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Neumann ID. Monitoring oxytocin signaling in the brain: More than a love story. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 16:100206. [PMID: 38108033 PMCID: PMC10724740 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100206] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
More than any other neuropeptide, oxytocin (OXT) is attracting the attention of neurobiologists, psychologists, psychiatrists, evolutionary biologists and even economists. It is often called a "love hormone" due to its many prosocial functions described in vertebrates including mammals and humans, especially its ability to support "bonding behaviour". Oxytocin plays an important role in female reproduction, as it promotes labour during parturition, enables milk ejection in lactation and is essential for related reproductive behaviours. Therefore, it particularly attracts the interest of many female researchers. In this short narrative review I was invited to provide a personal overview on my scientific journey closely linked to my research on the brain OXT system and the adventures associated with starting my research career behind the Iron Curtain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga D. Neumann
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Centre of Neurosciences, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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2
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Beery AK, Jackson B, Halstead E, Windorski SM, Nnodim-Amadi C, Upin E. Acute decrease in mothers' cortisol following nursing and milk expression. Horm Behav 2023; 153:105387. [PMID: 37307679 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The glucocorticoid hormone cortisol is an integral component of signaling pathways related to stress reactivity, energy balance, immune function, and other processes. In animal models, lactation is robustly associated with alterations in glucocorticoid signaling, and limited data suggest that similar changes may occur across human lactation. We asked whether milk letdown/secretion in breastfeeding mothers was associated with changes in cortisol, and whether such effects required presence of an infant. We measured changes in maternal salivary cortisol concentrations before and after nursing, the expression of breastmilk with an electric pump, or control activities. Participants conducted pre-session and post-session sampling (at 30 min) for all conditions, and provided a sample of pumped milk from one session. Both nursing and mechanical expression of breastmilk but not control were associated with equivalent declines in maternal cortisol concentration from pre-session values, indicating an effect of milk letdown on circulating cortisol independent of infant contact. Pre-session maternal salivary cortisol concentration was strongly and positively correlated with cortisol concentration in pumped milk samples, indicating that cortisol ingested by offspring provides a signal of maternal cortisol levels. Self-reported maternal stress was associated with higher pre-session cortisol concentrations, as well as with a larger drop in cortisol following nursing or pumping. These findings demonstrate that milk release-in the presence or absence of a suckling infant-regulates cortisol in mothers, and supports the potential for maternal signaling through breastmilk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annaliese K Beery
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States of America; Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America; Department of Biology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America; Program in Neuroscience, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America; Program in Culture, Health, and Science, Five College Consortium, Amherst, MA 01002, United States of America; Neuroscience and Behavior Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01002, United States of America.
| | - Benita Jackson
- Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America; Program in Culture, Health, and Science, Five College Consortium, Amherst, MA 01002, United States of America
| | - Emily Halstead
- Program in Neuroscience, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America
| | - Sunny M Windorski
- Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America
| | | | - Emily Upin
- Department of Psychology, Smith College, Northampton, MA 01063, United States of America
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3
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Moreira LKS, Moreira CVL, Custódio CHX, Dias MLP, Rosa DA, Ferreira-Neto ML, Colombari E, Costa EA, Fajemiroye JO, Pedrino GR. Post-partum depression: From clinical understanding to preclinical assessments. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1173635. [PMID: 37143780 PMCID: PMC10151489 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1173635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-partum depression (PPD) with varying clinical manifestations affecting new parents remains underdiagnosed and poorly treated. This minireview revisits the pharmacotherapy, and relevant etiological basis, capable of advancing preclinical research frameworks. Maternal tasks accompanied by numerous behavioral readouts demand modeling different paradigms that reflect the complex and heterogenous nature of PPD. Hence, effective PPD-like characterization in animals towards the discovery of pharmacological intervention demands research that deepens our understanding of the roles of hormonal and non-hormonal components and mediators of this psychiatric disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Matheus L. P. Dias
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Daniel A. Rosa
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - Marcos L. Ferreira-Neto
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Colombari
- Department of Physiology and Pathology, School of Dentistry, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Elson A. Costa
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
| | - James O. Fajemiroye
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campus Arthur Wesley Archibald, Evangelical University of Goiás, Anápolis, Brazil
- *Correspondence: James O. Fajemiroye,
| | - Gustavo R. Pedrino
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Goiás, Goiania, GO, Brazil
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4
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Ciminelli G, Martin MS, Swaisgood RR, Zhang G, Guo L, Owen MA. Social distancing: High population density increases cub rejection and decreases maternal care in the giant panda. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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5
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Demarchi L, Pawluski JL, Bosch OJ. The brain oxytocin and corticotropin-releasing factor systems in grieving mothers: What we know and what we need to learn. Peptides 2021; 143:170593. [PMID: 34091013 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The bond between a mother and her child is the strongest bond in nature. Consequently, the loss of a child is one of the most stressful and traumatic life events that causes Prolonged Grief Disorder in up to 94 % of bereaved parents. While both parents are affected, mothers are of higher risk to develop mental health complications; yet, very little research has been done to understand the impact of the loss of a child, stillbirth and pregnancy loss on key neurobiological systems. The emotional impact of losing a child, e.g., Prolonged Grief Disorder, is likely accompanied by dysregulations in neural systems important for mental health. Among those are the neuropeptides contributing to attachment and stress processing. In this review, we present evidence for the involvement of the brain oxytocin (OXT) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems, which both play a role in maternal behavior and the stress response, in the neurobiology of grief in mothers from a behavioral and molecular point of view. We will draw conclusions from reviewing relevant animal and human studies. However, the paucity of research on the tragic end to an integral bond in a female's life calls for the need and responsibility to conduct further studies on mothers experiencing the loss of a child both in the clinic and in appropriate animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Demarchi
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Jodi L Pawluski
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S, 1085 Rennes, France.
