1
|
Groos D, Helmchen F. The lateral habenula: A hub for value-guided behavior. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113968. [PMID: 38522071 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The habenula is an evolutionarily highly conserved diencephalic brain region divided into two major parts, medial and lateral. Over the past two decades, studies of the lateral habenula (LHb), in particular, have identified key functions in value-guided behavior in health and disease. In this review, we focus on recent insights into LHb connectivity and its functional relevance for different types of aversive and appetitive value-guided behavior. First, we give an overview of the anatomical organization of the LHb and its main cellular composition. Next, we elaborate on how distinct LHb neuronal subpopulations encode aversive and appetitive stimuli and on their involvement in more complex decision-making processes. Finally, we scrutinize the afferent and efferent connections of the LHb and discuss their functional implications for LHb-dependent behavior. A deepened understanding of distinct LHb circuit components will substantially contribute to our knowledge of value-guided behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Groos
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Fritjof Helmchen
- Laboratory of Neural Circuit Dynamics, Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; University Research Priority Program (URPP), Adaptive Brain Circuits in Development and Learning, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Shine JM, O’Callaghan C, Walpola IC, Wainstein G, Taylor N, Aru J, Huebner B, John YJ. Understanding the effects of serotonin in the brain through its role in the gastrointestinal tract. Brain 2022; 145:2967-2981. [DOI: 10.1093/brain/awac256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The neuromodulatory arousal system imbues the nervous system with the flexibility and robustness required to facilitate adaptive behaviour. While there are well-understood mechanisms linking dopamine, noradrenaline and acetylcholine to distinct behavioural states, similar conclusions have not been as readily available for serotonin. Fascinatingly, despite clear links between serotonergic function and cognitive capacities as diverse as reward processing, exploration, and the psychedelic experience, over 95% of the serotonin in the body is released in the gastrointestinal tract, where it controls digestive muscle contractions (peristalsis). Here, we argue that framing neural serotonin as a rostral extension of the gastrointestinal serotonergic system dissolves much of the mystery associated with the central serotonergic system. Specifically, we outline that central serotonin activity mimics the effects of a digestion/satiety circuit mediated by hypothalamic control over descending serotonergic nuclei in the brainstem. We review commonalities and differences between these two circuits, with a focus on the heterogeneous expression of different classes of serotonin receptors in the brain. Much in the way that serotonin-induced peristalsis facilitates the work of digestion, serotonergic influences over cognition can be reframed as performing the work of cognition. Extending this analogy, we argue that the central serotonergic system allows the brain to arbitrate between different cognitive modes as a function of serotonergic tone: low activity facilitates cognitive automaticity, whereas higher activity helps to identify flexible solutions to problems, particularly if and when the initial responses fail. This perspective sheds light on otherwise disparate capacities mediated by serotonin, and also helps to understand why there are such pervasive links between serotonergic pathology and the symptoms of psychiatric disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ishan C Walpola
- Prince of Wales Hospital , Randwick, New South Wales , Australia
| | | | | | - Jaan Aru
- University of Tartu , Tartu , Estonia
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Scotton E, Antqueviezc B, Vasconcelos M, Dalpiaz G, Paul Géa L, Ferraz Goularte J, Colombo R, Ribeiro Rosa A. Is (R)-ketamine a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Treatment-Resistant Depression with Less Detrimental Side Effects? A Review of Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Ketamine and its Enantiomers. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 198:114963. [PMID: 35182519 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.114963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Approximately one-third of individuals with major depressive disorder are resistant to conventional antidepressants (i.e., monoamine-based therapies), and, even among respondents, a proper therapeutic effect may require weeks of treatment. Ketamine, a racemic mixture of the two enantiomers, (R)-ketamine and (S)-ketamine, is an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist and has been shown to have rapid-acting antidepressant properties in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Although (R)-ketamine has a lower affinity for NMDAR, it presents greater potency and longer-lasting antidepressant properties, with no major side effects, than racemic ketamine or (S)-ketamine in preclinical findings. Thereby, ketamine and its enantiomers have not only an antagonistic effect on NMDAR but also a strong synaptogenic-modulatory effect, which is impaired in TRD pathophysiology. In this review, we summarize the current evidence regarding the modulation of neurotransmission, neuroplasticity, and neural network activity as putative mechanisms of these rapid-acting antidepressants, highlighting differences on intracellular signaling pathways of synaptic proteins such as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In addition, we discuss probable mechanisms involved in the side effects of ketamine and its enantiomers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Scotton
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Terapêutica, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Bárbara Antqueviezc
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Mailton Vasconcelos
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Giovana Dalpiaz
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Luiza Paul Géa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
| | - Jéferson Ferraz Goularte
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psiquiatria e Ciências do Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Rafael Colombo
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS), Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS), Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil.
