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Lombardi AM, Wong H, Bower ME, Milstead R, Borski C, Schmitt E, Griffioen M, LaPlante L, Ehringer MA, Stitzel J, Hoeffer CA. AKT2 modulates astrocytic nicotine responses in vivo. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.31.596856. [PMID: 38854016 PMCID: PMC11160815 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.31.596856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
A better understanding of nicotine neurobiology is needed to reduce or prevent chronic addiction, ameliorate the detrimental effects of nicotine withdrawal, and increase successful cessation of use. Nicotine binds and activates two astrocyte-expressed nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), α4β2 and α7. We recently found that Protein kinase B- β ( Pkb- β or Akt2 ) expression is restricted to astrocytes in mice and humans. To determine if AKT2 plays a role in astrocytic nicotinic responses, we generated astrocyte-specific Akt2 conditional knockout (cKO) and full Akt2 KO mice for in vivo and in vitro experiments. For in vivo studies, we examined mice exposed to chronic nicotine for two weeks in drinking water (200 μg/mL) and following acute nicotine challenge (0.09, 0.2 mg/kg) after 24 hrs. Our in vitro studies used cultured mouse astrocytes to measure nicotine-dependent astrocytic responses. We validated our approaches using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure inducing astrogliosis. Sholl analysis was used to measure glial fibrillary acidic protein responses in astrocytes. Our data show that wild-type (WT) mice exhibit increased astrocyte morphological complexity during acute nicotine exposure, with decreasing complexity during chronic nicotine use, whereas Akt2 cKO mice showed increased astrocyte morphology complexity. In culture, we found that 100μM nicotine was sufficient for morphological changes and blocking α7 or α4β2 nAChRs prevented observed morphologic changes. Finally, we performed conditioned place preference (CPP) in Akt2 cKO mice and found that astrocytic AKT2 deficiency reduced nicotine preference compared to controls. These findings show the importance of nAChRs and Akt2 signaling in the astrocytic response to nicotine. Main Points Nicotine regulates astrogliosis in vivo : acute exposure boosts complexity; chronic exposure diminishes it. AKT2, expressed in astroglia, modulates morphological changes in response to nicotine and nicotine-dependent conditioned place preference.
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Matsumoto Y, Matsumoto CS, Mizunami M. Critical roles of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in olfactory memory formation and retrieval in crickets. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1345397. [PMID: 38405118 PMCID: PMC10884312 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1345397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Acetylcholine (ACh) is a major excitatory neurotransmitter in the insect central nervous system, and insect neurons express several types of ACh receptors (AChRs). AChRs are classified into two subgroups, muscarinic AChRs and nicotinic AChRs (nAChRs). nAChRs are also divided into two subgroups by sensitivity to α-bungarotoxin (α-BGT). The cricket Gryllus bimaculatus is one of the useful insects for studying the molecular mechanisms in olfactory learning and memory. However, the roles of nAChRs in olfactory learning and memory of the cricket are still unknown. In the present study, to investigate whether nAChRs are involved in cricket olfactory learning and memory, we tested the effects of two different AChR antagonists on long-term memory (LTM) formation and retrieval in a behavioral assay. The two AChR antagonists that we used are mecamylamine (MEC), an α-BGT-insensitive nAChR antagonist, and methyllycaconitine (MLA), an α-BGT-sensitive nAChR antagonist. In crickets, multiple-trial olfactory conditioning induced 1-day memory (LTM), whereas single-trial olfactory conditioning induced 1-h memory (mid-term memory, MTM) but not 1-day memory. Crickets injected with MEC 20 min before the retention test at 1 day after the multiple-trial conditioning exhibited no memory retrieval. This indicates that α-BGT-insensitive nAChRs participate in memory retrieval. In addition, crickets injected with MLA before the multiple-trial conditioning exhibited MTM but not LTM, indicating that α-BGT-sensitive nAChRs participate in the formation of LTM. Moreover, injection of nicotine (an nAChR agonist) before the single-trial conditioning induced LTM. Finally, the nitric oxide (NO)-cGMP signaling pathway is known to participate in the formation of LTM in crickets, and we conducted co-injection experiments with an agonist or inhibitor of the nAChR and an activator or inhibitor of the NO-cGMP signaling pathway. The results suggest that nAChR works upstream of the NO-cGMP signaling system in the LTM formation process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukihisa Matsumoto
- Institute of Education, Liberal Arts and Sciences Division, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan
| | | | - Makoto Mizunami
- Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
- Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
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Ihnatovych I, Saddler RA, Sule N, Szigeti K. Translational implications of CHRFAM7A, an elusive human-restricted fusion gene. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-023-02389-1. [PMID: 38200291 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02389-1] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Genes restricted to humans may contribute to human-specific traits and provide a different context for diseases. CHRFAM7A is a uniquely human fusion gene and a negative regulator of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR). The α7 nAChR has been a promising target for diseases affecting cognition and higher cortical functions, however, the treatment effect observed in animal models failed to translate into human clinical trials. As CHRFAM7A was not accounted for in preclinical drug screens it may have contributed to the translational gap. Understanding the complex genetic architecture of the locus, deciphering the functional impact of CHRFAM7A on α7 nAChR neurobiology and utilizing human-relevant models may offer novel approaches to explore α7 nAChR as a drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivanna Ihnatovych
- Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott St., Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Ruth-Ann Saddler
- Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott St., Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Norbert Sule
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, 665 Elm St, Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA
| | - Kinga Szigeti
- Department of Neurology, State University of New York at Buffalo, 875 Ellicott St., Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA.
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Esaki H, Deyama S, Izumi S, Katsura A, Nishikawa K, Nishitani N, Kaneda K. Varenicline enhances recognition memory via α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex in male mice. Neuropharmacology 2023; 239:109672. [PMID: 37506875 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies postulated that chronic administration of varenicline, a partial and full agonist at α4β2 and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), respectively, enhances recognition memory. However, whether its acute administration is effective, on which brain region(s) it acts, and in what signaling it is involved, remain unknown. To address these issues, we conducted a novel object recognition test using male C57BL/6J mice, focusing on the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain region associated with nicotine-induced enhancement of recognition memory. Systemic administration of varenicline before the training dose-dependently enhanced recognition memory. Intra-mPFC varenicline infusion also enhanced recognition memory, and this enhancement was blocked by intra-mPFC co-infusion of a selective α7, but not α4β2, nAChR antagonist. Consistent with this, intra-mPFC infusion of a selective α7 nAChR agonist augmented object recognition memory. Furthermore, intra-mPFC co-infusion of U-73122, a phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor, or 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborane (2-APB), an inositol trisphosphate (IP3) receptor inhibitor, suppressed the varenicline-induced memory enhancement, suggesting that α7 nAChRs may also act as Gq-coupled metabotropic receptors. Additionally, whole-cell recordings from mPFC layer V pyramidal neurons in vitro revealed that varenicline significantly increased the summation of evoked excitatory postsynaptic potentials, and this effect was suppressed by U-73122 or 2-APB. These findings suggest that varenicline might acutely enhance recognition memory via mPFC α7 nAChR stimulation, followed by mPFC neuronal excitation, which is mediated by the activation of PLC and IP3 receptor signaling. Our study provides evidence supporting the potential repositioning of varenicline as a treatment for cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirohito Esaki
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Satoshi Deyama
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Shoma Izumi
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Ayano Katsura
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Keisuke Nishikawa
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Naoya Nishitani
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Katsuyuki Kaneda
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Institute of Medical, Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan.
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Gao Q, Bi P, Mi Q, Guan Y, Jiang J, Li X, Yang B. Effect of nicotine on cholesterol gallstone formation in C57BL/6J mice fed on a lithogenic diet. Exp Ther Med 2023; 25:84. [PMID: 36684657 PMCID: PMC9849855 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2023.11783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Gallstones are diseases of the biliary system caused by cholesterol supersaturation and/or deficiency in bile salts in bile. Early studies have shown that symptomatic gallstones are primarily a disease of non-smokers, raising the possibility that nicotine can prevent gallstone formation. The present study investigated the effect of nicotine on the formation of cholesterol gallstone in C57BL/6J mice. C57BL/6J mice (eight-weeks-old) were fed a normal or lithogenic diet (basic feed 82.45%, fat 15.8%, cholesterol 1.25% and sodium cholate 0.5%) and divided into five groups: normal diet (ND); ND + high dose nicotine (H); lithogenic diet (LD); LD + low dose nicotine (L) and LD + nicotine (H). They were treated with or without nicotine injection for 10 weeks. Nicotine treatment did not change the rate of cholesterol gallstone formation. There was no difference in TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6 among the five groups. The LD group showed the highest cholesterol levels and there was significant suppression of the total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and total bile acid levels in the serum of the nicotine-treated mice. Quantitative PCR showed nicotine altered few bile acid metabolism-related genes expression in liver tissue and significantly altered cholesterol-metabolism genes in gallbladder tissue. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and western blotting showed that protein levels of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and megalin in the gallbladder increased in the lithogenic-diet mice, which was significantly suppressed in the nicotine-treated mice. In vitro studies using gallbladder epithelial cells showed that chenodeoxycholic acids increased megalin expression, which could be attenuated by nicotine. Nicotine could regulate bile acid metabolism via the FXR-megalin/cubilin pathways, which potentially contribute to cholesterol nucleation and subsequent gallstone formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Gao
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Tobacco Chemistry, R&D Center of China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co. Ltd., Kunming, Yunnan 650106, P.R. China
| | - Pinduan Bi
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, P.R. China
| | - Qili Mi
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Tobacco Chemistry, R&D Center of China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co. Ltd., Kunming, Yunnan 650106, P.R. China
| | - Ying Guan
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Tobacco Chemistry, R&D Center of China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co. Ltd., Kunming, Yunnan 650106, P.R. China
| | - Jiarui Jiang
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Tobacco Chemistry, R&D Center of China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co. Ltd., Kunming, Yunnan 650106, P.R. China
| | - Xuemei Li
- Yunnan Key Laboratory of Tobacco Chemistry, R&D Center of China Tobacco Yunnan Industrial Co. Ltd., Kunming, Yunnan 650106, P.R. China
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, P.R. China,Correspondence to: Dr Bin Yang, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, 295 Xichang Road, Wuhua, Kunming, Yunnan 650032, P.R. China
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Rodefer JS, Maitland SC. Adolescent nicotine administration impacts working memory and reversal learning but not cognitive flexibility. Dev Psychobiol 2022; 64:e22343. [PMID: 36426795 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22343] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
There has been increased interest in early exposure to nicotine through tobacco products and vaping specifically as it relates to addiction, yet fewer studies have focused on whether behavioral effects resulting from early nicotine exposure may persist into adulthood. Our experiments tested the hypothesis that exposure to nicotine during adolescence would impair selective aspects of behavioral cognition in rodents in adulthood. Male and female adolescent rats received either nicotine (0.4 mg/kg) or vehicle injections (intraperitoneal) once daily for 10 days (PND 29-38) followed by a washout period before behavioral testing. Animals were followed in a longitudinal design and evaluated on a battery of both behavioral and cognitive tasks during adulthood (PND 90+) that included locomotor activity, working memory (novel object recognition), cognitive flexibility (attentional set-shifting task, ASST), and anxiety-like behaviors. Data suggested that subchronic exposure to nicotine during adolescence produced significant changes in working memory, in two reversal problems in the ASST, and in anxiety-related behaviors. Taken together these data may suggest that limited early exposure to nicotine may produce selective longer term impairments in cognitive and behavioral processes related to working memory and reversal learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua S Rodefer
- Department of Psychology, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, USA.,Program of Neuroscience, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, USA
| | - Sarah C Maitland
- Department of Psychology, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, USA
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7
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Peng W, Mao L, Dang X. The emergence of the uniquely human α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene and its roles in inflammation. Gene 2022; 842:146777. [PMID: 35952843 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The uniquely human CHRFAM7A gene is evolved from the fusion of two partially duplicated genes, ULK4 and CHRNA7. Transcription of CHRFAM7A gene produces a 1256-bp open reading frame (ORF) that encodes duplicate α7-nAChR (dup-α7-nAChR), in which a 27-aminoacid peptide derived from ULK4 gene replaces the 146-aminoacid N-terminal extracellular domain of α7-nAChR, and the rest protein domains are exactly the same as those of α7-nAChR. In vitro, dup-α7-nAChR has been shown to form hetero-pentamer with α7-nAChR and dominant-negatively inhibits the channel functions of the latter. α7-nAChR has been shown to participate in many pathophysiological processes such as cognition, memory, neuronal degenerative disease, psychological disease, and inflammatory diseases, among others, and thus has been extensively exploited as potential therapeutic targets for many diseases. Unfortunately, many lead compounds that showed potent therapeutic effect in preclinical animal models failed clinical trials, suggesting the possibility that the contribution of the uniquely human CHRFAM7A gene may not be accounted for in the preclinical research. Here, we review the emergence of CHRFAM7A gene and its transcriptional regulation, the regulatory roles of CHRFAM7A gene in α7-nAChR-mediated cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, and the potential implications of CHRFAM7A gene in translational research and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanling Peng
- The Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, India
| | - Liang Mao
- The Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, India
| | - Xitong Dang
- The Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology of Ministry of Education, Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Collaborative Innovation Center for Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, India; Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The 1st Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China.