| | - Oliver J Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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6
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Ng JS, Chin KY. Potential mechanisms linking psychological stress to bone health. Int J Med Sci 2021; 18:604-614. [PMID: 33437195 PMCID: PMC7797546 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.50680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic psychological stress affects many body systems, including the skeleton, through various mechanisms. This review aims to provide an overview of the factors mediating the relationship between psychological stress and bone health. These factors can be divided into physiological and behavioural changes induced by psychological stress. The physiological factors involve endocrinological changes, such as increased glucocorticoids, prolactin, leptin and parathyroid hormone levels and reduced gonadal hormones. Low-grade inflammation and hyperactivation of the sympathetic nervous system during psychological stress are also physiological changes detrimental to bone health. The behavioural changes during mental stress, such as altered dietary pattern, cigarette smoking, alcoholism and physical inactivity, also threaten the skeletal system. Psychological stress may be partly responsible for epigenetic regulation of skeletal development. It may also mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status and bone health. However, more direct evidence is required to prove these hypotheses. In conclusion, chronic psychological stress should be recognised as a risk factor of osteoporosis and stress-coping methods should be incorporated as part of the comprehensive osteoporosis-preventing strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Sheng Ng
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
| | - Kok-Yong Chin
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras 56000, Malaysia
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7
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Le Moëne O, Ramírez-Rentería ML, Ågmo A. Male and female immediate fear reaction to white noise in a semi-natural environment: A detailed behavioural analysis of the role of sex and oestrogen receptors. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12902. [PMID: 32985022 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In classical rodent anxiety models, females usually display lower anxiety than males, whereas anxiety disorders are more prevalent in women. Perhaps this contradiction is caused by the use of behavioural models with low external validity. Therefore, we analysed immediate reactions to a sudden 90-dB white noise in a semi-natural environment. We observed mixed-sex groups of rats for the 60 seconds preceding noise onset and the first 60 seconds of exposure. White noise elicited fear-specific behaviours hiding alone and huddling. It also increased exploratory and ambulatory behaviours, although only in the burrow zone farthest from the open area. Thus, in a semi-natural environment, white noise enhanced motor activity as a product of fear-induced general arousal. Then, we compared male and female sexual, social, exploratory and anxiety-related behaviour, and found little sex difference. This absence of behavioural effect, also observed in other studies, might be a result of our study design, a familiar environment with an ecologically relevant social context. Fear and anxiety responses are modulated by oestrogens through the activation of oestrogen receptors α and β. Thus, in a third part of out study, we analysed how treatment with either oil, oestradiol benzoate (EB), an agonist to the oestrogen receptor α (propylpyrazoletriol [PPT]) or β (diarylpropionitrile [DPN]) influenced female behaviour. The effect of treatment was limited, both EB and PPT stimulated motor activity in the open area before white noise, probably because of sexual activity. PPT increased the probability of fleeing from the noise, and decreased the latency to do so, which is consistent with a pattern of anxiogenic properties found in previous studies. Contrary to reports in classical procedures, we failed to detect any effect of DPN on immediate fear reactions in a semi-natural environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Le Moëne
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Anders Ågmo
- Department of Psychology, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway
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8
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Grover HM, Smith PM, Ferguson AV. Phoenixin influences the excitability of nucleus of the solitary tract neurones, effects which are modified by environmental and glucocorticoid stress. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12855. [PMID: 32436241 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Phoenixin (PNX) is a neuropeptide shown to play roles in the control of reproduction. The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), a critical autonomic integrating centre in the hindbrain, is one of many areas with dense expression of PNX. Using coronal NTS slices obtained from male Sprague-Dawley rats, the present study characterised the effects of PNX on both spike frequency and membrane potential of NTS neurones. Extracellular recordings demonstrated that bath-applied 10 nmol L-1 PNX increased the firing frequency in 32% of NTS neurones, effects which were confirmed with patch-clamp recordings showing that 50% of NTS neurones tested depolarised in response to application of the peptide. Surprisingly, the responsiveness to PNX in NTS neurones then declined suddenly to 9% (P < 0.001). This effect was subsequently attributed to stress associated with construction in our animal care facility because PNX responsiveness was again observed in slices from rats delivered and maintained in a construction-free facility. We then examined whether this loss of PNX responsiveness could be replicated in rats placed on a chronic stress regimen involving ongoing corticosterone (CORT) treatment in the construction-free facility. Slices from animals treated in this way showed a similar lack of neuronal responsiveness to PNX (9.1 ± 3.9%) within 2 weeks of CORT treatment. These effects were specific to PNX responsiveness because CORT treatment had no effect on the responsiveness of NTS neurones to angiotensin II. These results are the first to implicate PNX with respect to directly controlling the excitability of NTS neurones and also provide intriguing data showing the plasticity of these effects associated with environmental and glucocorticoid stress levels of the animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna M Grover
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Pauline M Smith
- Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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9
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Abouee-Mehrizi A, Rasoulzadeh Y, Kazemi T, Mesgari-Abbasi M. Inflammatory and immunological changes caused by noise exposure: A systematic review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND HEALTH. PART C, TOXICOLOGY AND CARCINOGENESIS 2020; 38:61-90. [PMID: 32397946 DOI: 10.1080/26896583.2020.1715713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Today, due to the growth of industries and spread of the use of various instruments and devices that produce high noise levels, it is necessary to pay more attention to the effects of exposure to noise on organs and tissues in the body. The importance of the immune system in fighting external and pathogenic factors has raised the need to consider external factors (such as harmful physical factors) and make efforts to avoid producing them. In this systematic review, 811 potentially relevant studies were found in Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science databases, of which 32 different English-written articles were included in the study. The method of searching and systematically reviewing articles was based on the assessment tool of the multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR) method. The results of this study suggested that noise could affect the function of the immune system and its components by affecting other systems and organs of the body, including the central nervous system, auditory system, circulatory system, and endocrine gland. Moreover, it can be hypothesized that noise affects immune system by producing the NADPH oxidase (Nox) and reactive oxygen species (ROS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Amirreza Abouee-Mehrizi
- Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Yahya Rasoulzadeh
- Department of Occupational Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Tohid Kazemi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Mehran Mesgari-Abbasi
- Drug Applied Research Center (DARC), Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
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10
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Stress experience and hormone feedback tune distinct components of hypothalamic CRH neuron activity. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5696. [PMID: 31836701 PMCID: PMC6911111 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13639-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress leaves a lasting impression on an organism and reshapes future responses. However, the influence of past experience and stress hormones on the activity of neural stress circuits remains unclear. Hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons orchestrate behavioral and endocrine responses to stress and are themselves highly sensitive to corticosteroid (CORT) stress hormones. Here, using in vivo optical recordings, we find that CRH neurons are rapidly activated in response to stress. CRH neuron activity robustly habituates to repeated presentations of the same, but not novel stressors. CORT feedback has little effect on CRH neuron responses to acute stress, or on habituation to repeated stressors. Rather, CORT preferentially inhibits tonic CRH neuron activity in the absence of stress stimuli. These findings reveal how stress experience and stress hormones modulate distinct components of CRH neuronal activity to mediate stress-induced adaptations. Stress activates corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the hypothalamus, but how their activity is regulated during and after stress is unclear. Here, the authors show that stress habituation and corticosteroid feedback tune different components of CRH neuron activity.
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11
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Meagher RK, Beaver A, Weary DM, von Keyserlingk MAG. Invited review: A systematic review of the effects of prolonged cow-calf contact on behavior, welfare, and productivity. J Dairy Sci 2019; 102:5765-5783. [PMID: 31103300 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2018-16021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Separation of calves from cows within hours or days of birth is common on dairy farms. Stakeholders have conflicting perspectives on whether this practice is harmful or beneficial for the animals' welfare and production. Our objective was to critically evaluate the scientific evidence for both acute and long-term effects of early separation versus an extended period of cow-calf contact. The outcomes investigated were the behavior, welfare (excluding physical health), and performance (milk yield and growth, respectively) of dairy cows and calves. Primary research papers were found through targeted Web of Science searches, the reference lists of recent reviews for each topic, and the reference lists of papers identified from these sources. Studies were included if they were published in English, the full text was accessible, and they compared treatments with and without contact between dairy cows and calves for a specified period. Early separation (within 24 h postpartum) was found to reduce acute distress responses of cows and calves. However, longer cow-calf contact typically had positive longer-term effects on calves, promoting more normal social behavior, reducing abnormal behavior, and sometimes reducing responses to stressors. In terms of productivity, allowing cows to nurse calves generally decreased the volume of milk available for sale during the nursing period, but we found no consistent evidence of reduced milk production over a longer period. Allowing a prolonged period of nursing increased calf weight gains during the milk-feeding period. In summary, extended cow-calf contact aggravates the acute distress responses and reduces the amount of saleable milk while the calves are suckling, but it can have positive effects on behaviors relevant to welfare in the longer term and benefit calf growth. The strength of these conclusions is limited, however, given that relatively few studies address most of these effects and that experimental design including timing of contact and observations are often inconsistent across studies. Few studies presented indicators of long-term welfare effects other than abnormal and social behavior of the calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca K Meagher
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AR United Kingdom
| | - Annabelle Beaver
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4
| | - Daniel M Weary
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4
| | - Marina A G von Keyserlingk
- Animal Welfare Program, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4.