| | - Adriane Ribeiro Rosa
- Laboratório de Psiquiatria Molecular, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Terapêutica, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psiquiatria e Ciências do Comportamento, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Jelitai M, Barth AM, Komlósi F, Freund TF, Varga V. Activity and Coupling to Hippocampal Oscillations of Median Raphe GABAergic Cells in Awake Mice. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 15:784034. [PMID: 34975416 PMCID: PMC8718440 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.784034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ascending serotonergic/glutamatergic projection from the median raphe region (MRR) to the hippocampal formation regulates both encoding and consolidation of memory and the oscillations associated with them. The firing of various types of MRR neurons exhibits rhythmic modulation coupled to hippocampal oscillatory activity. A possible intermediary between rhythm-generating forebrain regions and entrained ascending modulation may be the GABAergic circuit in the MRR, known to be targeted by a diverse array of top-down inputs. However, the activity of inhibitory MRR neurons in an awake animal is still largely unexplored. In this study, we utilized whole cell patch-clamp, single cell, and multichannel extracellular recordings of GABAergic and non-GABAergic MRR neurons in awake, head-fixed mice. First, we have demonstrated that glutamatergic and serotonergic neurons receive both transient, phasic, and sustained tonic inhibition. Then, we observed substantial heterogeneity of GABAergic firing patterns but a marked modulation of activity by brain states and fine timescale coupling of spiking to theta and ripple oscillations. We also uncovered a correlation between the preferred theta phase and the direction of activity change during ripples, suggesting the segregation of inhibitory neurons into functional groups. Finally, we could detect complementary alteration of non-GABAergic neurons' ripple-coupled activity. Our findings support the assumption that the local inhibitory circuit in the MRR may synchronize ascending serotonergic/glutamatergic modulation with hippocampal activity on a subsecond timescale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Jelitai
- Subcortical Modulation Research Group, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Albert M Barth
- Subcortical Modulation Research Group, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Komlósi
- Subcortical Modulation Research Group, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás F Freund
- Laboratory of Cerebral Cortex Research, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktor Varga
- Subcortical Modulation Research Group, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gouveia FV, Ibrahim GM. Habenula as a Neural Substrate for Aggressive Behavior. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:817302. [PMID: 35250669 PMCID: PMC8891498 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.817302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past decades, an ever growing body of literature has explored the anatomy, connections, and functions of the habenula (Hb). It has been postulated that the Hb plays a central role in the control of the monoaminergic system, thus influencing a wide range of behavioral responses, and participating in the pathophysiology of a number of psychiatric disorders and neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as aggressive behaviors. Aggressive behaviors are frequently accompanied by restlessness and agitation, and are commonly observed in patients with psychiatric disorders, intellectual disabilities, and neurodegenerative diseases of aging. Recently, the Hb has been explored as a new target for neuromodulation therapies, such as deep brain stimulation, with promising results. Here we review the anatomical organization of the habenula and discuss several distinct mechanisms by which the Hb is involved in the modulation of aggressive behaviors, and propose new investigations for the development of novel treatments targeting the habenula to reduce aggressive behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Venetucci Gouveia
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - George M Ibrahim
- Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurosurgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hashimoto K, Yamawaki Y, Yamaoka K, Yoshida T, Okada K, Tan W, Yamasaki M, Matsumoto-Makidono Y, Kubo R, Nakayama H, Kataoka T, Kanematsu T, Watanabe M, Okamoto Y, Morinobu S, Aizawa H, Yamawaki S. Spike firing attenuation of serotonin neurons in learned helplessness rats is reversed by ketamine. Brain Commun 2021; 3:fcab285. [PMID: 34939032 PMCID: PMC8688795 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcab285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals suffering from uncontrollable stress sometimes show low effort to escape stress (learned helplessness). Changes in serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine) signalling are thought to underlie this behaviour. Although the release of 5-hydroxytryptamine is triggered by the action potential firing of dorsal raphe nuclei 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons, the electrophysiological changes induced by uncontrollable stress