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8
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Dissociating the involvement of muscarinic and nicotinic cholinergic receptors in object memory destabilization and reconsolidation. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2022; 195:107686. [PMID: 36174889 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2022.107686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The content of long-term memory is neither fixed nor permanent. Reminder cues can destabilize consolidated memories, rendering them amenable to change before being reconsolidated. However, not all memories destabilize following reactivation. Characteristics of a memory, such as its age or strength, impose boundaries on destabilization. Previously, we demonstrated that presentation of salient novel information at the time of reactivation can readily destabilize resistant object memories in rats and this form of novelty-induced destabilization is dependent upon acetylcholine (ACh) activity at muscarinic receptors (mAChRs). In the present study, we sought to determine if this same mechanism for initiating destabilization of resistant object memories is present in mice and further expand our understanding of the mechanisms through which ACh modulates object memory destabilization by investigating the role of nicotinic receptors (nAChRs). We provide evidence that in mice mAChRs are necessary for destabilizing object memories that are readily destabilized and those that are resistant to destabilization. Conversely, nAChRs were found to be necessary only when memories are readily destabilized. We then investigated the role of both receptors in the reconsolidation of destabilized object memory traces and determined that nAChRs, but not mAChRs, are necessary for object memory reconsolidation. Together, these results suggest that nAChRs may play a more selective role in the re-storage of object memories following destabilization and that ACh acts through mAChRs to act as an override signal to initiate destabilization of resistant object memories following reactivation with novelty. These findings expand our current understanding of the role of ACh in the dynamic storage of long-term memory.
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Spasova V, Mehmood S, Minhas A, Azhar R, Anand S, Abdelaal S, Sham S, Chauhan TM, Dragas D. Impact of Nicotine on Cognition in Patients With Schizophrenia: A Narrative Review. Cureus 2022; 14:e24306. [PMID: 35475247 PMCID: PMC9020415 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.24306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Nicotine is the psychoactive component given tobacco has several main components and acts as an agonist for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the nervous system. Although the ligand-gated cation channels known as nAChRs are found throughout the nervous system and body, this review focuses on neuronal nAChRs. Individuals with psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, comorbid substance use disorders, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, major depression, and bipolar disorder have increased rates of smoking. These psychiatric disorders are associated with various cognitive deficits, including working memory, deficits in attention, and response inhibition functions. The cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine may be particularly relevant predictors of smoking initiation and continuation in this comorbid population. Individuals with schizophrenia make up a significant proportion of smokers. Literature suggests that patients smoke to alleviate cognitive deficiencies due to the stimulating effects of nicotine. This narrative review examines the role of nicotine on cognition in schizophrenia.
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Letsinger AC, Gu Z, Yakel JL. α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the hippocampal circuit: taming complexity. Trends Neurosci 2022; 45:145-157. [PMID: 34916082 PMCID: PMC8914277 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Cholinergic innervation of the hippocampus uses the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) to coordinate neuronal circuit activity while simultaneously influencing the function of non-neuronal cell types. The α7 nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) subtype is highly expressed throughout the hippocampus, has the highest calcium permeability compared with other subtypes of nAChRs, and is of high therapeutic interest due to its association with a variety of neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, we synthesize research describing α7 nAChR properties, function, and relationship to cognitive dysfunction within the hippocampal circuit and highlight approaches to help improve therapeutic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayland C. Letsinger
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, Mail Drop F2-08, P.O. Box 12233, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Zhenglin Gu
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, Mail Drop F2-08, P.O. Box 12233, Durham, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Jerrel L. Yakel
- Neurobiology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Research Triangle Park, Mail Drop F2-08, P.O. Box 12233, Durham, NC, 27709, USA,Corresponding Author,
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11
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Convergent observations of MK-801-induced impairment in rat 5C-CPT performance across laboratories: reversal with a D 1 but not nicotinic agonist. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2021; 238:979-990. [PMID: 33404734 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05744-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cognitive function is closely linked to functional outcomes in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, however developing effective treatments for cognitive dysfunction have proven elusive. Potential reasons for this may include the complexity of diseases, the absence of appropriate and translatable animal tests of cognitive dysfunction, and the reproducibility of findings. Attention is a key component of cognitive function traditionally assessed in the clinic using a variant of the continuous performance test (CPT). The 5-choice (5C)-CPT was developed as a translational cross-species version of this task. Given the association between glutamatergic abnormalities and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia, we hypothesized that the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 would impair 5C-CPT in rats across different laboratories, and determined whether the dopamine D1 receptor agonist SKF38393 or the nonspecific nicotinic agonist nicotine would remediate such deficits. METHOD Rats were trained in the 5C-CPT at Beacon Discovery and UCSD. These rats were then treated with MK-801, agonist treatment, and combinations of the two. RESULTS MK-801 produced 5C-CPT deficits in the same domains of rats across sites at similar doses. Neither nicotine nor SKF38393 treatment alone improved performance. Importantly, SKF38393, but not nicotine, remediated the MK-801-induced deficits. CONCLUSION Convergent observation of MK-801-induced deficits in 5C-CPT was seen across laboratories, resulting in deficits consistent with those seen in people with schizophrenia. Treatment with SKF38393 but not nicotine reversed these deficits. More work is needed, but the 5C-CPT is a reliable method for detecting NMDA receptor disruption-induced deficits in attention.
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Huang GD, Jiang LX, Su F, Wang HL, Zhang C, Yu X. A novel paradigm for assessing olfactory working memory capacity in mice. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:431. [PMID: 33319773 PMCID: PMC7738675 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01120-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A decline in working memory (WM) capacity is suggested to be one of the earliest symptoms observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although WM capacity is widely studied in healthy subjects and neuropsychiatric patients, few tasks are developed to measure this variation in rodents. The present study describes a novel olfactory working memory capacity (OWMC) task, which assesses the ability of mice to remember multiple odours. The task was divided into five phases: context adaptation, digging training, rule-learning for non-matching to a single-sample odour (NMSS), rule-learning for non-matching to multiple sample odours (NMMS) and capacity testing. During the capacity-testing phase, the WM capacity (number of odours that the mice could remember) remained stable (average capacity ranged from 6.11 to 7.00) across different testing sessions in C57 mice. As the memory load increased, the average errors of each capacity level increased and the percent correct gradually declined to chance level, which suggested a limited OWMC in C57 mice. Then, we assessed the OWMC of 5 × FAD transgenic mice, an animal model of AD. We found that the performance displayed no significant differences between young adult (3-month-old) 5 × FAD mice and wild-type (WT) mice during the NMSS phase and NMMS phase; however, during the capacity test with increasing load, we found that the OWMC of young adult 5 × FAD mice was significantly decreased compared with WT mice, and the average error was significantly increased while the percent correct was significantly reduced, which indicated an impairment of WM capacity at the early stage of AD in the 5 × FAD mice model. Finally, we found that FOS protein levels in the medial prefrontal cortex and entorhinal cortex after the capacity test were significantly lower in 5 × FAD than WT mice. In conclusion, we developed a novel paradigm to assess the capacity of olfactory WM in mice, and we found that OWMC was impaired in the early stage of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geng-Di Huang
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Peking University Institute of Mental Health, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 100191 Beijing, China ,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, 100191 Beijing, China
| | - Li-Xin Jiang
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Peking University Institute of Mental Health, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 100191 Beijing, China ,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, 100191 Beijing, China
| | - Feng Su
- grid.452723.50000 0004 7887 9190Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, China ,grid.24696.3f0000 0004 0369 153XSchool of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, 100069 Beijing, China
| | - Hua-Li Wang
- grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615Peking University Sixth Hospital, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319Peking University Institute of Mental Health, 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.11135.370000 0001 2256 9319NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), 100191 Beijing, China ,grid.459847.30000 0004 1798 0615National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 100191 Beijing, China ,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, 100191 Beijing, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neural Regeneration and Repair, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, 100069, Beijing, China.
| | - Xin Yu
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, 100191, Beijing, China. .,Peking University Institute of Mental Health, 100191, Beijing, China. .,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), 100191, Beijing, China. .,National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), 100191, Beijing, China. .,Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory for Translational Research on Diagnosis and Treatment of Dementia, 100191, Beijing, China.