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12
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Keller M, Vandenberg LN, Charlier TD. The parental brain and behavior: A target for endocrine disruption. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 54:100765. [PMID: 31112731 PMCID: PMC6708493 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.100765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
During pregnancy, the sequential release of progesterone, 17β-estradiol, prolactin, oxytocin and placental lactogens reorganize the female brain. Brain structures such as the medial preoptic area, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the motivation network including the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens are reorganized by this specific hormonal schedule such that the future mother will be ready to provide appropriate care for her offspring right at parturition. Any disruption to this hormone pattern, notably by exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC), is therefore likely to affect the maternal brain and result in maladaptive maternal behavior. Development effects of EDCs have been the focus of intense study, but relatively little is known about how the maternal brain and behavior are affected by EDCs. We encourage further research to better understand how the physiological hormone sequence prepares the mother's brain and how EDC exposure could disturb this reorganization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Keller
- Laboratoire de Physiologie de la Reproduction & des Comportements, UMR 7247 INRA/CNRS/Université de Tours/IFCE, Nouzilly, France
| | - Laura N Vandenberg
- School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA
| | - Thierry D Charlier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France.
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13
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Klampfl SM, Bosch OJ. Mom doesn't care: When increased brain CRF system activity leads to maternal neglect in rodents. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 53:100735. [PMID: 30684507 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mothers are the primary caregivers in mammals, ensuring their offspring's survival. This strongly depends on the adequate expression of maternal behavior, which is the result of a concerted action of "pro-maternal" versus "anti-maternal" neuromodulators such as the oxytocin and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems, respectively. When essential peripartum adaptations fail, the CRF system has negative physiological, emotional and behavioral consequences for both mother and offspring often resulting in maternal neglect. Here, we provide an elaborate and unprecedented review on the implications of the CRF system in the maternal brain. Studies in rodents have advanced our understanding of the specific roles of brain regions such as the limbic bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, medial preoptic area and lateral septum even in a CRF receptor subtype-specific manner. Furthermore, we discuss potential interactions of the CRF system with other neurotransmitters like oxytocin and noradrenaline, and present valuable translational aspects of the recent research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M Klampfl
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Oliver J Bosch
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.
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14
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Russell JA, Brunton PJ. Giving a good start to a new life via maternal brain allostatic adaptations in pregnancy. Front Neuroendocrinol 2019; 53:100739. [PMID: 30802468 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Successful pregnancy requires adjustments to multiple maternal homeostatic mechanisms, governed by the maternal brain to support and enable survival of the growing fetus and placenta. Such adjustments fit the concept of allostasis (stability through change) and have a cost: allostatic load. Allostasis is driven by ovarian, anterior pituitary, placental and feto-placental hormones acting on the maternal brain to promote adaptations that support the pregnancy and protect the fetus. Many women carry an existing allostatic load into pregnancy, from socio-economic circumstances, poor mental health and in 'developed' countries, also from obesity. These pregnancies have poorer outcomes indicating negative interactions (failing allostasis) between pre-pregnancy and pregnancy allostatic loads. Use of animal models, such as adult prenatally stressed female offspring with abnormal neuroendocrine, metabolic and behavioural phenotypes, to probe gene expression changes, and epigenetic mechanisms in the maternal brain in adverse pregnancies are discussed, with the prospect of ameliorating poor pregnancy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Russell
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
| | - Paula J Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK; Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Haining, Zhejiang, PR China.
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15
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Endogenous opioid signalling in the brain during pregnancy and lactation. Cell Tissue Res 2018; 375:69-83. [DOI: 10.1007/s00441-018-2948-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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16
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Klampfl SM, Schramm MM, Gaßner BM, Hübner K, Seasholtz AF, Brunton PJ, Bayerl DS, Bosch OJ. Maternal stress and the MPOA: Activation of CRF receptor 1 impairs maternal behavior and triggers local oxytocin release in lactating rats. Neuropharmacology 2018; 133:440-450. [PMID: 29477300 PMCID: PMC5869057 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Maternal behavior and anxiety are potently modulated by the brain corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system postpartum. Downregulation of CRF in limbic brain regions is essential for appropriate maternal behavior and an adaptive anxiety response. Here, we focus our attention on arguably the most important brain region for maternal behavior, the hypothalamic medial preoptic area (MPOA). Within the MPOA, mRNA for CRF receptor subtype 1 (protein: CRFR1, gene: Crhr1) was more abundantly expressed than for subtype 2 (protein: CRFR2, gene: Crhr2), however expression of Crhr1, Crhr2 and CRF-binding protein (protein: CRFBP, gene: Crhbp) mRNA was similar between virgin and lactating rats. Subtype-specific activation of CRFR, predominantly CRFR1, in the MPOA decreased arched back nursing and total nursing under non-stress conditions. Following acute stressor exposure, only CRFR1 inhibition rescued the stress-induced reduction in arched back nursing while CRFR1 activation prolonged the decline in nursing. Furthermore, inhibition of CRFR1 strongly increased maternal aggression in the maternal defense test. CRFR1 activation had anxiogenic actions and reduced locomotion on the elevated plus-maze, however neither CRFR1 nor R2 manipulation affected maternal motivation. In addition, activation of CRFR1, either centrally or locally in the MPOA, increased local oxytocin release. Finally, inhibition of CRFBP (a potent regulator of CRFR activity) in the MPOA did not affect any of the maternal parameters investigated. In conclusion, activity of CRFR in the MPOA, particularly of subtype 1, needs to be dampened during lactation to ensure appropriate maternal behavior. Furthermore, oxytocin release in the MPOA may provide a regulatory mechanism to counteract the negative impact of CRFR activation on maternal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie M. Klampfl
- University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Audrey F. Seasholtz
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA,Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2200, USA
| | - Paula J. Brunton
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Oliver J. Bosch
- University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany,Corresponding author. University of Regensburg, Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, Regensburg Center of Neuroscience, Universitätsstr. 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.University of RegensburgDepartment of Behavioural and Molecular NeurobiologyRegensburg Center of NeuroscienceUniversitätsstr. 31Regensburg93053Germany
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Hasiec M, Misztal T. Adaptive Modifications of Maternal Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity during Lactation and Salsolinol as a New Player in this Phenomenon. Int J Endocrinol 2018; 2018:3786038. [PMID: 29849616 PMCID: PMC5914094 DOI: 10.1155/2018/3786038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Both basal and stress-induced secretory activities of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are distinctly modified in lactating females. On the one hand, it aims to meet the physiological demands of the mother, and on the other hand, the appropriate and stable plasma cortisol level is one of the essential factors for the proper offspring development. Specific adaptations of HPA axis activity to lactation have been extensively studied in several animal species and humans, providing interesting data on the HPA axis plasticity mechanism. However, most of the data related to this phenomenon are derived from studies in rats. The purpose of this review is to highlight these adaptations, with a particular emphasis on stress reaction and differences that occur between species. Existing data on breastfeeding women are also included in several aspects. Finally, data from the experiments in sheep are presented, indicating a new regulatory factor of the HPA axis-salsolinol-which typical role was revealed in lactation. It is suggested that this dopamine derivative is involved in both maintaining basal and suppressing stress-induced HPA axis activities in lactating dams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malgorzata Hasiec
- Department of Animal Physiology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jablonna, Poland
| | - Tomasz Misztal
- Department of Animal Physiology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jablonna, Poland
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Rijnsburger M, Eggels L, Castel J, Cruciani-Guglielmacci C, Ackermans M, Luquet S, la Fleur S. A novel, double intra-carotid cannulation technique to study the effect of central nutrient sensing on glucose metabolism in the rat. J Neurosci Methods 2017; 290:79-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2017] [Revised: 07/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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19