are largely unclear. Herein, we examined electrophysiological differences among 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in naïve rats, learned helplessness rats and rats resistant to inescapable stress (non-learned helplessness). Five-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to inescapable foot shocks. After an avoidance test session, rats were classified as learned helplessness or non-learned helplessness. Activity-dependent 5-hydroxytryptamine release induced by the administration of high-potassium solution was slower in free-moving learned helplessness rats. Subthreshold electrophysiological properties of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons were identical among the three rat groups, but the depolarization-induced spike firing was significantly attenuated in learned helplessness rats. To clarify the underlying mechanisms, potassium (K+) channels regulating the spike firing were initially examined using naïve rats. K+ channels sensitive to 500 μM tetraethylammonium caused rapid repolarization of the action potential and the small conductance calcium-activated K+ channels produced afterhyperpolarization. Additionally, dendrotoxin-I, a blocker of Kv1.1 (encoded by Kcna1), Kv1.2 (encoded by Kcna2) and Kv1.6 (encoded by Kcna6) voltage-dependent K+ channels, weakly enhanced the spike firing frequency during depolarizing current injections without changes in individual spike waveforms in naïve rats. We found that dendrotoxin-I significantly enhanced the spike firing of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in learned helplessness rats. Consequently, the difference in spike firing among the three rat groups was abolished in the presence of dendrotoxin-I. These results suggest that the upregulation of dendrotoxin-I-sensitive Kv1 channels underlies the firing attenuation of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in learned helplessness rats. We also found that the antidepressant ketamine facilitated the spike firing of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons and abolished the firing difference between learned helplessness and non-learned helplessness by suppressing dendrotoxin-I-sensitive Kv1 channels. The dendrotoxin-I-sensitive Kv1 channel may be a potential target for developing drugs to control activity of 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kouichi Hashimoto
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Yosuke Yamawaki
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Kenji Yamaoka
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Takayuki Yoshida
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Kana Okada
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Wanqin Tan
- Department of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Miwako Yamasaki
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Matsumoto-Makidono
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Reika Kubo
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Hisako Nakayama
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Kataoka
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Takashi Kanematsu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Masahiko Watanabe
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan
| | - Yasumasa Okamoto
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Shigeru Morinobu
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Hidenori Aizawa
- Department of Neurobiology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| | - Shigeto Yamawaki
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Meyer HC, Sangha S, Radley JJ, LaLumiere RT, Baratta MV. Environmental certainty influences the neural systems regulating responses to threat and stress. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1037-1055. [PMID: 34673111 PMCID: PMC8642312 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Flexible calibration of threat responding in accordance with the environment is an adaptive process that allows an animal to avoid harm while also maintaining engagement of other goal-directed actions. This calibration process, referred to as threat response regulation, requires an animal to calculate the probability that a given encounter will result in a threat so they can respond accordingly. Here we review the neural correlates of two highly studied forms of threat response suppression: extinction and safety conditioning. We focus on how relative levels of certainty or uncertainty in the surrounding environment alter the acquisition and application of these processes. We also discuss evidence indicating altered threat response regulation following stress exposure, including enhanced fear conditioning, and disrupted extinction and safety conditioning. To conclude, we discuss research using an animal model of coping that examines the impact of stressor controllability on threat responding, highlighting the potential for previous experiences with control, or other forms of coping, to protect against the effects of future adversity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heidi C Meyer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Susan Sangha
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
| | - Jason J Radley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Ryan T LaLumiere
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, 52242, USA.