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13
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Rehman NU, Esmaeilpour K, Joushi S, Abbas M, Al-Rashida M, Rauf K, Masoumi-Ardakani Y. Effect of 4-Fluoro-N-(4-sulfamoylbenzyl) Benzene Sulfonamide on cognitive deficits and hippocampal plasticity during nicotine withdrawal in rats. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 131:110783. [PMID: 33152941 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Withdrawal from chronic nicotine has damaging effects on a variety of learning and memory tasks. Various Sulfonamides that act as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors have documented role in modulation of various cognitive, learning, and memory processing. We investigated the effects of 4-Fluoro-N-(4-sulfamoylbenzyl) Benzene Sulfonamide (4-FBS) on nicotine withdrawal impairments in rats using Morris water maze (MWM), Novel object recognition, Passive avoidance, and open field tasks. Also, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) profiling and in vivo field potential recording were assessed. Rats were exposed to saline or chronic nicotine 3.8 mg/kg subcutaneously for 14 days in four divided doses, spontaneous nicotine withdrawal was induced by quitting nicotine for 72 h (hrs). Animals received 4-FBS at 20, 40, and 60 mg/kg after 72 h of withdrawal in various behavioral and electrophysiological paradigms. Nicotine withdrawal causes a deficit in learning and long-term memory in the MWM task. No significant difference was found in novel object recognition tasks among all groups while in passive avoidance task nicotine withdrawal resulted in a deficit of hippocampus-dependent fear learning. Anxiety like behavior was observed during nicotine withdrawal. Plasma BDNF level was reduced during nicotine withdrawal as compared to the saline group reflecting mild cognitive impairment, stress, and depression. Withdrawal from chronic nicotine altered hippocampal plasticity, caused suppression of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. Our results showed that 4-FBS at 40 and 60 mg/kg significantly prevented nicotine withdrawal-induced cognitive deficits in behavioral as well as electrophysiological studies. 4-FBS at 60 mg/kg upsurge nicotine withdrawal-induced decrease in plasma BDNF. We conclude that 4-FBS at 40 and 60 mg /kg effectively prevented chronic nicotine withdrawal-induced impairment in long term potentiation and cognitive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naeem Ur Rehman
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan
| | - Khadijeh Esmaeilpour
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Sara Joushi
- Neuroscience Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Muzaffar Abbas
- Department of Pharmacy, Capital University of Science and Technology (CUST), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Mariya Al-Rashida
- Department of Chemistry, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Ferozepur Road, Lahore, 54600, Pakistan
| | - Khalid Rauf
- Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus, Pakistan.
| | - Yaser Masoumi-Ardakani
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
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14
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Moreira LK, de Brito AF, Fontana C, de Carvalho FS, Sanz G, Vaz BG, Lião LM, da Rocha FF, Verli H, Menegatti R, Costa EA. Neuropharmacological assessment in mice and molecular docking of piperazine derivative LQFM212. Behav Brain Res 2020; 394:112827. [PMID: 32730857 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Piperazine derivatives are an attractive class of chemical compounds for the treatment of various mental illness. Herein, we demonstrated the synthesis of LQFM212, a piperazine derivative, behavioral evaluation in mice and computational studies. In neuropharmacological assessment, LQFM212 treatment at doses of 18, 54 or 162 μmol/kg increased the sleep duration in sodium pentobarbital-induced sleep test. LQFM212 at dose of 162 μmol/kg increased climbing time in the chimney test and decreased the number of squares crossed in the open field test, suggesting that LQFM212 in high doses reduces spontaneous movement. However, LQFM212 treatment at the doses of 18 or 54 μmol/kg increased the preference for the center of field which could be indicative of anxiolytic-like effects. In elevated plus maze and light-dark box tests, LQFM212 treatment altered all parameters observed that demonstrate anxiolytic-like activity. These effects were reversed by flumazenil, mecamylamine, WAY-100635 and PCPA, but not with ketanserin, showing that anxiolytic-like activity involve benzodiazepine site of GABAA receptor, nicotinic and serotonergic pathways. Molecular docking of LQFM212 showed that the ligand has more interactions with GABAA receptor than with 5-HT1A receptor. Despite the involvement of benzodiazepine site on anxiolytic-like effect of LQFM212, treatment with this compound did not alter cognitive function in the step-down avoidance test. In this sense, this piperazine derivative is a good prototype for treating anxiety disorders with putative mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorrane Kelle Moreira
- Laboratory of Pharmacology of Natural and Synthetic Products, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Adriane Ferreira de Brito
- Laboratory of Pharmacology of Natural and Synthetic Products, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Crisciele Fontana
- Center of Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Flávio Souza de Carvalho
- Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Germán Sanz
- Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Boniek Gontijo Vaz
- Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Luciano Morais Lião
- Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Fábio Fagundes da Rocha
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Hugo Verli
- Center of Biotechnology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Menegatti
- Laboratory of Medicinal Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Elson Alves Costa
- Laboratory of Pharmacology of Natural and Synthetic Products, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
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15
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Do Nicotinic Receptors Modulate High-Order Cognitive Processing? Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:550-564. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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16
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Young JW, Geyer MA, Halberstadt AL, van Enkhuizen J, Minassian A, Khan A, Perry W, Eyler LT. Convergent neural substrates of inattention in bipolar disorder patients and dopamine transporter-deficient mice using the 5-choice CPT. Bipolar Disord 2020; 22:46-58. [PMID: 31025493 PMCID: PMC6815232 DOI: 10.1111/bdi.12786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Bipolar disorder (BD) is a debilitating psychiatric illness affecting 2%-5% of the population. Although mania is the cardinal feature of BD, inattention and related cognitive dysfunction are observed across all stages. Since cognitive dysfunction confers poor functional outcome in patients, understanding the relevant neural mechanisms remains key to developing novel-targeted therapeutics. METHODS The 5-choice continuous performance test (5C-CPT) is a mouse and fMRI-compatible human attentional task, requiring responding to target stimuli while inhibiting responding to nontarget stimuli, as in clinical CPTs. This task was used to delineate systems-level neural deficits in BD contributing to inattentive performance in human subjects with BD as well as mouse models with either parietal cortex (PC) lesions or reduced dopamine transporter (DAT) expression. RESULTS Mania BD participants exhibited severe 5C-CPT impairment. Euthymic BD patients exhibited modestly impaired 5C-CPT. High impulsivity BD subjects exhibited reduced PC activation during target and nontarget responding compared with healthy participants. In mice, bilateral PC lesions impaired both target and nontarget responding. In the DAT knockdown mouse model of BD mania, knockdown mice exhibited severely impaired 5C-CPT performance versus wildtype littermates. CONCLUSIONS These data support the role of the PC in inattention in BD-specifically regarding identifying the appropriate response to target vs nontarget stimuli. Moreover, the findings indicate that severely reduced DAT function/hyperdopaminergia recreates the attentional deficits observed in BD mania patients. Determining the contribution of DAT in the PC to attention may provide a future target for treatment development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared W. Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
- Desert-Pacific Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
| | - Mark A. Geyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
- Desert-Pacific Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
| | - Adam L. Halberstadt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
| | - Jordy van Enkhuizen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
- Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Arpi Minassian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
| | - Asma Khan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
| | - William Perry
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
| | - Lisa T. Eyler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804
- Desert-Pacific Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA
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17
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The D2-family receptor agonist bromocriptine but, not nicotine, reverses NMDA receptor antagonist-induced working memory deficits in the radial arm maze in mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 168:107159. [PMID: 31911198 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hypofunction of the NMDA receptor (NMDAr) may underlie cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia and other psychiatric conditions including working memory (WM) impairments. Given that these deficits link closely to functional outcome, treatments remediating such deficits require identification. NMDAr hypofunction can be modeled via treatment with the antagonist MK-801. Hence, the present study determined whether cholinergic or dopaminergic agonists attenuate MK-801-induced WM deficits in mice. WM was assessed in male C57BL/6 mice trained on an automated 12-arm radial arm maze (RAM) paradigm, wherein rewards were delivered after the first but, not after subsequent entries into WM arms (8/12) and never delivered for entries into reference memory (RM) arms (4/12). Mice were then treated with MK-801 (vehicle or 0.3 mg/kg) and nicotine (vehicle, 0.03 or 0.30 mg/kg) in a cross-over design. After a 2-week washout, mice were then retested with MK-801 and the dopamine D2-family receptor agonist bromocriptine (vehicle, 3 or 10 mg/kg). In both experiments, MK-801 reduced WM span and increased RM and WM error rates. Nicotine did not attenuate these deficits. In contrast, a bromocriptine/MK-801 interaction was observed on WM error rate, where bromocriptine attenuated MK-801 induced deficits without affecting MK-801-induced RM errors. Additionally, bromocriptine produced the main effect of slowing latency to collect rewards. Hence, while NMDAr hypofunction-induced deficits in WM was unaffected by nicotine, it was remediated by treatment with the dopamine D2-family agonist bromocriptine. Future studies should determine whether selective activation of dopamine D2, D3, or D4 receptors remediate this NMDAr hypofunction-induced WM deficit.
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18
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Mineur YS, Picciotto MR. The role of acetylcholine in negative encoding bias: Too much of a good thing? Eur J Neurosci 2019; 53:114-125. [PMID: 31821620 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Optimal acetylcholine (ACh) signaling is important for sustained attention and facilitates learning and memory. At the same time, human and animal studies have demonstrated increased levels of ACh in the brain during depressive episodes and increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, and reactivity to stress when ACh breakdown is impaired. While it is possible that the neuromodulatory roles of ACh in cognitive and affective processes are distinct, one possibility is that homeostatic levels of ACh signaling are necessary for appropriate learning, but overly high levels of cholinergic signaling promote encoding of stressful events, leading to the negative encoding bias that is a core symptom of depression. In this review, we outline this hypothesis and suggest potential neural pathways and underlying mechanisms that may support a role for ACh signaling in negative encoding bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yann S Mineur
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Marina R Picciotto
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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19
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Milienne-Petiot M, Higa KK, Grim A, Deben D, Groenink L, Twamley EW, Geyer MA, Young JW. Nicotine improves probabilistic reward learning in wildtype but not alpha7 nAChR null mutants, yet alpha7 nAChR agonists do not improve probabilistic learning. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 28:1217-1231. [PMID: 30213668 PMCID: PMC6344043 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2017] [Revised: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairments, e.g., reward learning, are present in various psychiatric disorders and warrant treatment. Improving reward-related learning could synergistically enhance psychosocial treatments and cognition generally. A critical first step is to understand the mechanisms underlying reward learning. The dopamine system has been implicated in such learning, but less known is how indirect activation of this system may affect reward learning. We determined the role of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) on a probabilistic reversal learning task (PRLT) in mice that includes reward and punishment. Male alpha7 knockout (KO), heterozygous (HT), and wildtype (WT) littermate mice (n = 84) were treated with vehicle, 0.03, or 0.3 mg/kg nicotine. Two cohorts of C57BL/6NJ male mice were treated with various alpha7 nAChR ligands, including the full agonists PNU282877 and AR-R-17779, the positive allosteric modulator CCMI, the partial agonist SSR180711, and the antagonist methyllycaconitine. All mice were then tested in the PRLT. Nicotine (0.3 mg/kg) significantly improved initial reward learning in alpha7 WT and HT mice but did not improve learning in KO mice, suggesting an involvement of the alpha7 nAChR in the pro-learning effects of nicotine. Neither alpha7 nAChR treatments (PNU282987, AR-R-17779, CCMI, SSR180711, nor methyllycaconitine) affected mouse PRLT performance however. Nicotine improved reward learning via a mechanism that may include alpha7 nAChRs. This improvement unlikely relied solely on alpha7 nAChRs however, since no alpha7 nAChR ligand improved reward learning in normal mice. Future assessments of the effects of other nAChR subtypes on reward learning are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Milienne-Petiot
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, United States; Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kerin K Higa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, United States
| | - Andrea Grim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, United States
| | - Debbie Deben
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, United States; Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Universiteitsweg 99, 3584 CG Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Lucianne Groenink
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, United States
| | - Elizabeth W Twamley
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, United States; Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health and Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, United States
| | - Mark A Geyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, United States; Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, United States; Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, United States.