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Gustafson P, Bunn SJ, Grattan DR. The role of prolactin in the suppression of Crh mRNA expression during pregnancy and lactation in the mouse. J Neuroendocrinol 2017; 29. [PMID: 28744978 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 07/20/2017] [Accepted: 07/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Maternal stress is associated with negative health consequences for both the mother and her offspring. To prevent these adverse outcomes, activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is attenuated during pregnancy and lactation. Although the mechanisms generating this adaptive change have not been defined fully, the anterior pituitary hormone prolactin may play a significant role. The present study investigated the role of prolactin in regulating the basal activity of the HPA axis during pregnancy and lactation in the mouse, focussing upon the corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurones. Using in situ hybridisation, a decrease in Crh mRNA-expressing cell number in pregnant (55.6±9.0 cells per section) and lactating (97.4±4.9) mice compared to virgin controls was characterised (186.8±18.7, P<.01 Tukey-Kramer test; n=6-7 per group). Removal of the pups (24 hours) and thus the associated suckling-induced prolactin secretion, restored CRH neurone number (180.1±19.7). To specifically test the role of prolactin in suppressing Crh mRNA expression in lactation, prolactin levels were selectively manipulated in lactating mice. Lactating mice were treated with ovine prolactin (1500 μg day-1 , osmotic minipump, s.c.; n=7) or vehicle (n=6) for 24 hours following pup removal. This was sufficient to suppress Crh mRNA expression from 108.0±13.5 to 53.7±16.7 cells per section (P<.05 Student's t-test). Additional cohorts of lactating mice were treated with bromocriptine (300 μg over 24 hours, s.c.; n=7) or vehicle (n=5) to suppress endogenous prolactin secretion; however, no change in Crh mRNA expression was detected. Thus, although prolactin was sufficient to suppress Crh mRNA expression in the paraventricular nucleus, it does not appear to be required for the ongoing regulation of the CRH neurones in lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Gustafson
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - S J Bunn
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - D R Grattan
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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20
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Kalyani M, Callahan P, Janik JM, Shi H. Effects of Pup Separation on Stress Response in Postpartum Female Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18071370. [PMID: 28654010 PMCID: PMC5535863 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18071370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 06/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a complex collection of neuroendocrine function during the postpartum period. Prolactin (PRL) released by suckling stimulus and its PRL receptors (PRL-R) in the central nervous system (CNS) are involved in hyporesponsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in lactating mammals including rodents and humans. It is not clear how long it takes to reestablish the attenuated HPA axis activity of lactating rats to a pre-pregnancy state after pup separation. We first tested the hypothesis that HPA axis activity in response to an acute stress in postpartum rats would return to a pre-pregnancy state after pup separation. Restraint stress for 30 min was performed at the end of pup separation as an acute stressor. Plasma levels of corticosterone (CORT) were measured following restraint stress or no-stress (control) in virgin rats and postpartum rats housed with their pups or with pup removal for different periods of time of one hour, 24 h, or eight days. We then tested the hypothesis that circulating PRL level and CNS PRL-R gene expression were involved in mediating the acute stress response in postpartum rats. Plasma levels of PRL and PRL-R mRNA levels in the choroid plexus of the CNS were determined in both no-stress and stress, virgin rats, and postpartum rats housed with their pups or with pup removal for various periods, and their correlation with plasma CORT levels was assessed. The results demonstrated that PRL levels declined to virgin state in all postpartum rats separated from their pups, including the dams with one-hour pup separation. Stress-induced HPA activity dampened in lactating rats housed with pups, and returned to the pre-pregnancy state after 24 h of pup separation when both circulating PRL level and CNS PRL-R expression were restored to a pre-pregnancy state. Additionally, basal plasma CORT and CNS PRL-R expression were significantly correlated in rats with various pup status. This study suggested that stress-induced HPA activation occurred when PRL-R expression was similar to the level of virgin females, indicating that PRL-R upregulation contributes to an attenuated HPA response to acute stress. Understanding neuroendocrine responses to stress during the postpartum period is critical to understand postpartum-related neuropsychiatric illnesses and to maintain mental health in postpartum women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manu Kalyani
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| | | | - James M Janik
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
| | - Haifei Shi
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA.
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21
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Gustafson P, Kokay I, Sapsford T, Bunn S, Grattan D. Prolactin regulation of the HPA axis is not mediated by a direct action upon CRH neurons: evidence from the rat and mouse. Brain Struct Funct 2017; 222:3191-3204. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-017-1395-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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LEUKOCYTE COPING CAPACITY AS A TOOL TO ASSESS CAPTURE- AND HANDLING-INDUCED STRESS IN SCANDINAVIAN BROWN BEARS (URSUS ARCTOS). J Wildl Dis 2016; 52:S40-53. [PMID: 26845299 DOI: 10.7589/52.2s.s40] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are often captured and handled for research and management purposes. Although the techniques used are potentially stressful for the animals and might have detrimental and long-lasting consequences, it is difficult to assess their physiological impact. Here we report the use of the leukocyte coping capacity (LCC) technique to quantify the acute stress of capture and handling in brown bears in Scandinavia. In April and May 2012 and 2013, we collected venous blood samples and recorded a range of physiological variables to evaluate the effects of capture and the added impact of surgical implantation or removal of transmitters and sensors. We studied 24 brown bears, including 19 that had abdominal surgery. We found 1) LCC values following capture were lower in solitary bears than in bears in family groups suggesting capture caused relatively more stress in solitary bears, 2) ability to cope with handling stress was better (greater LCC values) in bears with good body condition, and 3) LCC values did not appear to be influenced by surgery. Although further evaluation of this technique is required, our preliminary results support the use of the LCC technique as a quantitative measure of stress.
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Hill PD, Chatterton RT, Aldag JC. Neuroendocrine Responses to Stressors in Lactating and Nonlactating Mammals: A Literature Review. Biol Res Nurs 2016; 5:79-86. [PMID: 14531212 DOI: 10.1177/1099800403256494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Although stress research is a popular topic of study, little is known about the neuroendocrine responses to a stressor in lactating and nonlactating humans. The purpose of this systematic review of the literature was to examine the neuroendocrine responses, specifically the glucocorticoids and catecholamines, in lactating and nonlactating animals and humans to an acute stressor. A brief overview of the physiological stress response in the human is included. Animal studies strongly suggest that lactation is associated with major changes in neuroendocrine responses to a variety of acute stressors. Neuroendocrine responses in humans to stressors are less clear due to the limited research. Future research is needed involving these responses in humans generally, as well as specifically in the patterns of neuroendocrine responses to chronic stressors in lactating and nonlactating women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela D Hill
- College of Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1515 5th Avenue, Suite 400, Moline, IL 61265, USA.
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24
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Abstract
Successfully rearing young places multiple demands on the mammalian female. These are met by a wide array of alterations in maternal physiology and behavior that are coordinated with the needs of the developing young, and include adaptations in neuroendocrine systems not directly involved in maternal behavior or lactation. In this article, attenuations in the behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to stressors, the alterations in metabolic pathways facilitating both increased food intake and conservation of energy, and the changes in fertility that occur postpartum are described. The mechanisms underlying these processes as well as the factors that contribute to them and the relative contributions of these stimuli at different times postpartum are also reviewed. The induction and maintenance of the adaptations observed in the postpartum maternal brain are dependent on mother-young interaction and, in most cases, on suckling stimulation and its consequences for the hormonal profile of the mother. The peptide hormone prolactin acting on receptors within the brain makes a major contribution to changes in metabolic pathways, suppression of fertility and the attenuation of the neuroendocrine response to stress during lactation. Oxytocin is also released, both into the circulation and in some hypothalamic nuclei, in response to suckling stimulation and this hormone has been implicated in the decrease in anxiety behavior seen in the early postpartum period. The relative importance of these hormones changes across lactation and it is becoming increasingly clear that many of the adaptations to motherhood reviewed here reflect the outcome of multiple influences. © 2016 American Physiological Society. Compr Physiol 6:1493-1518, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Woodside
- Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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25
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Stress Response and Perinatal Reprogramming: Unraveling (Mal)adaptive Strategies. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:6752193. [PMID: 27057367 PMCID: PMC4812483 DOI: 10.1155/2016/6752193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental stressors induce coping strategies in the majority of individuals. The stress response, involving the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and the consequent release of corticosteroid hormones, is indeed aimed at promoting metabolic, functional, and behavioral adaptations. However, behavioral stress is also associated with fast and long-lasting neurochemical, structural, and behavioral changes, leading to long-term remodeling of glutamate transmission, and increased susceptibility to neuropsychiatric disorders. Of note, early-life events, both in utero and during the early postnatal life, trigger reprogramming of the stress response, which is often associated with loss of stress resilience and ensuing neurobehavioral (mal)adaptations. Indeed, adverse experiences in early life are known to induce long-term stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders in vulnerable individuals. Here, we discuss recent findings about stress remodeling of excitatory neurotransmission and brain morphology in animal models of behavioral stress. These changes are likely driven by epigenetic factors that lie at the core of the stress-response reprogramming in individuals with a history of perinatal stress. We propose that reprogramming mechanisms may underlie the reorganization of excitatory neurotransmission in the short- and long-term response to stressful stimuli.