| | - Michael V Baratta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Roy N, Parhar I. Habenula orphan G-protein coupled receptors in the pathophysiology of fear and anxiety. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 132:870-883. [PMID: 34801259 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The phasic emotion, fear, and the tonic emotion, anxiety, have been conventionally inspected in clinical frameworks to epitomize memory acquisition, storage, and retrieval. However, inappropriate expression of learned fear in a safe environment and its resistance to suppression is a cardinal feature of various fear-related disorders. A significant body of literature suggests the involvement of extra-amygdala circuitry in fear disorders. Consistent with this view, the present review underlies incentives for the association between the habenula and fear memory. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are important to understand the molecular mechanisms central to fear learning due to their neuromodulatory role. The efficacy of a pharmacological strategy aimed at exploiting habenular-GPCR desensitization machinery can serve as a therapeutic target combating the pathophysiology of fear disorders. Originating from this milieu, the conserved nature of orphan GPCRs in the brain, with some having the highest expression in the habenula can lead to recent endeavors in understanding its functionality in fear circuitry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nisa Roy
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Ishwar Parhar
- Brain Research Institute, Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Mathis VP, Williams M, Fillinger C, Kenny PJ. Networks of habenula-projecting cortical neurons regulate cocaine seeking. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj2225. [PMID: 34739312 PMCID: PMC8570600 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj2225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
How neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex broadcast stress-relevant information to subcortical brain sites to regulate cocaine relapse remains unclear. The lateral habenula (LHb) serves as a “hub” to filter and propagate stress- and aversion-relevant information in the brain. Here, we show that chemogenetic inhibition of cortical inputs to LHb attenuates relapse-like reinstatement of extinguished cocaine seeking in mice. Using an RNA sequencing–based brain mapping procedure with single-cell resolution, we identify networks of cortical neurons that project to LHb and then preferentially innervate different downstream brain sites, including the ventral tegmental area, median raphe nucleus, and locus coeruleus (LC). By using an intersectional chemogenetics approach, we show that inhibition of cortico-habenular neurons that project to LC, but not to other sites, blocks reinstatement of cocaine seeking. These findings highlight the remarkable complexity of descending cortical inputs to the habenula and identify a cortico-habenulo-hindbrain circuit that regulates cocaine seeking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Maya Williams
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Clementine Fillinger
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Guo Y, Zhang L, Zhang J, Lv SX, Du CX, Wang T, Wang HS, Xie W, Liu J. Activation and Blockade of Serotonin-4 Receptors in the Lateral Habenula Produce Antidepressant Effects in the Hemiparkinsonian Rat. Neuropsychobiology 2021; 80:52-63. [PMID: 32663830 DOI: 10.1159/000508680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurotransmitter system and lateral habenula (LHb) are involved in the regulation of depression, while the mechanisms remain to be clarified. OBJECTIVES The effects and possible mecha-nism underlying activation or blockade of 5-HT4 receptors (5-HT4Rs) in the LHb in depression were investigated by behavioral and neurochemical methods based on a Parkinson's disease (PD) rat model. METHOD 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) was injected unilaterally into the substantia nigra pars compacta to establish the PD rat model. The depressive-like behaviors were measured by the forced swimming test (FST) and sucrose preference test (SPT). The concentrations of dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA) and 5-HT in the related brain regions were measured by a neurochemical method. RESULTS The 6-OHDA lesions increased the immobility time in the FST and decreased the sucrose consumption in the SPT, suggesting the induction of depressive-like behaviors. Intra-LHb injection of BIMU-8 (5-HT4R agonist) or GR113808 (5-HT4R antagonist) produced antidepressant effects in the lesioned rats. Intra-LHb injection of BIMU-8 significantly increased the DA levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and ventral hippocampus (vHip), increased the 5-HT level in the mPFC and decreased the NA level in the vHip only in the lesioned rats, while intra-LHb injection of GR113808 changed DA, NA and 5-HT levels in the mPFC, LHb and vHip in both sham and the lesioned rats. CONCLUSIONS All these results suggest that activation or blockade of the LHb 5-HT4Rs produce antidepressant effects in the 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, which are related to the changes of monoamines in the limbic and limbic-related regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Guo