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20
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Young JW, Cope ZA, Romoli B, Schrurs E, Aniek Joosen, van Enkhuizen J, Sharp RF, Dulcis D. Mice with reduced DAT levels recreate seasonal-induced switching between states in bipolar disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43. [PMID: 29520059 PMCID: PMC6006292 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0031-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Developing novel therapeutics for bipolar disorder (BD) has been hampered by limited mechanistic knowledge how sufferers switch between mania and depression-how the same brain can switch between extreme states-described as the "holy grail" of BD research. Strong evidence implicates seasonally-induced switching between states, with mania associated with summer-onset, depression with winter-onset. Determining mechanisms of and sensitivity to such switching is required. C57BL/6J and dopamine transporter hypomorphic (DAT-HY 50% expression) mice performed a battery of psychiatry-relevant behavioral tasks following 2-week housing in chambers under seasonally relevant photoperiod extremes. Summer-like and winter-like photoperiod exposure induced mania-relevant and depression-relevant behaviors respectively in mice. This behavioral switch paralleled neurotransmitter switching from dopamine to somatostatin in hypothalamic neurons (receiving direct input from the photoperiod-processing center, the suprachiasmatic nucleus). Mice with reduced DAT expression exhibited hypersensitivity to these summer-like and winter-like photoperiods, including more extreme mania-relevant (including reward sensitivity during reinforcement learning), and depression-relevant (including punishment-sensitivity and loss-sensitivity during reinforcement learning) behaviors. DAT mRNA levels switched in wildtype littermate mice across photoperiods, an effect not replicated in DAT hypomorphic mice. This inability to adjust DAT levels to match photoperiod-induced neurotransmitter switching as a homeostatic control likely contributes to the susceptibility of DAT hypormophic mice to these switching photoperiods. These data reveal the potential contribution of photoperiod-induced neuroplasticity within an identified circuit of the hypothalamus, linked with reduced DAT function, underlying switching between states in BD. Further investigations of the circuit will likely identify novel therapeutic targets to block switching between states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared W. Young
- 0000 0001 2107 4242grid.266100.3Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA ,0000 0004 0419 2708grid.410371.0Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Zackary A. Cope
- 0000 0001 2107 4242grid.266100.3Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Benedetto Romoli
- 0000 0001 2107 4242grid.266100.3Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Esther Schrurs
- 0000 0001 2107 4242grid.266100.3Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA ,0000000120346234grid.5477.1Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Aniek Joosen
- 0000 0001 2107 4242grid.266100.3Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA ,0000000120346234grid.5477.1Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jordy van Enkhuizen
- 0000 0001 2107 4242grid.266100.3Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Richard F. Sharp
- 0000 0001 2107 4242grid.266100.3Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Davide Dulcis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA.
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21
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Coughlin JM, Du Y, Rosenthal HB, Slania S, Min Koo S, Park A, Solomon G, Vranesic M, Antonsdottir I, Speck CL, Rootes-Murdy K, Lerner A, Rowe SP, Wang Y, Lesniak WG, Minn I, Bakker A, Smith GS, Dannals RF, Kuwabara H, Horti A, Wong DF, Pomper MG. The distribution of the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in healthy aging: An in vivo positron emission tomography study with [ 18F]ASEM. Neuroimage 2018; 165:118-124. [PMID: 28993233 PMCID: PMC5738927 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2017] [Revised: 10/02/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered function of the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR) is implicated in several neuropsychiatric diseases. Nevertheless, studies of the human cerebral α7-nAChR even in healthy aging are limited in number and to postmortem tissue. METHODS The distribution of the cerebral α7-nAChR was estimated in nine brain regions in 25 healthy volunteers (ages 21-86 years; median 57 years, interquartile range 52 years) using [18F]ASEM with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Regional total distribution volume (VT) measurements were calculated using the Logan method from each subject's 90 min dynamic PET data and their metabolite-corrected plasma input function. Spearman's rank or Pearson's correlation analysis was used depending on the normality of the data. Correlation between age and regional 1) volume relative to intracranial volume (volume ratio) and 2) [18F]ASEM VT was tested. Correlation between regional volume ratio and [18F]ASEM VT was also evaluated. Finally, the relationship between [18F]ASEM VT and neuropsychological measures was investigated in a subpopulation of 15 elderly healthy participants (those 50 years of age and older). Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons was applied to statistical analyses. RESULTS A negative correlation between tissue volume ratio and age was observed in six of the nine brain regions including striatum and five cortical (temporal, occipital, cingulate, frontal, or parietal) regions. A positive correlation between [18F]ASEM VT and age was observed in all nine brain regions of interest (ROIs). There was no correlation between [18F]ASEM VT and volume ratio in any ROI after controlling for age. Regional [18F]ASEM VT and neuropsychological performance on each of eight representative subtests were not correlated among the well-performing subpopulation of elderly healthy participants. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest an increase in cerebral α7-nAChR distribution over the course of healthy aging that should be tested in future longitudinal studies. The preservation of the α7-nAChR in the aging human brain supports the development of therapeutic agents that target this receptor for use in the elderly. Further study of the relationship between α7-nAChR availability and cognitive impairment over aging is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Coughlin
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yong Du
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hailey B Rosenthal
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephanie Slania
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Soo Min Koo
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrew Park
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ghedem Solomon
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Melin Vranesic
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Inga Antonsdottir
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Caroline L Speck
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kelly Rootes-Murdy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Alexandria Lerner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Steven P Rowe
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Yuchuan Wang
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Wojciech G Lesniak
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Il Minn
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Arnold Bakker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gwenn S Smith
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert F Dannals
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Hiroto Kuwabara
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrew Horti
- Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Dean F Wong
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Martin G Pomper
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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MacQueen DA, Young JW, Cope ZA. Cognitive Phenotypes for Biomarker Identification in Mental Illness: Forward and Reverse Translation. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2018; 40:111-166. [PMID: 29858983 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2018_50] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric illness has been acknowledged for as long as people were able to describe behavioral abnormalities in the general population. In modern times, these descriptions have been codified and continuously updated into manuals by which clinicians can diagnose patients. None of these diagnostic manuals have attempted to tie abnormalities to neural dysfunction however, nor do they necessitate the quantification of cognitive function despite common knowledge of its ties to functional outcome. In fact, in recent years the National Institute of Mental Health released a novel transdiagnostic classification, the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC), which utilizes quantifiable behavioral abnormalities linked to neurophysiological processes. This reclassification highlights the utility of RDoC constructs as potential cognitive biomarkers of disease state. In addition, with RDoC and cognitive biomarkers, the onus of researchers utilizing animal models no longer necessitates the recreation of an entire disease state, but distinct processes. Here, we describe the utilization of constructs from the RDoC initiative to forward animal research on these cognitive and behavioral processes, agnostic of disease. By linking neural processes to these constructs, identifying putative abnormalities in diseased patients, more targeted therapeutics can be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A MacQueen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Zackary A Cope
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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23
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Valentine G, Sofuoglu M. Cognitive Effects of Nicotine: Recent Progress. Curr Neuropharmacol 2018; 16:403-414. [PMID: 29110618 PMCID: PMC6018192 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x15666171103152136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Revised: 06/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cigarette smoking is the main cause of preventable death in developed countries. While the direct positive behavioral reinforcing effect of nicotine has historically been considered the primary mechanism driving the development of TUD, accumulating contemporary research suggests that the cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine may also significantly contribute to the initiation and maintenance of TUD, especially in individuals with pre-existing cognitive deficits. METHODS We provide a selective overview of recent advances in understanding nicotine's effects on cognitive function, a discussion of the role of cognitive function in vulnerability to TUD, followed by an overview of the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the cognitive effects of nicotine. RESULTS Preclinical models and human studies have demonstrated that nicotine has cognitiveenhancing effects. Attention, working memory, fine motor skills and episodic memory functions are particularly sensitive to nicotine's effects. Recent studies have demonstrated that the α4, β2, and α7 subunits of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) participate in the cognitive-enhancing effects of nicotine. Imaging studies have been instrumental in identifying brain regions where nicotine is active, and research on the dynamics of large-scale networks after activation by, or withdrawal from, nicotine hold promise for improved understanding of the complex actions of nicotine on human cognition. CONCLUSION Because poor cognitive performance at baseline predicts relapse among smokers who are attempting to quit smoking, studies examining the potential efficacy of cognitive-enhancement as strategy for the treatment of TUD may lead to the development of more efficacious interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mehmet Sofuoglu
- Address correspondence to this author at the Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Tel: 1 203 737 4882; Fax: 1 203 737 3591; E-mail:
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Durand-de Cuttoli R, Mondoloni S, Mourot A. [Optically dissecting brain nicotinic receptor function with photo-controllable designer receptors]. Biol Aujourdhui 2017; 211:173-188. [PMID: 29236669 DOI: 10.1051/jbio/2017022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels widely expressed in the central nervous system and the periphery. They play an important modulatory role in learning, memory and attention, and have been implicated in various diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia and addiction. These receptors are activated by the endogenous neurotransmitter acetylcholine, or by nicotine, the alkaloid found in tobacco leaves. Both molecules open the ion channel and cause the movement of cations across the membrane, which directly affects neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. nAChRs are very heterogeneous in their subunit composition (α2-10 et β2-4), in their brain distribution (cortex, midbrain, striatum…) and in their sub-cellular localization (pre- vs post-synaptic, axonal, dendritic…). This heterogeneity highly contributes to the very diverse roles these receptors have in health and disease. The ability to activate or block a specific nAChR subtype, at a defined time and space within the brain, would greatly help obtaining a clearer picture of these various functions. To this aim, we are developing novel optogenetic pharmacology strategies for optically controlling endogenous nAChR isoforms within the mouse brain. The idea is to tether a chemical photoswitch on the surface of a cysteine-modified nAChR, and use light for rapidly and reversibly turning that receptor mutant on and off. Here we will discuss the history of optogenetic pharmacology, and the recent advances for the optical control of brain nicotinic receptors in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Durand-de Cuttoli
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS - IBPS), 75005 Paris, France
| | - Sarah Mondoloni
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS - IBPS), 75005 Paris, France
| | - Alexandre Mourot
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, INSERM, CNRS, Neuroscience Paris Seine - Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (NPS - IBPS), 75005 Paris, France
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25
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Higa KK, Grim A, Kamenski ME, van Enkhuizen J, Zhou X, Li K, Naviaux JC, Wang L, Naviaux RK, Geyer MA, Markou A, Young JW. Nicotine withdrawal-induced inattention is absent in alpha7 nAChR knockout mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:1573-1586. [PMID: 28243714 PMCID: PMC5420484 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4572-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the USA, but quit attempts result in withdrawal-induced cognitive dysfunction and predicts relapse. Greater understanding of the neural mechanism(s) underlying these cognitive deficits is required to develop targeted treatments to aid quit attempts. OBJECTIVES We examined nicotine withdrawal-induced inattention in mice lacking the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) using the five-choice continuous performance test (5C-CPT). METHODS Mice were trained in the 5C-CPT prior to osmotic minipump implantation containing saline or nicotine. Experiment 1 used 40 mg kg-1 day-1 nicotine treatment and tested C57BL/6 mice 4, 28, and 52 h after pump removal. Experiment 2 used 14 and 40 mg kg-1 day-1 nicotine treatment in α7 nAChR knockout (KO) and wildtype (WT) littermates tested 4 h after pump removal. Subsets of WT mice were killed before and after pump removal to assess changes in receptor expression associated with nicotine administration and withdrawal. RESULTS Nicotine withdrawal impaired attention in the 5C-CPT, driven by response inhibition and target detection deficits. The overall attentional deficit was absent in α7 nAChR KO mice despite response disinhibition in these mice. Synaptosomal glutamate mGluR5 and dopamine D4 receptor expression were reduced during chronic nicotine but increased during withdrawal, potentially contributing to cognitive deficits. CONCLUSIONS The α7 nAChR may underlie nicotine withdrawal-induced deficits in target detection but is not required for response disinhibition deficits. Alterations to the glutamatergic and dopaminergic pathways may also contribute to withdrawal-induced attentional deficits, providing novel targets to alleviate the cognitive symptoms of withdrawal during quit attempts.