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26
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Farzadinia P, Bigdeli M, Akbarzadeh S, Mohammadi M, Daneshi A, Bargahi A. Effect of noise pollution on testicular tissue and hormonal assessment in rat. Andrologia 2016; 48:869-873. [DOI: 10.1111/and.12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- P. Farzadinia
- Department of Biology and Anatomical sciences; School of Medicine; Bushehr University of Medical Sciences; Bushehr Iran
| | - M. Bigdeli
- Department of Biology; Islamic Azad University; Jahrom Branch; Jahrom Iran
| | - S. Akbarzadeh
- Department of Biochemistry; School of Medicine; Bushehr University of Medical Sciences; Bushehr Iran
| | - M. Mohammadi
- Young researchers and elite club; Bushehr Branch; Islamic Azad University; Bushehr Iran
| | - A. Daneshi
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center; Bushehr University of Medical Sciences; Bushehr Iran
| | - A. Bargahi
- The Persian Gulf Marine Biotechnology Research Center; Bushehr University of Medical Sciences; Bushehr Iran
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LEUKOCYTE COPING CAPACITY AS A TOOL TO ASSESS CAPTURE- AND HANDLING-INDUCED STRESS IN SCANDINAVIAN BROWN BEARS (URSUS ARCTOS). J Wildl Dis 2015. [DOI: 10.7589/jwdi-52-01s1-04.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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28
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Pillay N, Rymer TL. Alloparenting enhances the emotional, social and cognitive performance of female African striped mice, Rhabdomys pumilio. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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29
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Stamper CE, Hennessey PA, Hale MW, Lukkes JL, Donner NC, Lowe KR, Paul ED, Spencer RL, Renner KJ, Orchinik M, Lowry CA. Role of the dorsomedial hypothalamus in glucocorticoid-mediated feedback inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Stress 2015; 18:76-87. [PMID: 25556980 PMCID: PMC4367871 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2015.1004537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous studies suggest that multiple corticolimbic and hypothalamic structures are involved in glucocorticoid-mediated feedback inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, including the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), but a potential role of the DMH has not been directly tested. To investigate the role of the DMH in glucocorticoid-mediated negative feedback, adult male Sprague Dawley rats were implanted with jugular cannulae and bilateral guide cannulae directed at the DMH, and finally were either adrenalectomized (ADX) or were subjected to sham-ADX. ADX rats received corticosterone (CORT) replacement in the drinking water (25 μg/mL), which, based on initial studies, restored a rhythm of plasma CORT concentrations in ADX rats that was similar in period and amplitude to the diurnal rhythm of plasma CORT concentrations in sham-ADX rats, but with a significant phase delay. Following recovery from surgery, rats received microinjections of either CORT (10 ng, 0.5 μL, 0.25 μL/min, per side) or vehicle (aCSF containing 0.2% EtOH), bilaterally, directly into the DMH, prior to a 40-min period of restraint stress. In sham-ADX rats, bilateral intra-DMH microinjections of CORT, relative to bilateral intra-DMH microinjections of vehicle, decreased restraint stress-induced elevation of endogenous plasma CORT concentrations 60 min after the onset of intra-DMH injections. Intra-DMH CORT decreased the overall area under the curve for plasma CORT concentrations during the intermediate time frame of glucocorticoid negative feedback, from 0.5 to 2 h following injection. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the DMH is involved in feedback inhibition of HPA axis activity at the intermediate time frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher E. Stamper
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
| | - Patrick A. Hennessey
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
| | - Matthew W. Hale
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
| | - Jodi L. Lukkes
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
| | - Nina C. Donner
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
| | - Kenneth R. Lowe
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
| | - Evan D. Paul
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
| | - Robert L. Spencer
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, USA
| | - Kenneth J. Renner
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Miles Orchinik
- Department of Organismal, Integrative, and Systems Biology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Christopher A. Lowry
- Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0354, USA
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30
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Dobolyi A, Grattan DR, Stolzenberg DS. Preoptic inputs and mechanisms that regulate maternal responsiveness. J Neuroendocrinol 2014; 26:627-40. [PMID: 25059569 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2014] [Revised: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The preoptic area is a well-established centre for the control of maternal behaviour. An intact medial preoptic area (mPOA) is required for maternal responsiveness because lesion of the area abolishes maternal behaviours. Although hormonal changes in the peripartum period contribute to the initiation of maternal responsiveness, inputs from pups are required for its maintenance. Neurones are activated in different parts of the mPOA in response to pup exposure. In the present review, we summarise the potential inputs to the mPOA of rodent dams from the litter that can activate mPOA neurones. The roles of potential indirect effects through increased prolactin levels, as well as neuronal inputs to the preoptic area, are described. Recent results on the pathway mediating the effects of suckling to the mPOA suggest that neurones containing the neuropeptide tuberoinfundibular peptide of 39 residues in the posterior thalamus are candidates for conveying the suckling information to the mPOA. Although the molecular mechanism through which these inputs alter mPOA neurones to support the maintenance of maternal responding is not yet known, altered gene expression is a likely candidate. Here, we summarise gene expression changes in the mPOA that have been linked to maternal behaviour and explore the idea that chromatin remodelling during mother-infant interactions mediates the long-term alterations in gene expression that sustain maternal responding.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Dobolyi
- Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, NAP-Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary; Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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31
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Hudson S, Jacobson-Pick S, Anisman H. Sex differences in behavior and pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression following stressor exposure and re-exposure. Neuroscience 2014; 277:239-49. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Govic A, Bell V, Samuel A, Penman J, Paolini AG. Calorie restriction and corticosterone elevation during lactation can each modulate adult male fear and anxiety-like behaviour. Horm Behav 2014; 66:591-601. [PMID: 25205316 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Early life events, such as calorie restriction (CR) and elevated glucocorticoids, can calibrate the lifelong behavioural and physiological profile of an individual. Stress reactivity in adulthood is particularly sensitive to early life events; however, the consequence to fear and anxiety-like behaviour is less clear. Consequently, the current study sought to examine the effects of post-natal CR and glucocorticoid elevation, long considered powerful programming stimuli, on the subsequent fear and anxiety behaviour of the adult offspring. Rat dams received either corticosterone (200 μg/ml) supplementation in drinking water (CORT) or a 25% CR from post-natal day (PND) 1 to 11. Responses to the elevated plus maze (EPM), open field and a predator odour (TMT; 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline) were characterised in the adult male offspring. Both treatment conditions resulted in enhanced fear responses to TMT, characterised by heightened risk assessment and increased avoidance of TMT. CORT nursed offspring further demonstrated an anxiogenic profile in the open field. Basal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function was unchanged in CORT adult offspring, whilst corticosterone concentration was elevated by post-natal CR. CR and CORT treated dams both exhibited greater anxiety-like behaviour in the EPM. A modest and temporary enhancement of maternal care was observed in CR and CORT treated dams, with CR dams further exhibiting rapid pup retrieval latencies. The results indicate enhanced emotionality in the adult male progeny of dams exposed to CR and corticosterone supplementation during the post-natal period. The modest enhancement of maternal care observed by both treatments is unlikely to have influenced the behavioural profile of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonina Govic
- School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering & Health, RMIT University, Australia.