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Shu-Xuan Lv
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Cheng-Xue Du
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui-Sheng Wang
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Wen Xie
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, China,
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yang Y, Liu J, Wang Y, Wu X, Li L, Bian G, Li W, Yuan H, Zhang Q. Blockade of pre-synaptic and post-synaptic GABA B receptors in the lateral habenula produces different effects on anxiety-like behaviors in 6-hydroxydopamine hemiparkinsonian rats. Neuropharmacology 2021; 196:108705. [PMID: 34246684 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Although the output of the lateral habenula (LHb) controls the activity of midbrain dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, which are implicated in the pathophysiology of anxiety, it is not known how blockade of GABAB receptors in the region affects anxiety-like behaviors, particularly in Parkinson's disease-related anxiety. In this study, unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the substantia nigra pars compacta in rats induced anxiety-like behaviors, led to hyperactivity of LHb neurons and decreased the level of extracellular dopamine (DA) in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) compared to sham-lesioned rats. Intra-LHb injection of pre-synaptic GABAB receptor antagonist CGP36216 produced anxiolytic-like effects, while the injection of post-synaptic GABAB receptor antagonist CGP35348 induced anxiety-like responses in both groups. Further, intra-LHb injection of CGP36216 decreased the firing rate of the neurons, and increased the GABA/glutamate ratio in the LHb and release of DA and serotonin (5-HT) in the BLA; conversely, CGP35348 increased the firing rate of the neurons and decreased the GABA/glutamate ratio and release of DA and 5-HT in sham-lesioned and the lesioned rats. However, the doses of the antagonists producing these behavioral effects in the lesioned rats were lower than those in sham-lesioned rats, and the duration of action of the antagonists on the firing rate of the neurons and release of the neurotransmitters was prolonged in the lesioned rats. Collectively, these findings suggest that pre-synaptic and post-synaptic GABAB receptors in the LHb are involved in the regulation of anxiety-like behaviors, and degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway up-regulates function and/or expression of these receptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yaxin Yang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, 710061, China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Xiang Wu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Libo Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Guanyun Bian
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Wenjuan Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Haifeng Yuan
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China
| | - Qiaojun Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, China.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
The Role of the Lateral Habenula in Inhibitory Learning from Reward Omission. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0016-21.2021. [PMID: 33962969 PMCID: PMC8225405 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0016-21.2021] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) is a phylogenetically primitive brain structure that plays a key role in learning to inhibit distinct responses to specific stimuli. This structure is activated by primary aversive stimuli, cues predicting an imminent aversive event, unexpected reward omissions, and cues associated with the omission of an expected reward. The most widely described physiological effect of LHb activation is acutely suppressing midbrain dopaminergic signaling. However, recent studies have identified multiple means by which the LHb promotes this effect as well as other mechanisms of action. These findings reveal the complex nature of LHb circuitry. The present paper reviews the role of this structure in learning from reward omission. We approach this topic from the perspective of computational models of behavioral change that account for inhibitory learning to frame key findings. Such findings are drawn from recent behavioral neuroscience studies that use novel brain imaging, stimulation, ablation, and reversible inactivation techniques. Further research and conceptual work are needed to clarify the nature of the mechanisms related to updating motivated behavior in which the LHb is involved. As yet, there is little understanding of whether such mechanisms are parallel or complementary to the well-known modulatory function of the more recently evolved prefrontal cortex.
