abnormal neurobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Clare Stanford
- Department of Neuroscience Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, London, UK.
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12
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Kapanaiah SKT, van der Veen B, Strahnen D, Akam T, Kätzel D. A low-cost open-source 5-choice operant box system optimized for electrophysiology and optophysiology in mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22279. [PMID: 34782697 PMCID: PMC8593009 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01717-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Operant boxes enable the application of complex behavioural paradigms to support circuit neuroscience and drug discovery research. However, commercial operant box systems are expensive and often not optimised for combining behaviour with neurophysiology. Here we introduce a fully open-source Python-based operant-box system in a 5-choice design (pyOS-5) that enables assessment of multiple cognitive and affective functions. It is optimized for fast turn-over between animals, and for testing of tethered mice for simultaneous physiological recordings or optogenetic manipulation. For reward delivery, we developed peristaltic and syringe pumps based on a stepper motor and 3D-printed parts. Tasks are specified using a Python-based syntax implemented on custom-designed printed circuit boards that are commercially available at low cost. We developed an open-source graphical user interface (GUI) and task definition scripts to conduct assays assessing operant learning, attention, impulsivity, working memory, or cognitive flexibility, alleviating the need for programming skills of the end user. All behavioural events are recorded with millisecond resolution, and TTL-outputs and -inputs allow straightforward integration with physiological recordings and closed-loop manipulations. This combination of features realizes a cost-effective, nose-poke-based operant box system that allows reliable circuit-neuroscience experiments investigating correlates of cognition and emotion in large cohorts of subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Daniel Strahnen
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Thomas Akam
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dennis Kätzel
- Institute of Applied Physiology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
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13
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Low striatal T3 is implicated in inattention and memory impairment in an ADHD mouse model overexpressing thyroid hormone-responsive protein. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1101. [PMID: 34545202 PMCID: PMC8452653 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02633-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, potentially with a biological basis; however, its exact cause remains unknown. Thyroid hormone (TH) abnormalities are more prevalent in patients with ADHD than in the general population, indicating a shared pathogenetic mechanism for these conditions. Previously, we identified that overexpression of thyroid hormone-responsive protein (THRSP), a gene highly responsive to TH status, induced inattention in male mice. Herein, we sought to explore whether TH function in THRSP-overexpressing (THRSP OE) mice influences ADHD-like (inattention) behavior. We now confirm that THRSP overexpression in male mice reproduces behavioral features of ADHD, including sustained inattention and memory impairment, accompanied by excessive theta waves that were found normal in both the THRSP-knockout and hetero groups. Physiological characterization revealed low striatal T3 levels in the THRSP OE mice due to reduced striatal T3-specific monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8), indicating brain-specific hypothyroidism in this transgenic mouse strain. TH replacement for seven days rescued inattention and memory impairment and the normalization of theta waves. This study further supports the involvement of the upregulated THRSP gene in ADHD pathology and indicates that THRSP OE mice can serve as an animal model for the predominantly inattentive subtype of ADHD.
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