| | - Veronica Bell
- School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Anil Samuel
- School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering & Health, RMIT University, Australia
| | - Jim Penman
- School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering & Health, RMIT University, Australia
| | - Antonio G Paolini
- School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering & Health, RMIT University, Australia; School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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Eisinger BE, Driessen TM, Zhao C, Gammie SC. Medial prefrontal cortex: genes linked to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have altered expression in the highly social maternal phenotype. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:110. [PMID: 24765068 PMCID: PMC3980118 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2013] [Accepted: 03/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The transition to motherhood involves CNS changes that modify sociability and affective state. However, these changes also put females at risk for post-partum depression and psychosis, which impairs parenting abilities and adversely affects children. Thus, changes in expression and interactions in a core subset of genes may be critical for emergence of a healthy maternal phenotype, but inappropriate changes of the same genes could put women at risk for post-partum disorders. This study evaluated microarray gene expression changes in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a region implicated in both maternal behavior and psychiatric disorders. Post-partum mice were compared to virgin controls housed with females and isolated for identical durations. Using the Modular Single-set Enrichment Test (MSET), we found that the genetic landscape of maternal mPFC bears statistical similarity to gene databases associated with schizophrenia (5 of 5 sets) and bipolar disorder (BPD, 3 of 3 sets). In contrast to previous studies of maternal lateral septum (LS) and medial preoptic area (MPOA), enrichment of autism and depression-linked genes was not significant (2 of 9 sets, 0 of 4 sets). Among genes linked to multiple disorders were fatty acid binding protein 7 (Fabp7), glutamate metabotropic receptor 3 (Grm3), platelet derived growth factor, beta polypeptide (Pdgfrb), and nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group D, member 1 (Nr1d1). RT-qPCR confirmed these gene changes as well as FMS-like tyrosine kinase 1 (Flt1) and proenkephalin (Penk). Systems-level methods revealed involvement of developmental gene networks in establishing the maternal phenotype and indirectly suggested a role for numerous microRNAs and transcription factors in mediating expression changes. Together, this study suggests that a subset of genes involved in shaping the healthy maternal brain may also be dysregulated in mental health disorders and put females at risk for post-partum psychosis with aspects of schizophrenia and BPD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian E Eisinger
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA
| | - Terri M Driessen
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA
| | - Changjiu Zhao
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA
| | - Stephen C Gammie
- Department of Zoology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA ; Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI, USA
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Kesar AG. Effect of prenatal chronic noise exposure on the growth and development of body and brain of chick embryo. Int J Appl Basic Med Res 2014; 4:3-6. [PMID: 24600569 PMCID: PMC3931211 DOI: 10.4103/2229-516x.125666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Context: Noise acts as an environmental stressor as has been demonstrated by an increased brain acetyl cholinesterase activity as well as elevated plasma corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. Noise can lead to neurodegenerative changes in the brain and in the ear. Aim: This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of chronic noise on growth and development during the sensitive period of embryonic life. Materials and Methods: In this study, we analyzed the body weight, brain weight and brain size following prenatal chronic noise exposure. Fertilized eggs of domestic chicks were exposed to chronic excessive acoustic stimulation with frequency of the sound ranging from 30 to 3000 Hz with a peak at 2700 Hz was given at 110 dB sound pressure level from embryonic day (E) 10 until hatching. Results: An appreciable decrease in body weight, brain weight and brain size was evident in the experimental group exposed to noise. A generalized decrease in the neuronal nuclear size and increase in the density of neurons was also observed. Conclusion: These observations could be an indicator of growth and developmental retardation following exposure to noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alpana Goel Kesar
- Department of Anatomy, PDM Dental College, Bahadurgarh, Haryana, India
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Febo M, Ferris CF. Oxytocin and vasopressin modulation of the neural correlates of motivation and emotion: results from functional MRI studies in awake rats. Brain Res 2014; 1580:8-21. [PMID: 24486356 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2014.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2013] [Revised: 11/13/2013] [Accepted: 01/15/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin and vasopressin modulate a range of species typical behavioral functions that include social recognition, maternal-infant attachment, and modulation of memory, offensive aggression, defensive fear reactions, and reward seeking. We have employed novel functional magnetic resonance mapping techniques in awake rats to explore the roles of these neuropeptides in the maternal and non-maternal brain. Results from the functional neuroimaging studies that are summarized here have directly and indirectly confirmed and supported previous findings. Oxytocin is released within the lactating rat brain during suckling stimulation and activates specific subcortical networks in the maternal brain. Both vasopressin and oxytocin modulate brain regions involved unconditioned fear, processing of social stimuli and the expression of agonistic behaviors. Across studies there are relatively consistent brain networks associated with internal motivational drives and emotional states that are modulated by oxytocin and vasopressin. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Oxytocin and Social Behav.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Febo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Craig F Ferris
- Center for Translational Neuroimaging, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Monasterio N, Vergara E, Morales T. Hormonal influences on neuroimmune responses in the CNS of females. Front Integr Neurosci 2014; 7:110. [PMID: 24478642 PMCID: PMC3894525 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2013.00110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Accepted: 12/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Particular reproductive stages such as lactation impose demands on the female. To cope with these demands, her physiology goes through numerous adaptations, for example, attenuation of immune and stress responses. Hormonal fluctuation during lactation exerts a strong influence, inducing neuroplasticity in the hypothalamus and extrahypothalamic regions, and diminishing the stress and inflammatory responses. Thus, hormones confer decreased vulnerability to the female brain. This mini-review focuses on the adaptations of the immune and stress response during maternity, and on the neuroprotective actions of progesterone and prolactin and their effects on inflammation. The importance of pregnancy and lactation as experimental models to study immune responses and disease is also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nela Monasterio
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Santiago de Querétaro, México
| | - Edgar Vergara
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad de México, México
| | - Teresa Morales
- Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Santiago de Querétaro, México
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Kesar AG. Effect of prenatal chronic excessive sound exposure on auditory filial imprinting area of chick forebrain. J ANAT SOC INDIA 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jasi.2013.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Lactation reduces stress-caused dopaminergic activity and enhances GABAergic activity in the rat medial prefrontal cortex. J Mol Neurosci 2013; 52:515-24. [PMID: 24085524 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-013-0104-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/23/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the effect of restraint on the release of dopamine, GABA and glutamate in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of lactating compared with virgin Wistar female rats; besides the expression of D1, neuropeptide Y Y2, GABA receptors and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). Results from microdialysis experiments showed that basal dopamine and GABA, but not glutamate, concentrations were higher in lactating rats. In virgin animals, immobilization caused significant increase in dopamine, whereas GABA was unchanged and glutamate reduced. In lactating animals, restrain significantly decreased dopamine concentrations and, in contrast to virgin animals, GABA and glutamate concentrations increased. We found a higher expression of CRF, as well as the D1 and neuropeptide Y Y2 receptors in the left mPFC of virgin stressed rats; also, only stressed lactating animals showed a significant increase in immunopositive cells to GABA in the left cingulate cortex; meanwhile, a significant decrease was measured in virgin rats after stress in the left prelimbic region. The increased inhibition of the mPFC dopamine cells during stress and the down-regulated expression of the neuropeptide Y Y2 receptor may explain the lower CRF and hyporesponse to stress measured in lactating animals. Interestingly, participation of mPFC in stress regulation seems to be lateralized.