Collapse
|
13
|
Shepard RD, Nugent FS. Targeting Endocannabinoid Signaling in the Lateral Habenula as an Intervention to Prevent Mental Illnesses Following Early Life Stress: A Perspective. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:689518. [PMID: 34122037 PMCID: PMC8194269 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.689518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse events and childhood trauma increase the susceptibility towards developing psychiatric disorders (substance use disorder, anxiety, depression, etc.) in adulthood. Although there are treatment strategies that have utility in combating these psychiatric disorders, little attention is placed on how to therapeutically intervene in children exposed to early life stress (ELS) to prevent the development of later psychopathology. The lateral habenula (LHb) has been a topic of extensive investigation in mental health disorders due to its prominent role in emotion and mood regulation through modulation of brain reward and motivational neural circuits. Importantly, rodent models of ELS have been shown to promote LHb dysfunction. Moreover, one of the potential mechanisms contributing to LHb neuronal and synaptic dysfunction involves endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling, which has been observed to critically regulate emotion/mood and motivation. Many pre-clinical studies targeting eCB signaling suggest that this neuromodulatory system could be exploited as an intervention therapy to halt maladaptive processes that promote dysfunction in reward and motivational neural circuits involving the LHb. In this perspective article, we report what is currently known about the role of eCB signaling in LHb function and discuss our opinions on new research directions to determine whether the eCB system is a potentially attractive therapeutic intervention for the prevention and/or treatment of ELS-associated psychiatric illnesses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan D Shepard
- Department of Pharmacology, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Fereshteh S Nugent
- Department of Pharmacology, F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, United States
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lateral Habenula Mediates Defensive Responses Only When Threat and Safety Memories Are in Conflict. eNeuro 2021; 8:ENEURO.0482-20.2021. [PMID: 33712440 PMCID: PMC8059882 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0482-20.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Survival depends on the ability to adaptively react or execute actions based on previous aversive salient experiences. Although lateral habenula (LHb) activity has been broadly implicated in the regulation of aversively motivated responses, it is not clear under which conditions this brain structure is necessary to regulate defensive responses to a threat. To address this issue, we combined pharmacological inactivations with behavioral tasks that involve aversive and appetitive events and evaluated defensive responses in rats. We found that LHb pharmacological inactivation did not affect cued threat conditioning (fear) and extinction (safety) learning and memory, anxiety-like or reward-seeking behaviors. Surprisingly, we found that LHb inactivation abolished reactive defensive responses (tone-elicited freezing) only when threat (conditioning) and safety memories (extinction and latent inhibition) compete during retrieval. Consistently, we found that LHb inactivation impaired active defensive responses [platform-mediated avoidance (PMA)], thereby biasing choice behavior (between avoiding a threat or approaching food) toward reward-seeking responses. Together, our findings suggest that LHb activity mediates defensive responses only when guided by competing threat and safety memories, consequently revealing a previously uncharacterized role for LHb in experience-dependent emotional conflict.
Collapse
|
15
|
Lyu S, Guo Y, Zhang L, Wang Y, Tang G, Li R, Yang J, Gao S, Ma B, Liu J. Blockade of GABA transporter-1 and GABA transporter-3 in the lateral habenula improves depressive-like behaviors in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. Neuropharmacology 2020; 181:108369. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
|
16
|
The Emerging Role of LHb CaMKII in the Comorbidity of Depressive and Alcohol Use Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21218123. [PMID: 33143210 PMCID: PMC7663385 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21218123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Depressive disorders and alcohol use disorders are widespread among the general population and are significant public health and economic burdens. Alcohol use disorders often co-occur with other psychiatric conditions and this dual diagnosis is called comorbidity. Depressive disorders invariably contribute to the development and worsening of alcohol use disorders, and vice versa. The mechanisms underlying these disorders and their comorbidities remain unclear. Recently, interest in the lateral habenula, a small epithalamic brain structure, has increased because it becomes hyperactive in depression and alcohol use disorders, and can inhibit dopamine and serotonin neurons in the midbrain reward center, the hypofunction of which is believed to be a critical contributor to the etiology of depressive disorders and alcohol use disorders as well as their comorbidities. Additionally, calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in the lateral habenula has emerged as a critical player in the etiology of these comorbidities. This review analyzes the interplay of CaMKII signaling in the lateral habenula associated with depressive disorders and alcohol use disorders, in addition to the often-comorbid nature of these disorders. Although most of the CaMKII signaling pathway's core components have been discovered, much remains to be learned about the biochemical events that propagate and link between depression and alcohol abuse. As the field rapidly advances, it is expected that further understanding of the pathology involved will allow for targeted treatments.