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Affiliation(s)
- K K Higa
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - A Grim
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - M E Kamenski
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - J van Enkhuizen
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - X Zhou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA, 92037, USA
| | - K Li
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - J C Naviaux
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - L Wang
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - R K Naviaux
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - M A Geyer
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA, 92037, USA
| | - A Markou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - J W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA.
- Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA, 92037, USA.
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26
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Fitzpatrick CM, Caballero-Puntiverio M, Gether U, Habekost T, Bundesen C, Vangkilde S, Woldbye DPD, Andreasen JT, Petersen A. Theory of Visual Attention (TVA) applied to mice in the 5-choice serial reaction time task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:845-855. [PMID: 28070619 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4520-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is widely used to measure rodent attentional functions. In humans, many attention studies in healthy and clinical populations have used testing based on Bundesen's Theory of Visual Attention (TVA) to estimate visual processing speeds and other parameters of attentional capacity. OBJECTIVES We aimed to bridge these research fields by modifying the 5-CSRTT's design and by mathematically modelling data to derive attentional parameters analogous to human TVA-based measures. METHODS C57BL/6 mice were tested in two 1-h sessions on consecutive days with a version of the 5-CSRTT where stimulus duration (SD) probe length was varied based on information from previous TVA studies. Thereafter, a scopolamine hydrobromide (HBr; 0.125 or 0.25 mg/kg) pharmacological challenge was undertaken, using a Latin square design. Mean score values were modelled using a new three-parameter version of TVA to obtain estimates of visual processing speeds, visual thresholds and motor response baselines in each mouse. RESULTS The parameter estimates for each animal were reliable across sessions, showing that the data were stable enough to support analysis on an individual level. Scopolamine HBr dose-dependently reduced 5-CSRTT attentional performance while also increasing reward collection latency at the highest dose. Upon TVA modelling, scopolamine HBr significantly reduced visual processing speed at both doses, while having less pronounced effects on visual thresholds and motor response baselines. CONCLUSIONS This study shows for the first time how 5-CSRTT performance in mice can be mathematically modelled to yield estimates of attentional capacity that are directly comparable to estimates from human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Fitzpatrick
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - M Caballero-Puntiverio
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - U Gether
- Molecular Neuropharmacology and Genetics Laboratory, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - T Habekost
- Center for Visual Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - C Bundesen
- Center for Visual Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - S Vangkilde
- Center for Visual Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - D P D Woldbye
- Laboratory of Neural Plasticity, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, 3 Blegdamsvej, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - J T Andreasen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 2, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A Petersen
- Center for Visual Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Copenhagen, Øster Farimagsgade 2A, 1353, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Potasiewicz A, Nikiforuk A, Hołuj M, Popik P. Stimulation of nicotinic acetylcholine alpha7 receptors rescue schizophrenia-like cognitive impairments in rats. J Psychopharmacol 2017; 31:260-271. [PMID: 28168926 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116675509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) dysfunction plays an important role in schizophrenia. Positive allosteric modulators of α7 nAChR have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach to manage cognitive deficits that are inadequately treated in schizophrenic patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the ability of type I (CCMI) and type II (PNU120596) α7 nAChR positive allosteric modulators to counteract MK-801-induced cognitive and sensorimotor gating deficits. The activity of these compounds was compared with the action of the α7 nAChR agonist A582941. CCMI, PNU120596 and A582941 reversed the sensorimotor gating impairment evoked by MK-801 based on the prepulse inhibition of the startle response. Additionally, no MK-801-evoked working memory deficits were observed with α7 nAChR ligand pretreatment as assessed in a discrete paired-trial delayed alternation task. However, these compounds did not affect the rats' attentional performances in the five-choice serial reaction time test. The α7 nAChR agents demonstrated a beneficial effect on sensorimotor gating and some aspects of cognition tested in a rat model of schizophrenia. Therefore, these results support the use of α7 nAChR positive allosteric modulators as a potential treatment strategy in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Potasiewicz
- 1 Department of Behavioural Neuroscience and Drug Development, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Nikiforuk
- 1 Department of Behavioural Neuroscience and Drug Development, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Hołuj
- 1 Department of Behavioural Neuroscience and Drug Development, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland
| | - Piotr Popik
- 1 Department of Behavioural Neuroscience and Drug Development, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland.,2 Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
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28
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Post-Munson DJ, Pieschl RL, Molski TF, Graef JD, Hendricson AW, Knox RJ, McDonald IM, Olson RE, Macor JE, Weed MR, Bristow LJ, Kiss L, Ahlijanian MK, Herrington J. B-973, a novel piperazine positive allosteric modulator of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Eur J Pharmacol 2017; 799:16-25. [PMID: 28132910 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.01.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The alpha7 (α7) nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is a therapeutic target for cognitive disorders. Here we describe 3-(3,4-difluorophenyl)-N-(1-(6-(4-(pyridin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl)pyrazin-2-yl)ethyl)propanamide (B-973), a novel piperazine-containing molecule that acts as a positive allosteric modulator of the α7 receptor. We characterize the action of B-973 on the α7 receptor using electrophysiology and radioligand binding. At 0.1mM acetylcholine, 1μM B-973 potentiated peak acetylcholine-induced currents 6-fold relative to maximal acetylcholine (3mM) and slowed channel desensitization, resulting in a 6900-fold increase in charge transfer. The EC50 of B-973 was approximately 0.3μM at acetylcholine concentrations ranging from 0.03 to 3mM. At a concentration of 1μM, B-973 shifted the acetylcholine EC50 of peak currents from 0.30mM in control to 0.007mM. B-973 slowed channel deactivation upon acetylcholine removal (τ=50s) and increased the affinity of the α7 agonist [3H]A-585539. In the absence of exogenously added acetylcholine, application of B-973 at concentrations >1μM induced large methyllycaconitine-sensitive currents, suggesting B-973 can function as an Ago-PAM at high concentrations. B-973 will be a useful probe for investigating the biological consequences of increasing α7 receptor activity through allosteric modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debra J Post-Munson
- Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Rick L Pieschl
- Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Thaddeus F Molski
- Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - John D Graef
- Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Adam W Hendricson
- Lead Discovery and Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Ronald J Knox
- Lead Discovery and Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Ivar M McDonald
- Discovery Chemistry, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Richard E Olson
- Discovery Chemistry, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - John E Macor
- Discovery Chemistry, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Michael R Weed
- Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Linda J Bristow
- Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Laszlo Kiss
- Lead Discovery and Optimization, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - Michael K Ahlijanian
- Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA
| | - James Herrington
- Discovery Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Inc., 5 Research Parkway, Wallingford, CT 06492 USA.
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Openshaw R, Thomson D, Penninger J, Pratt J, Morris B. Mice haploinsufficient for Map2k7, a gene involved in neurodevelopment and risk for schizophrenia, show impaired attention, a vigilance decrement deficit and unstable cognitive processing in an attentional task: impact of minocycline. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:293-305. [PMID: 27774567 PMCID: PMC5203862 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4463-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Members of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) family of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, and the upstream kinase MKK7, have all been strongly linked with synaptic plasticity and with the development of the neocortex. However, the impact of disruption of this pathway on cognitive function is unclear. OBJECTIVE In the current study, we test the hypothesis that reduced MKK7 expression is sufficient to cause cognitive impairment. METHODS Attentional function in mice haploinsufficient for Map2k7 (Map2k7 +/- mice) was investigated using the five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). RESULTS Once stable performance had been achieved, Map2k7 +/- mice showed a distinctive attentional deficit, in the form of an increased number of missed responses, accompanied by a more pronounced decrement in performance over time and elevated intra-individual reaction time variability. When performance was reassessed after administration of minocycline-a tetracycline antibiotic currently showing promise for the improvement of attentional deficits in patients with schizophrenia-signs of improvement in attentional performance were detected. CONCLUSIONS Overall, Map2k7 haploinsufficiency causes a distinctive pattern of cognitive impairment strongly suggestive of an inability to sustain attention, in accordance with those seen in psychiatric patients carrying out similar tasks. This may be important for understanding the mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in clinical populations and highlights the possibility of treating some of these deficits with minocycline.