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Lieberwirth C, Wang Y, Jia X, Liu Y, Wang Z. Fatherhood reduces the survival of adult-generated cells and affects various types of behavior in the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster ). Eur J Neurosci 2013; 38:3345-55. [PMID: 23899240 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Revised: 06/23/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Motherhood has profound effects on physiology, neuronal plasticity, and behavior. We conducted a series of experiments to test the hypothesis that fatherhood, similarly to motherhood, affects brain plasticity (such as cell proliferation and survival) and various behaviors in the highly social prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). In Experiment 1, adult males were housed with their same-sex cage mate (control), single-housed (isolation), or housed with a receptive female to mate and produce offspring (father) for 6 weeks. Fatherhood significantly reduced cell survival (assessed by bromodeoxyuridine labeling), but not cell proliferation (assessed by Ki67-labeling), in the amygdala, dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, and ventromedial hypothalamus, suggesting that fatherhood affects brain plasticity. In Experiment 2, neither acute (20 min) nor chronic (20 min daily for 10 consecutive days) pup exposure altered cell proliferation or survival in the brain, but chronic pup exposure increased circulating corticosterone levels. These data suggest that reduced cell survival in the brain of prairie vole fathers was unlikely to be due to the level of pup exposure and display of paternal behavior, and may not be mediated by circulating corticosterone. The effects of fatherhood on various behaviors (including anxiety-like, depression-like, and social behaviors) were examined in Experiment 3. The data indicated that fatherhood increased anxiety- and depression-like behaviors as well as altered aggression and social recognition memory in male prairie voles. These results warrant further investigation of a possible link between brain plasticity and behavioral changes observed due to fatherhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Lieberwirth
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, 1107 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-1270, USA
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Windle RJ, Wood SA, Kershaw YM, Lightman SL, Ingram CD. Adaptive changes in basal and stress-induced HPA activity in lactating and post-lactating female rats. Endocrinology 2013; 154:749-61. [PMID: 23295739 PMCID: PMC3724961 DOI: 10.1210/en.2012-1779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Lactation represents a period of marked adaptation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal HPA axis. We characterized basal and stress-induced HPA activity during lactation and experimental weaning using dynamic blood sampling in rats. Pulsatile and diurnal corticosterone release occurred at all reproductive stages studied (virgin; day 10 of lactation; 3 and 14 days after experimental weaning on day 10 of lactation). However, in lactating rats the diurnal peak was significantly reduced, resulting in a flattened rhythm, and three days after weaning, basal HPA activity was markedly suppressed: the number of pulses and underlying basal levels of corticosterone were reduced and the diurnal rise phase delayed. Marked changes in the HPA response to 10 min noise stress also occurred at these times: being completely absent in lactating animals, but restored and highly prolonged in early weaned animals. Injection of methylprednisolone (2 mg, iv) was used to determine whether changes in fast glucocorticoid suppression correlated with these adaptive changes. Methylprednisolone induced a rapid suppression of corticosterone in virgin animals, but this effect was markedly attenuated in lactating and early weaned animals and was accompanied by significant changes in relative expression of hippocampal glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA. All effects were reversed or partially reversed 14 days after experimental weaning. Thus, the presence of the pups has an important influence on regulation of the HPA axis, and while postpartum adaptations are reversible, acute weaning evokes marked reorganisation of basal and stress-induced HPA activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Windle
- University of Nottingham, School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Physiotherapy, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
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41
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Joëls M, Sarabdjitsingh RA, Karst H. Unraveling the Time Domains of Corticosteroid Hormone Influences on Brain Activity: Rapid, Slow, and Chronic Modes. Pharmacol Rev 2012; 64:901-38. [DOI: 10.1124/pr.112.005892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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42
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Hashimoto H, Uezono Y, Ueta Y. Pathophysiological function of oxytocin secreted by neuropeptides: A mini review. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY 2012; 19:283-98. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pathophys.2012.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2012] [Revised: 07/04/2012] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
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Waite EJ, McKenna M, Kershaw Y, Walker JJ, Cho K, Piggins HD, Lightman SL. Ultradian corticosterone secretion is maintained in the absence of circadian cues. Eur J Neurosci 2012; 36:3142-50. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2012.08213.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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44
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Valdez SR, Bonafede MM, Carreño NB, Deis RP, Jahn GA. Lactation deficit in OFA hr/hr rats may be caused by differential sensitivity to stress compared with Wistar and Sprague Dawley rats. Stress 2012; 15:361-77. [PMID: 22150285 DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2011.624223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OFA hr/hr (OFA) rats present a major lactation deficit that impairs offspring survival. To explore whether abnormal stress responsiveness causes this deficit, we compared their hormonal (prolactin, progesterone, and corticosterone) responses to stress (room change and 2-min ether exposure) with those of Wistar and Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. We tested responses during the estrous cycle, pregnancy, lactation, after ovariectomy, and ovarian steroid hormone priming, and responses to suckling. We evaluated hypothalamic expression of receptors for prolactin (PRLRlong) and the isoforms of receptors for progesterone (PRA and B) and estrogen (ERα and β) in late pregnancy. We tested whether administration of an anxiolytic (diazepam) improved lactation. Ether exposure increased circulating levels of the three hormones in the three strains of rats, cycling and ovariectomized, but was less effective in pregnancy and lactation. Elevated estrogen level (estrus and estradiol-treated ovariectomized rats) potentiated the prolactin response more in SD and OFA rats than in Wistar rats. Elevated progesterone level (late pregnancy, lactation, progesterone-treated ovariectomized rats) inhibited the prolactin response less in OFA than in SD or Wistar rats. Ether exposure inhibited the prolactin and oxytocin responses to suckling only in OFA rats. Diazepam treatment increased pup survival rate and the prolactin response to suckling. Hypothalamic total PR mRNA content, assayed by RT-PCR, was higher in pregnant OFA rats compared with SD and Wistar rats, but the PRB/PRA protein ratio determined by Western blot was lowest in Wistar rats, intermediate in OFA rats, and highest in SD rats. The heightened sensitivity to stress of lactating OFA rats may contribute to their lactational deficit and be caused by a combination of hypoprolactinemia and reduced inhibitory capacity of progesterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana R Valdez
- Laboratorio de Reproducción y Lactancia, IMBECU, CCT-CONICET Mendoza, Casilla de Correos 855, 5500 Mendoza, Argentina.
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Gene expression changes in the septum: possible implications for microRNAs in sculpting the maternal brain. PLoS One 2012; 7:e38602. [PMID: 22701680 PMCID: PMC3368935 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2012] [Accepted: 05/12/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The transition from the non-maternal to the maternal state is characterized by a variety of CNS alterations that support the care of offspring. The septum (including lateral and medial portions) is a brain region previously linked to various emotional and motivational processes, including maternal care. In this study, we used microarrays (PLIER algorithm) to examine gene expression changes in the septum of postpartum mice and employed gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to identify possible regulators of altered gene expression. Genes of interest identified as differentially regulated with microarray analysis were validated with quantitative real-time PCR. We found that fatty acid binding protein 7 (Fabp7) and galanin (Gal) were downregulated, whereas insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (Igfbp3) was upregulated in postpartum mice compared to virgin females. These genes were previously found to be differentially regulated in other brain regions during lactation. We also identified altered expression of novel genes not previously linked to maternal behavior, but that could play a role in postpartum processes, including glutamate-ammonia ligase (Glul) and somatostatin receptor 1 (Sstr1) (both upregulated in postpartum). Genes implicated in metabolism, cell differentiation, or proliferation also exhibited altered expression. Unexpectedly, enrichment analysis revealed a high number of microRNAs, transcription factors, or conserved binding sites (177 with corrected P-value <0.05) that were significantly linked to maternal upregulated genes, while none were linked to downregulated genes. MicroRNAs have been linked to placenta and mammary gland development, but this is the first indication they may also play a key role in sculpting the maternal brain. Together, this study provides new insights into genes (along with possible mechanisms for their regulation) that are involved in septum-mediated adaptations during the postpartum period.