Collapse
|
17
|
Chemogenetic inhibition of lateral habenula projections to the dorsal raphe nucleus reduces passive coping and perseverative reward seeking in rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1115-1124. [PMID: 31958800 PMCID: PMC7235029 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0616-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) processes information about aversive experiences that contributes to the symptoms of stress disorders. Previously, we found that chemogenetic inhibition of rat LHb neurons reduced immobility in the forced swim test, but the downstream target of these neurons was not known. Using an intersectional viral vector strategy, we selectively transduced three different output pathways from the LHb by injecting AAV8-DIO-hM4Di into the LHb and CAV2-CRE (a retrograde viral vector) into one of the three target areas as follows: dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), ventral tegmental area (VTA), or rostromedial tegmentum (RMTg). Using the forced swim test, we found that chemogenetic inhibition of DRN-projecting LHb neurons reduced passive coping (immobility), whereas inhibition of the other pathways did not. Chemogenetic activation of DRN-projecting neurons using hM3Dq in another cohort did not further exacerbate immobility. We next examined the impact of inhibiting DRN-projecting LHb neurons on reward sensitivity, perseverative behavior, and anxiety-like behavior using saccharin preference testing, reward-omission testing, and open-field testing, respectively. There was no effect of inhibiting any of these pathways on reward sensitivity, locomotion, or anxiety-like behavior, but inhibiting DRN-projecting LHb neurons reduced perseverative licking during reward-omission testing, whereas activating these neurons increased perseverative licking. These results support the idea that inhibiting LHb projections to the DRN provides animals with resilience during highly stressful or frustrating conditions but not under low-stress circumstances, and that inhibiting these neurons may promote persistence in active coping strategies.
Collapse
|
18
|
Roman E, Weininger J, Lim B, Roman M, Barry D, Tierney P, O'Hanlon E, Levins K, O'Keane V, Roddy D. Untangling the dorsal diencephalic conduction system: a review of structure and function of the stria medullaris, habenula and fasciculus retroflexus. Brain Struct Funct 2020; 225:1437-1458. [PMID: 32367265 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-020-02069-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The often-overlooked dorsal diencephalic conduction system (DDCS) is a highly conserved pathway linking the basal forebrain and the monoaminergic brainstem. It consists of three key structures; the stria medullaris, the habenula and the fasciculus retroflexus. The first component of the DDCS, the stria medullaris, is a discrete bilateral tract composed of fibers from the basal forebrain that terminate in the triangular eminence of the stalk of the pineal gland, known as the habenula. The habenula acts as a relay hub where incoming signals from the stria medullaris are processed and subsequently relayed to the midbrain and hindbrain monoaminergic nuclei through the fasciculus retroflexus. As a result of its wide-ranging connections, the DDCS has recently been implicated in a wide range of behaviors related to reward processing, aversion and motivation. As such, an understanding of the structure and connections of the DDCS may help illuminate the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression, addiction and pain. This is the first review of all three components of the DDCS, the stria medullaris, the habenula and the fasciculus retroflexus, with particular focus on their anatomy, function and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Roman
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Psychiatry, Education and Research Centre , Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Joshua Weininger
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Basil Lim
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Game Design, Technological University Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Marin Roman
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Denis Barry
- Anatomy Department, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Paul Tierney
- Anatomy Department, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Erik O'Hanlon
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.,Department of Psychiatry, Education and Research Centre , Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin 9, Ireland
| | - Kirk Levins
- Department of Anaesthetics, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Veronica O'Keane