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Affiliation(s)
- R.L. Openshaw
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, West Medical Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
| | - D.M. Thomson
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE UK
| | - J.M. Penninger
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - J.A. Pratt
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0RE UK
| | - B.J. Morris
- Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, West Medical Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ UK
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Pérez-Valenzuela C, Gárate-Pérez MF, Sotomayor-Zárate R, Delano PH, Dagnino-Subiabre A. Reboxetine Improves Auditory Attention and Increases Norepinephrine Levels in the Auditory Cortex of Chronically Stressed Rats. Front Neural Circuits 2016; 10:108. [PMID: 28082872 PMCID: PMC5186796 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2016.00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress impairs auditory attention in rats and monoamines regulate neurotransmission in the primary auditory cortex (A1), a brain area that modulates auditory attention. In this context, we hypothesized that norepinephrine (NE) levels in A1 correlate with the auditory attention performance of chronically stressed rats. The first objective of this research was to evaluate whether chronic stress affects monoamines levels in A1. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to chronic stress (restraint stress) and monoamines levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatographer (HPLC)-electrochemical detection. Chronically stressed rats had lower levels of NE in A1 than did controls, while chronic stress did not affect serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) levels. The second aim was to determine the effects of reboxetine (a selective inhibitor of NE reuptake) on auditory attention and NE levels in A1. Rats were trained to discriminate between two tones of different frequencies in a two-alternative choice task (2-ACT), a behavioral paradigm to study auditory attention in rats. Trained animals that reached a performance of ≥80% correct trials in the 2-ACT were randomly assigned to control and stress experimental groups. To analyze the effects of chronic stress on the auditory task, trained rats of both groups were subjected to 50 2-ACT trials 1 day before and 1 day after of the chronic stress period. A difference score (DS) was determined by subtracting the number of correct trials after the chronic stress protocol from those before. An unexpected result was that vehicle-treated control rats and vehicle-treated chronically stressed rats had similar performances in the attentional task, suggesting that repeated injections with vehicle were stressful for control animals and deteriorated their auditory attention. In this regard, both auditory attention and NE levels in A1 were higher in chronically stressed rats treated with reboxetine than in vehicle-treated animals. These results indicate that NE has a key role in A1 and attention of stressed rats during tone discrimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Pérez-Valenzuela
- Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Brain Plasticity, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de ValparaísoValparaíso, Chile
| | - Macarena F. Gárate-Pérez
- Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Brain Plasticity, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de ValparaísoValparaíso, Chile
| | - Ramón Sotomayor-Zárate
- Laboratory of Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Brain Plasticity, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de ValparaísoValparaíso, Chile
| | - Paul H. Delano
- Program of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICBM), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
- Otolaryngology Department, Clinical Hospital of the Universidad de ChileSantiago, Chile
- Auditory and Cognition Center (AUCO)Santiago, Chile
| | - Alexies Dagnino-Subiabre
- Laboratory of Stress Neurobiology, Institute of Physiology, Center for Neurobiology and Brain Plasticity, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad de ValparaísoValparaíso, Chile
- Auditory and Cognition Center (AUCO)Santiago, Chile
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Fizet J, Cassel JC, Kelche C, Meunier H. A review of the 5-Choice Serial Reaction Time (5-CSRT) task in different vertebrate models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:135-153. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 08/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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Dose-dependent effect of donepezil administration on long-term enhancement of visually evoked potentials and cholinergic receptor overexpression in rat visual cortex. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 110:65-74. [PMID: 27913166 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphysparis.2016.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2016] [Revised: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Stimulation of the cholinergic system tightly coupled with periods of visual stimulation boosts the processing of specific visual stimuli via muscarinic and nicotinic receptors in terms of intensity, priority and long-term effect. However, it is not known whether more diffuse pharmacological stimulation with donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor, is an efficient tool for enhancing visual processing and perception. The goal of the present study was to potentiate cholinergic transmission with donepezil treatment (0.5 and 1mg/kg) during a 2-week visual training to examine the effect on visually evoked potentials and to profile the expression of cholinergic receptor subtypes. The visual training was performed daily, 10min a day, for 2weeks. One week after the last training session, visual evoked potentials were recorded, or the mRNA expression level of muscarinic (M1-5) and nicotinic (α/β) receptors subunits was determined by quantitative RT-PCR. The visual stimulation coupled with any of the two doses of donepezil produced significant amplitude enhancement of cortical evoked potentials compared to pre-training values. The enhancement induced by the 1mg/kg dose of donepezil was spread to neighboring spatial frequencies, suggesting a better sensitivity near the visual detection threshold. The M3, M4, M5 and α7 receptors mRNA were upregulated in the visual cortex for the higher dose of donepezil but not the lower one, and the receptors expression was stable in the somatosensory (non-visual control) cortex. Therefore, higher levels of acetylcholine within the cortex sustain the increased intensity of the cortical response and trigger the upregulation of cholinergic receptors.
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Lombardo S, Catteau J, Besson M, Maskos U. A role for β2* nicotinic receptors in a model of local amyloid pathology induced in dentate gyrus. Neurobiol Aging 2016; 46:221-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2016.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 05/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Nilsson SR, Fejgin K, Gastambide F, Vogt MA, Kent BA, Nielsen V, Nielsen J, Gass P, Robbins TW, Saksida LM, Stensbøl TB, Tricklebank MD, Didriksen M, Bussey TJ. Assessing the Cognitive Translational Potential of a Mouse Model of the 22q11.2 Microdeletion Syndrome. Cereb Cortex 2016; 26:3991-4003. [PMID: 27507786 PMCID: PMC5028007 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhw229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A chromosomal microdeletion at the 22q11.2 locus is associated with extensive cognitive impairments, schizophrenia and other psychopathology in humans. Previous reports indicate that mouse models of the 22q11.2 microdeletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) may model the genetic basis of cognitive deficits relevant for neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. To assess the models usefulness for drug discovery, a novel mouse (Df(h22q11)/+) was assessed in an extensive battery of cognitive assays by partners within the NEWMEDS collaboration (Innovative Medicines Initiative Grant Agreement No. 115008). This battery included classic and touchscreen-based paradigms with recognized sensitivity and multiple attempts at reproducing previously published findings in 22q11.2DS mouse models. This work represents one of the most comprehensive reports of cognitive functioning in a transgenic animal model. In accordance with previous reports, there were non-significant trends or marginal impairment in some tasks. However, the Df(h22q11)/+ mouse did not show comprehensive deficits; no robust impairment was observed following more than 17 experiments and 14 behavioral paradigms. Thus - within the current protocols - the 22q11.2DS mouse model fails to mimic the cognitive alterations observed in human 22q11.2 deletion carriers. We suggest that the 22q11.2DS model may induce liability for cognitive dysfunction with additional "hits" being required for phenotypic expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Ro Nilsson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY 13902-6000, USA
| | - Kim Fejgin
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Francois Gastambide
- In Vivo Pharmacology, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Co. Ltd, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Miriam A Vogt
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim Faculty, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Brianne A Kent
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Vibeke Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Jacob Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Peter Gass
- Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim Faculty, University of Heidelberg, J5, 68159 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Tine B Stensbøl
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Mark D Tricklebank
- In Vivo Pharmacology, Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly & Co. Ltd, Erl Wood Manor, Sunninghill Road, Windlesham GU20 6PH, UK
| | - Michael Didriksen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby 2500, Denmark
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK
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Bhandari J, Daya R, Mishra RK. Improvements and important considerations for the 5-choice serial reaction time task-An effective measurement of visual attention in rats. J Neurosci Methods 2016; 270:17-29. [PMID: 27265297 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) is an automated operant conditioning task that measures rodent attention. The task allows the measurement of several parameters such as response accuracy, speed of processing, motivation, and impulsivity. The task has been widely used to investigate attentional processes in rodents for attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and has expanded to other illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, and schizophrenia. NEW METHOD The 5-CSRTT is accompanied with two significant caveats: a time intensive training period and largely varied individual rat capability to learn and perform the task. Here we provide a regimented acquisition protocol to enhance training for the 5-CSRTT and discuss important considerations for researchers using the 5-CSRTT. RESULTS We offer guidelines to ensure that inferences on performance in the 5-CSRTT are in fact a result of experimental manipulation rather than training differences, or individual animal capability. According to our findings only rats that have been trained successfully within a limited time frame should be used for the remainder of the study. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S) Currently the 5-CSRTT employs a training period of variable duration and procedure, and its inferences on attention must overcome heterogeneous innate animal differences. CONCLUSIONS The 5-CSRTT offers valuable and valid insights on various rodent attentional processes and their translation to the underpinnings of illnesses such as schizophrenia. The recommendations made here provide important criteria to ensure inferences made from this task are in fact relevant to the attentional processes being measured.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayant Bhandari
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Health Sciences Centre 4N73, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S4L8 Ontario, Canada.
| | - Ritesh Daya
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Health Sciences Centre 4N73, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S4L8 Ontario, Canada.
| | - Ram K Mishra
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences, Health Sciences Centre 4N73, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S4L8 Ontario, Canada.
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Leach PT, Kenney JW, Gould TJ. c-Jun-N-terminal kinase 1 is necessary for nicotine-induced enhancement of contextual fear conditioning. Neurosci Lett 2016; 627:61-4. [PMID: 27235579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2016.05.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Revised: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Acute nicotine enhances hippocampus-dependent learning. Identifying how acute nicotine improves learning will aid in understanding how nicotine facilitates the development of maladaptive memories that contribute to drug-seeking behaviors, help development of medications to treat disorders associated with cognitive decline, and advance understanding of the neurobiology of learning and memory. The effects of nicotine on learning may involve recruitment of signaling through the c-Jun N-terminal kinase family (JNK 1-3). Learning in the presence of acute nicotine increases the transcription of mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK8, also known as JNK1), likely through a CREB-dependent mechanism. The functional significance of JNK1 in the effects of acute nicotine on learning, however, is unknown. The current studies undertook a backward genetic approach to determine the functional contribution JNK1 protein makes to nicotine-enhanced contextual fear conditioning. JNK1 wildtype (WT) and knockout (KO) mice were administered acute nicotine prior to contextual and cued fear conditioning. 24h later, mice were evaluated for hippocampus-dependent (contextual fear conditioning) and hippocampus-independent (cued fear conditioning) memory. Nicotine selectively enhanced contextual conditioning in WT mice, but not in KO mice. Nicotine had no effect on hippocampus-independent learning in either genotype. JNK1 KO and WT mice given saline showed similar levels of learning. These data suggest that JNK1 may be recruited by nicotine and is functionally necessary for the acute effects of nicotine on learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prescott T Leach
- Temple University Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St, Weiss Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
| | - Justin W Kenney
- Temple University Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St, Weiss Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
| | - Thomas J Gould
- Temple University Department of Psychology, Neuroscience Program, Temple University, 1701 N. 13th St, Weiss Hall, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA.
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Chalon S, Vercouillie J, Guilloteau D, Suzenet F, Routier S. PET tracers for imaging brain α7 nicotinic receptors: an update. Chem Commun (Camb) 2016; 51:14826-31. [PMID: 26359819 DOI: 10.1039/c5cc04536c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET) molecular imaging of brain targets is a powerful tool to diagnose, follow up, and develop treatments and personalized medicine for a number of acute and chronic brain disorders. The availability of β+ emitter tracers labelled with [(11)C] or [(18)F] having optimal characteristics of affinity and selectivity for alpha-7 nicotinic receptors (α7R) has received considerable attention, due to the major implication of these receptors in brain functions. The aim of this review is to identify the interest and need for the in vivo exploration of α7R by PET molecular imaging, which tools are currently available for this and how to progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Chalon
- UMR Inserm U930, Université François-Rabelais de Tours, F-37000 Tours, France.