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Chauke M, de Jong TR, Garland T, Saltzman W. Paternal responsiveness is associated with, but not mediated by reduced neophobia in male California mice (Peromyscus californicus). Physiol Behav 2012; 107:65-75. [PMID: 22634280 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2011] [Revised: 04/21/2012] [Accepted: 05/14/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Hormones associated with pregnancy and parturition have been implicated in facilitating the onset of maternal behavior via reductions in neophobia, anxiety, and stress responsiveness. To determine whether the onset of paternal behavior has similar associations in biparental male California mice (Peromyscus californicus), we compared paternal responsiveness, neophobia (novel-object test), and anxiety-like behavior (elevated plus maze, EPM) in isolated virgins (housed alone), paired virgins (housed with another male), expectant fathers (housed with pregnant pairmate), and new fathers (housed with pairmate and pups). Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and Fos immunoreactivity (IR) were quantified in brain tissues following exposure to a predator-odor stressor or under baseline conditions. New fathers showed lower anxiety-like behavior than expectant fathers and isolated virgins in EPM tests. In all housing conditions, stress elevated Fos-IR in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Social isolation reduced overall (baseline and stress-induced) Fos- and colocalized Fos/CRH-IR, and increased overall CRH-IR, in the PVN. In the central nucleus of the amygdala, social isolation increased stress-induced CRH-IR and decreased stress-induced activation of CRH neurons. Across all housing conditions, paternally behaving males displayed more anxiety-related behavior than nonpaternal males in the EPM, but showed no differences in CRH- or Fos-IR. Finally, the latency to engage in paternal behavior was positively correlated with the latency to approach a novel object. These results suggest that being a new father does not reduce anxiety, neophobia, or neural stress responsiveness. Low levels of neophobia, however, were associated with, but not necessary for paternal responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miyetani Chauke
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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Williams SK, Barber JS, Jamieson-Drake AW, Enns JA, Townsend LB, Walker CH, Johns JM. Chronic cocaine exposure during pregnancy increases postpartum neuroendocrine stress responses. J Neuroendocrinol 2012; 24:701-11. [PMID: 22309318 PMCID: PMC3314094 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2826.2012.02291.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The cycle of chronic cocaine (CC) use and withdrawal results in increased anxiety, depression and disrupted stress-responsiveness. Oxytocin and corticosterone (CORT) interact to mediate hormonal stress responses and can be altered by cocaine use. These neuroendocrine signals play important regulatory roles in a variety of social behaviours, specifically during the postpartum period, and are sensitive to disruption by CC exposure in both clinical settings and preclinical models. To determine whether CC exposure during pregnancy affected behavioural and hormonal stress response in the early postpartum period in a rodent model, Sprague-Dawley rats were administered cocaine daily (30 mg/kg) throughout gestation (days 1-20). Open field test (OFT) and forced swim test (FST) behaviours were measured on postpartum day 5. Plasma CORT concentrations were measured before and after testing throughout the test day, whereas plasma and brain oxytocin concentrations were measured post-testing only. The results obtained indicated increased CORT response after the OFT in CC-treated dams (P ≤ 0.05). CC-treated dams also exhibited altered FST behaviour (P ≤ 0.05), suggesting abnormal stress responsiveness. Peripheral, but not central, oxytocin levels were increased by cocaine treatment (P ≤ 0.05). Peripheral oxytocin and CORT increased after the FST, regardless of treatment condition (P ≤ 0.05). Changes in stress-responsiveness, both behaviourally and hormonally, may underlie some deficits in maternal behaviour; thus, a clearer understanding of the effect of CC on the stress response system may potentially lead to treatment interventions that could be relevant to clinical populations. Additionally, these results indicate that CC treatment can have long-lasting effects on peripheral oxytocin regulation in rats, similar to changes observed in persistent social behaviour and stress-response deficits in clinical populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- S K Williams
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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48
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Conway-Campbell BL, Pooley JR, Hager GL, Lightman SL. Molecular dynamics of ultradian glucocorticoid receptor action. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2012; 348:383-93. [PMID: 21872640 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2011.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2011] [Revised: 07/19/2011] [Accepted: 08/12/2011] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
In recent years it has become evident that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) action in the nucleus is highly dynamic, characterized by a rapid exchange at the chromatin template. This stochastic mode of GR action couples perfectly with a deterministic pulsatile availability of endogenous ligand in vivo. The endogenous glucocorticoid hormone (cortisol in man and corticosterone in rodent) is secreted from the adrenal gland with an ultradian rhythm made up of pulses at approximately hourly intervals. These two components - the rapidly fluctuating ligand and the rapidly exchanging receptor - appear to have evolved to establish and maintain a system that is exquisitely responsive to the physiological demands of the organism. In this review, we discuss recent and innovative work that questions the idea of steady state, static hormone receptor responses, and replaces them with new concepts of stochastic mechanisms and oscillatory activity essential for optimal function in molecular and cellular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becky L Conway-Campbell
- Henry Wellcome Laboratories for Integrative Neuroscience and Endocrinology, University of Bristol, Bristol BS1 3NY, UK.
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Hillerer KM, Neumann ID, Slattery DA. From stress to postpartum mood and anxiety disorders: how chronic peripartum stress can impair maternal adaptations. Neuroendocrinology 2012; 95:22-38. [PMID: 22042058 DOI: 10.1159/000330445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2011] [Accepted: 06/25/2011] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The peripartum period, in all mammalian species, is characterised by numerous adaptations at neuroendocrine, molecular and behavioural levels that prepare the female for the challenges of motherhood. These changes have been well characterised and, while they are necessary to ensure the survival and nurturance of the offspring, there is growing belief that they are also required for maternal mental health. Thus, while increased calmness and attenuated stress responsivity are common characteristics of the peripartum period, it also represents a time of increased susceptibility to mood disorders. While a number of risk factors for these disorders are known, their underlying aetiology remains poorly understood, due at least in part to a lack of appropriate animal models. One translatable risk factor is stress exposure during the peripartum period. In the following review we first describe common peripartum adaptations and the impact postpartum mood disorders have on these. We then discuss the known consequences of peripartum stress exposure on such maternal adaptations that have been described in basic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina M Hillerer
- Department of Behavioural and Molecular Neurobiology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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50
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Harris BN, Perea-Rodriguez JP, Saltzman W. Acute effects of corticosterone injection on paternal behavior in California mouse (Peromyscus californicus) fathers. Horm Behav 2011; 60:666-75. [PMID: 21939660 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2011] [Revised: 09/03/2011] [Accepted: 09/06/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are thought to mediate the disruption of parental behavior in response to acute and chronic stress. Previous research supports their role in chronic stress; however, no study has experimentally tested the effects of acute glucocorticoid elevation on paternal behavior. We tested the prediction that acute corticosterone (CORT) increases would decrease paternal behavior in California mouse fathers and would lead to longer-term effects on reproductive success, as even short-term increases in CORT have been shown to produce lasting effects on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. First-time fathers were injected with 30 mg/kg CORT, 60 mg/kg CORT or vehicle, or left unmanipulated. Interactions between the male and its pup(s) were recorded 1.5-2h after injection and scored for paternal and non-paternal behavior. Treatment groups were combined into control (unmanipulated + vehicle, n = 15) and CORT (30 mg/kg + 60 mg/kg, n = 16) for analysis based on resulting plasma CORT concentrations. CORT treatment did not alter paternal or non-paternal behaviors or any long-term measures (male body mass or temperature, pup growth rate, pup survival, interbirth interval, number or mass of pups born in the second litter). Fathers showed a significant rise in body mass at day 30 postpartum, followed by a decrease in body mass after the birth of the second litter; however, this pattern did not differ between the CORT and control groups. In summary, acute elevation of plasma CORT did not alter direct paternal behavior, body mass, or reproductive outcomes, suggesting that acute CORT elevation alone does not overtly disrupt paternal care in this biparental mammal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanna N Harris
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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