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Nilsson SRO, Celada P, Fejgin K, Thelin J, Nielsen J, Santana N, Heath CJ, Larsen PH, Nielsen V, Kent BA, Saksida LM, Stensbøl TB, Robbins TW, Bastlund JF, Bussey TJ, Artigas F, Didriksen M. A mouse model of the 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome shows prefrontal neurophysiological dysfunctions and attentional impairment. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:2151-2163. [PMID: 26983414 PMCID: PMC4869740 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4265-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE A microdeletion at locus 15q13.3 is associated with high incidence rates of psychopathology, including schizophrenia. A mouse model of the 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome has been generated (Df[h15q13]/+) with translational utility for modelling schizophrenia-like pathology. Among other deficits, schizophrenia is characterised by dysfunctions in prefrontal cortical (PFC) inhibitory circuitry and attention. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to assess PFC-dependent functioning in the Df(h15q13)/+ mouse using electrophysiological, pharmacological, and behavioural assays. METHOD Experiments 1-2 investigated baseline firing and auditory-evoked responses of PFC interneurons and pyramidal neurons. Experiment 3 measured pyramidal firing in response to intra-PFC GABAA receptor antagonism. Experiments 4-6 assessed PFC-dependent attentional functioning through the touchscreen 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT). Experiments 7-12 assessed reversal learning, paired-associate learning, extinction learning, progressive ratio, trial-unique non-match to sample, and object recognition. RESULTS In experiments 1-3, the Df(h15q13)/+ mouse showed reduced baseline firing rate of fast-spiking interneurons and in the ability of the GABAA receptor antagonist gabazine to increase the firing rate of pyramidal neurons. In assays of auditory-evoked responses, PFC interneurons in the Df(h15q13)/+ mouse had reduced detection amplitudes and increased detection latencies, while pyramidal neurons showed increased detection latencies. In experiments 4-6, the Df(h15q13)/+ mouse showed a stimulus duration-dependent decrease in percent accuracy in the 5-CSRTT. The impairment was insensitive to treatment with the partial α7nAChR agonist EVP-6124. The Df(h15q13)/+ mouse showed no cognitive impairments in experiments 7-12. CONCLUSION The Df(h15q13)/+ mouse has multiple dysfunctions converging on disrupted PFC processing as measured by several independent assays of inhibitory transmission and attentional function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon R O Nilsson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, NY, 13902-6000, USA.
| | - Pau Celada
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, CSIC-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kim Fejgin
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Jonas Thelin
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
- Neuronano Research Center, Lund University, 223 81, Lund, Sweden
| | - Jacob Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Noemí Santana
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, CSIC-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christopher J Heath
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- Department of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Peter H Larsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Vibeke Nielsen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Brianne A Kent
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Lisa M Saksida
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Tine B Stensbøl
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Trevor W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Jesper F Bastlund
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
| | - Timothy J Bussey
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
- MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - Francesc Artigas
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques de Barcelona, CSIC-IDIBAPS, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michael Didriksen
- H. Lundbeck A/S, Synaptic Transmission, Neuroscience Research DK, Ottiliavej 9, Valby, 2500, Denmark
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Snyder GL, Prickaerts J, Wadenberg ML, Zhang L, Zheng H, Yao W, Akkerman S, Zhu H, Hendrick JP, Vanover KE, Davis R, Li P, Mates S, Wennogle LP. Preclinical profile of ITI-214, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 1, for enhancement of memory performance in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2016; 233:3113-24. [PMID: 27342643 PMCID: PMC4980415 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4346-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Therapeutic agents for memory enhancement in psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, are urgently needed. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to characterize the preclinical profile of ITI-214, a potent inhibitor of phosphodiesterase 1 (PDE1). METHODS ITI-214 was assayed for inhibition of PDE1 versus other PDE enzyme families using recombinant human PDE enzymes and for off-target binding to 70 substrates (General SEP II diversity panel; Caliper Life Sciences). Effects of ITI-214 (0.1-10 mg/kg, po) on memory performance were assayed in rats using the novel object recognition (NOR) paradigm, with drug given at specified time points prior to or following exposure to objects in an open field. ITI-214 was evaluated for potential drug-drug interaction with risperidone in rats using conditioned avoidance response (CAR) and pharmacokinetic assessments. RESULTS ITI-214 inhibited PDE1A (K i = 33 pmol) with >1000-fold selectivity for the nearest other PDE family (PDE4D) and displayed minimal off-target binding interactions in a 70-substrate selectivity profile. By using specific timing of oral ITI-214 administration, it was demonstrated in the NOR that ITI-214 is able to enhance acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval memory processes. All memory effects were in the absence of effects on exploratory behavior. ITI-214 did not disrupt the risperidone pharmacokinetic profile or effects in CAR. CONCLUSIONS ITI-214 improved the memory processes of acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval across a broad dose range (0.1-10 mg/kg, po) without disrupting the antipsychotic-like activity of a clinical antipsychotic medication, specifically risperidone. Clinical development of ITI-214 is currently in progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen L. Snyder
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Jos Prickaerts
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, NL-6200 Maastricht, MD The Netherlands
| | | | - Lei Zhang
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Hailin Zheng
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Wei Yao
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Sven Akkerman
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, NL-6200 Maastricht, MD The Netherlands
| | - Hongwen Zhu
- Tianjin Hospital, Tianjin, 300211 People’s Republic of China
| | - Joseph P. Hendrick
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Kimberly E. Vanover
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Robert Davis
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Peng Li
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Sharon Mates
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
| | - Lawrence P. Wennogle
- Intra-Cellular Therapies Inc., 430 East 29th Street, Suite 900, New York, NY 10016 USA
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Hvoslef-Eide M, Mar AC, Nilsson SRO, Alsiö J, Heath CJ, Saksida LM, Robbins TW, Bussey TJ. The NEWMEDS rodent touchscreen test battery for cognition relevant to schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015. [PMID: 26202612 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-4007-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The NEWMEDS initiative (Novel Methods leading to New Medications in Depression and Schizophrenia, http://www.newmeds-europe.com ) is a large industrial-academic collaborative project aimed at developing new methods for drug discovery for schizophrenia. As part of this project, Work package 2 (WP02) has developed and validated a comprehensive battery of novel touchscreen tasks for rats and mice for assessing cognitive domains relevant to schizophrenia. OBJECTIVES This article provides a review of the touchscreen battery of tasks for rats and mice for assessing cognitive domains relevant to schizophrenia and highlights validation data presented in several primary articles in this issue and elsewhere. METHODS The battery consists of the five-choice serial reaction time task and a novel rodent continuous performance task for measuring attention, a three-stimulus visual reversal and the serial visual reversal task for measuring cognitive flexibility, novel non-matching to sample-based tasks for measuring spatial working memory and paired-associates learning for measuring long-term memory. RESULTS The rodent (i.e. both rats and mice) touchscreen operant chamber and battery has high translational value across species due to its emphasis on construct as well as face validity. In addition, it offers cognitive profiling of models of diseases with cognitive symptoms (not limited to schizophrenia) through a battery approach, whereby multiple cognitive constructs can be measured using the same apparatus, enabling comparisons of performance across tasks. CONCLUSION This battery of tests constitutes an extensive tool package for both model characterisation and pre-clinical drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hvoslef-Eide
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK. .,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.
| | - A C Mar
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - S R O Nilsson
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - J Alsiö
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,Department of Neuroscience, Unit of Functional Neurobiology, University of Uppsala, 75124, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - C J Heath
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - L M Saksida
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - T W Robbins
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
| | - T J Bussey
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK.,MRC and Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EB, UK
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Parker MO, Brock AJ, Sudwarts A, Teh MT, Combe FJ, Brennan CH. Developmental role of acetylcholinesterase in impulse control in zebrafish. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:271. [PMID: 26528153 PMCID: PMC4607786 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Accepted: 09/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular and molecular processes that mediate individual variability in impulsivity, a key behavioral component of many neuropsychiatric disorders, are poorly understood. Zebrafish heterozygous for a nonsense mutation in ache (achesb55/+) showed lower levels of impulsivity in a 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) than wild type and ache+∕+. Assessment of expression of cholinergic (nAChR), serotonergic (5-HT), and dopamine (DR) receptor mRNA in both adult and larval (9 dpf) achesb55/+ revealed significant downregulation of chrna2, chrna5, and drd2 mRNA in achesb55/+ larvae, but no differences in adults. Acute exposure to cholinergic agonist/antagonists had no effect on impulsivity, supporting the hypothesis that behavioral effects observed in adults were due to lasting impact of developmental alterations in cholinergic and dopaminergic signaling. This shows the cross-species role of cholinergic signaling during brain development in impulsivity, and suggests zebrafish may be a useful model for the role of cholinergic pathways as a target for therapeutic advances in addiction medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew O Parker
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London London, UK ; School of Health Sciences and Social Work, University of Portsmouth Portsmouth, UK
| | - Alistair J Brock
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
| | - Ari Sudwarts
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
| | - Muy-Teck Teh
- Centre for Clinical and Diagnostic Oral Sciences, Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
| | - Fraser J Combe
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
| | - Caroline H Brennan
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London London, UK
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Kolisnyk B, Al-Onaizi MA, Prado VF, Prado MAM. α7 nicotinic ACh receptor-deficient mice exhibit sustained attention impairments that are reversed by β2 nicotinic ACh receptor activation. Br J Pharmacol 2015. [PMID: 26222090 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Disruptions of executive function, including attentional deficits, are a hallmark of a number of diseases. ACh in the prefrontal cortex regulates attentive behaviour; however, the role of α7 nicotinic ACh receptor (α7nAChR) in attention is contentious. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH In order to probe attention, we trained both wild-type and α7nAChR knockout mice on a touch screen-based five-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRT). Following training procedures, we then tested sustained attention using a probe trial experiment. To further differentiate the role of specific nicotinic receptors in attention, we then tested the effects of both α7nAChR and β2nAChR agonists on the performance of both wild-type and knockout mice on the 5-CSRT task. KEY RESULTS At low doses, α7nAChR agonists improved attentional performance of wild-type mice, while high doses had deleterious effects on attention. α7nAChR knockout mice displayed deficits in sustained attention that were not ameliorated by α7nAChR agonists. However, these deficits were completely reversed by the administration of a β2nAChR agonist. Furthermore, administration of a β2nAChR agonist in α7nAChR knockout mice elicited similar biochemical response in the prefrontal cortex as the administration of α7nAChR agonists in wild-type mice. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Our experiments reveal an intricate relationship between distinct nicotinic receptors to regulate attentional performance and provide the basis for targeting β2nAChRs pharmacologically to decrease attentional deficits due to a dysfunction in α7nAChRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Kolisnyk
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed A Al-Onaizi
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Vania F Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Marco A M Prado
- Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
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Kutlu MG, Parikh V, Gould TJ. Nicotine Addiction and Psychiatric Disorders. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2015; 124:171-208. [PMID: 26472530 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Even though smoking rates have long been on the decline, nicotine addiction still affects 20% of the US population today. Moreover, nicotine dependence shows high comorbidity with many mental illnesses including, but are not limited to, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression. The reason for the high rates of smoking in patients with mental illnesses may relate to attempts to self-medicate with nicotine. While nicotine may alleviate the symptoms of mental disorders, nicotine abstinence has been shown to worsen the symptoms of these disorders. In this chapter, we review the studies from animal and human research examining the bidirectional relationship between nicotine and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorders, and depression as well as studies examining the roles of specific subunits of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the interaction between nicotine and these mental illnesses. The results of these studies suggest that activation, desensitization, and upregulation of nAChRs modulate the effects of nicotine on mental illnesses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vinay Parikh
- Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Featherstone RE, Siegel SJ. The Role of Nicotine in Schizophrenia. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2015; 124:23-78. [PMID: 26472525 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is associated with by severe disruptions in thought, cognition, emotion, and behavior. Patients show a marked increase in rates of smoking and nicotine dependence relative to nonaffected individuals, a finding commonly ascribed to the potential ameliorative effects of nicotine on symptom severity and cognitive impairment. Indeed, many studies have demonstrated improvement in patients following the administration of nicotine. Such findings have led to an increased emphasis on the development of therapeutic agents to target the nicotinic system as well as increasing the impetus to understand the genetic basis for nicotinic dysfunction in schizophrenia. The goal of this review article is to provide a critical summary of evidence for the role of the nicotinic system in schizophrenia. The first part will review the role of nicotine in normalization of primary dysfunctions and endophenotypical changes found in schizophrenia. The second part will provide a summary of genetic evidence linking polymorphisms in nicotinic receptor genes to smoking and schizophrenia. The third part will summarize attempts to treat schizophrenia using agents specifically targeting nicotinic and nicotinic receptor subtypes. Although currently available antipsychotic treatments are generally able to manage some aspects of schizophrenia (e.g., positive symptoms) they fail to address several other critically effected aspects of the disease. As such, the search for novel mechanisms to treat this disease is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert E Featherstone
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
| | - Steven J Siegel
- Translational Neuroscience Program, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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Nicotinic ligands as multifunctional agents for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Biochem Pharmacol 2015; 97:388-398. [PMID: 26231940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2015.07.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The challenges associated with developing more effective treatments for neurologic and psychiatric illness such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia are considerable. Both the symptoms and the pathophysiology of these conditions are complex and poorly understood and the clinical presentations across different patients can be very heterogeneous. Moreover, it has become apparent that the reductionist approach to drug discovery for these illnesses that has dominated the field for decades (i.e., the development of highly selective compounds or other treatment modalities focused on a very specific pathophysiologic target) has not been widely successful. Accordingly, a variety of new strategies have emerged including the development of "multitarget-directed ligands" (MTDLs), the development and/or identification of compounds that exhibit "multifunctional" activity (e.g., pro-cognitive plus neuroprotective, pro-cognitive plus antipsychotic activity), "repurposing" strategies for existing compounds that have other clinical indications, and novel "adjunctive" treatment strategies that might enhance the efficacy of the currently available treatments. Interestingly, a variety of ligands at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) appear to have the potential to fulfill one or more of these desirable properties (i.e., multifunctional, repurposing, or adjunctive treatment potential). The purpose of this review (while not all-inclusive) is to provide an overview of a variety of nAChR ligands that demonstrate potential in these categories, particularly, "multifunctional" properties. Due to their densities in the mammalian brain and the amount of literature available, the review will focus on ligands of the high affinity α4β2 nAChR and the low affinity α7 nAChR.
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Komal P, Estakhr J, Kamran M, Renda A, Nashmi R. cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibits α7 nicotinic receptor activity in layer 1 cortical interneurons through activation of D1/D5 dopamine receptors. J Physiol 2015; 593:3513-32. [PMID: 25990637 DOI: 10.1113/jp270469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS Protein kinases can modify the function of many proteins including ion channels. However, the role of protein kinase A in modifying nicotinic receptors in the CNS has never been investigated. We showed through whole-cell recordings of layer 1 prefrontal cortical interneurons that α7 nicotinic responses are negatively modulated by protein kinase A. Furthermore, we show that stimulation of dopamine receptors can similarly attenuate α7 nicotinic responses through the activation of protein kinase A. These results suggest how the interaction of the cholinergic and dopaminergic systems may influence neuronal excitability in the brain. ABSTRACT Phosphorylation of ion channels, including nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), by protein kinases plays a key role in the modification of synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. α7 nAChRs are the second most prevalent nAChR subtype in the CNS following α4β2. Serine 365 in the M3-M4 cytoplasmic loop of the α7 nAChR is a phosphorylation site for protein kinase A (PKA). D1/D5 dopamine receptors signal through the adenylate cyclase-PKA pathway and play a key role in working memory and attention in the prefrontal cortex. Thus, we examined whether the dopaminergic system, mediated through PKA, functionally interacts with the α7-dependent cholinergic neurotransmission. In layer 1 interneurons of mouse prefrontal cortex, α7 nicotinic currents were decreased upon stimulation with 8-Br-cAMP, a PKA activator. In HEK 293T cells, dominant negative PKA abolished 8-Br-cAMP's effect of diminishing α7 nicotinic currents, while a constitutively active PKA catalytic subunit decreased α7 currents. In brain slices, the PKA inhibitor KT-5720 nullified 8-Br-cAMP's effect of attenuating α7 nicotinic responses, while applying a PKA catalytic subunit in the pipette solution decreased α7 currents. 8-Br-cAMP stimulation reduced surface expression of α7 nAChRs, but there was no change in single-channel conductance. The D1/D5 dopamine receptor agonist SKF 83822 similarly attenuated α7 nicotinic currents from layer 1 interneurons and this attenuation of nicotinic current was prevented by KT-5720. These results demonstrate that dopamine receptor-mediated activation of PKA negatively modulates nicotinic neurotransmission in prefrontal cortical interneurons, which may be a contributing mechanism of dopamine modulation of cognitive behaviours such as attention or working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Komal
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jasem Estakhr
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Melad Kamran
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Anthony Renda
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Raad Nashmi
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Hall FS, Der-Avakian A, Gould TJ, Markou A, Shoaib M, Young JW. Negative affective states and cognitive impairments in nicotine dependence. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 58:168-85. [PMID: 26054790 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2014] [Revised: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Smokers have substantial individual differences in quit success in response to current treatments for nicotine dependence. This observation may suggest that different underlying motivations for continued tobacco use across individuals and nicotine cessation may require different treatments in different individuals. Although most animal models of nicotine dependence emphasize the positive reinforcing effects of nicotine as the major motivational force behind nicotine use, smokers generally report that other consequences of nicotine use, including the ability of nicotine to alleviate negative affective states or cognitive impairments, as reasons for continued smoking. These states could result from nicotine withdrawal, but also may be associated with premorbid differences in affective and/or cognitive function. Effects of nicotine on cognition and affect may alleviate these impairments regardless of their premorbid or postmorbid origin (e.g., before or after the development of nicotine dependence). The ability of nicotine to alleviate these symptoms would thus negatively reinforce behavior, and thus maintain subsequent nicotine use, contributing to the initiation of smoking, the progression to dependence and relapse during quit attempts. The human and animal studies reviewed here support the idea that self-medication for pre-morbid and withdrawal-induced impairments may be more important factors in nicotine addiction and relapse than has been previously appreciated in preclinical research into nicotine dependence. Given the diverse beneficial effects of nicotine under these conditions, individuals might smoke for quite different reasons. This review suggests that inter-individual differences in the diverse effects of nicotine associated with self-medication and negative reinforcement are an important consideration in studies attempting to understand the causes of nicotine addiction, as well as in the development of effective, individualized nicotine cessation treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Scott Hall
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA.
| | - Andre Der-Avakian
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Thomas J Gould
- Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Athina Markou
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Mohammed Shoaib
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
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Abstract
The ability to attend to relevant stimuli and to adapt dynamically as demands change is a core aspect of cognition, and one that is impaired in several neuropsychiatric diseases, including attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying such cognitive adaptability are poorly understood. We found that deletion of the caspase-3 gene, encoding an apoptosis protease with newly discovered roles in neural plasticity, disrupts attention in mice while preserving multiple learning and memory capabilities. Attention-related deficits include distractibility, impulsivity, behavioral rigidity, and reduced habituation to novel stimuli. Excess exploratory activity in Casp3(-/-) mice was correlated with enhanced novelty-induced activity in the dentate gyrus, which may be related to our findings that caspase-3 is required for homeostatic synaptic plasticity in vitro and homeostatic expression of AMPA receptors in vivo in response to chronic or repeated stimuli. These results suggest an important role for caspase-3 in synaptic suppression of irrelevant stimuli.
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Cole RD, Poole RL, Guzman DM, Gould TJ, Parikh V. Contributions of β2 subunit-containing nAChRs to chronic nicotine-induced alterations in cognitive flexibility in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:1207-17. [PMID: 25281224 PMCID: PMC4361240 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3754-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 09/21/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Deficits in executive functions underlie compulsive drug use, and understanding how nicotine influences these cognitive processes may provide important information on neurobiological substrates of nicotine addiction. Accumulating evidence suggests that β2 subunit-containing nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) are involved in the reinforcing process of nicotine addiction. Whether these nAChRs also contributes to the detrimental effects of chronic nicotine on flexible decision-making is not known. OBJECTIVES In the present study, the effects of chronic nicotine were assessed in mice with partial or complete deletion of the β2 subunit-containing nAChR gene (β2+/- or β2-/-) performing an operant cognitive flexibility task. RESULTS Visual discrimination learning was not affected in saline-treated β2 nAChR mutants as compared to the wild-type (β2+/+) mice; yet, chronic nicotine facilitated acquisition of visual discrimination in all genotypes. The acquisition of new egocentric response strategy set-shifting remained similar in all genotypes, and there was no effect of treatment. Chronic nicotine treatment impaired reversal learning in β2+/+ mice by increasing response perseveration to the previously rewarded stimulus. Moreover, the acquisition of inverted stimulus-reward contingencies did not differ between β2+/+ and β2-/- mice exposed to chronic nicotine. Interestingly, nicotine-induced reversal learning deficits were not observed in β2+/- mice. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, these findings suggest that β2 subunit-containing nAChRs are not critical for visual discrimination learning and extra dimensional rule shift. However, sustained activation of these nAChRs with nicotine may interfere with inhibitory control processes influencing affective shifts in stimulus-reward contingencies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Vinay Parikh
- Corresponding author: Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122. Phone: 215-204-1572,
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Neurocognitive effects of acute choline supplementation in low, medium and high performer healthy volunteers. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 131:119-29. [PMID: 25681529 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2014] [Revised: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Novel pharmacological treatments targeting alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) hypofunction in schizophrenia have shown mixed success in ameliorating cognitive impairments associated with this disorder. Choline, a selective agonist at α7 receptors is increased with oral administration of cytidine 5'-diphosphocholine (CDP-choline), the cognitive effects of which were assessed in healthy volunteers. Using the CogState test battery, behavioral performance in schizophrenia-relevant cognitive domains was assessed in 24 male participants following a single low (500mg) and moderate (1000mg) dose of CDP-choline. Relative to placebo, CDP-choline improved processing speed, working memory, verbal learning, verbal memory, and executive function in low baseline performers, while exerting no effects in medium baseline performers, and diminishing cognition in high baseline performers. Dose effects varied with cognitive domain but were evident with both the 500mg and 1000mg doses. These preliminary findings of cognitive enhancement in relatively impaired performers are consistent with the α7 receptor mechanism and support further trials with CDP-choline as a potential pro-cognitive strategy for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.
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