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Darren Roddy
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Cui WQ, Zhang WW, Chen T, Li Q, Xu F, Mao-Ying QL, Mi WL, Wang YQ, Chu YX. Tacr3 in the lateral habenula differentially regulates orofacial allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors in a mouse model of trigeminal neuralgia. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2020; 8:44. [PMID: 32264959 PMCID: PMC7137530 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-00922-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is debilitating and is usually accompanied by mood disorders. The lateral habenula (LHb) is considered to be involved in the modulation of pain and mood disorders, and the present study aimed to determine if and how the LHb participates in the development of pain and anxiety in TN. To address this issue, a mouse model of partial transection of the infraorbital nerve (pT-ION) was established. pT-ION induced stable and long-lasting primary and secondary orofacial allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors that correlated with the increased excitability of LHb neurons. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated expression of hM4D(Gi) in glutamatergic neurons of the unilateral LHb followed by clozapine-N-oxide application relieved pT-ION-induced anxiety-like behaviors but not allodynia. Immunofluorescence validated the successful infection of AAV in the LHb, and microarray analysis showed changes in gene expression in the LHb of mice showing allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors after pT-ION. Among these differentially expressed genes was Tacr3, the downregulation of which was validated by RT-qPCR. Rescuing the downregulation of Tacr3 by AAV-mediated Tacr3 overexpression in the unilateral LHb significantly reversed pT-ION-induced anxiety-like behaviors but not allodynia. Whole-cell patch clamp recording showed that Tacr3 overexpression suppressed nerve injury-induced hyperexcitation of LHb neurons, and western blotting showed that the pT-ION-induced upregulation of p-CaMKII was reversed by AAV-mediated Tacr3 overexpression or chemicogenetic inhibition of glutamatergic neurons in the LHb. Moreover, not only anxiety-like behaviors, but also allodynia after pT-ION were significantly alleviated by chemicogenetic inhibition of bilateral LHb neurons or by bilateral Tacr3 overexpression in the LHb. In conclusion, Tacr3 in the LHb plays a protective role in treating trigeminal nerve injury-induced allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors by suppressing the hyperexcitability of LHb neurons. These findings provide a rationale for suppressing unilateral or bilateral LHb activity by targeting Tacr3 in treating the anxiety and pain associated with TN.
Collapse
|
20
|
Abstract
Neurons that synthesize and release 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) express a core set of genes that establish and maintain this neurotransmitter phenotype and distinguish these neurons from other brain cells. Beyond a shared 5-HTergic phenotype, these neurons display divergent cellular properties in relation to anatomy, morphology, hodology, electrophysiology and gene expression, including differential expression of molecules supporting co-transmission of additional neurotransmitters. This diversity suggests that functionally heterogeneous subtypes of 5-HT neurons exist, but linking subsets of these neurons to particular functions has been technically challenging. We discuss recent data from molecular genetic, genomic and functional methods that, when coupled with classical findings, yield a reframing of the 5-HT neuronal system as a conglomeration of diverse subsystems with potential to inspire novel, more targeted therapies for clinically distinct 5-HT-related disorders.
Collapse
|
21
|
Fu R, Mei Q, Shiwalkar N, Zuo W, Zhang H, Gregor D, Patel S, Ye JH. Anxiety during alcohol withdrawal involves 5-HT2C receptors and M-channels in the lateral habenula. Neuropharmacology 2019; 163:107863. [PMID: 31778691 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Anxiety disorders often co-occur with alcohol use disorders, but the mechanisms underlying this comorbidity remain elusive. Previously, we reported that rats withdrawn from chronic alcohol consumption (Post-EtOH rats) exhibited robust anxiety-like behaviors (AB), which were accompanied by neuronal hyperexcitability, and the downregulation of M-type potassium channels (M-channels) in the lateral habenula (LHb); and that serotonin (5-HT) stimulated LHb neurons via type 2C receptors (5-HT2CRs). Also, 5-HT2CR activation is known to inhibit M-current in mouse hypothalamic neurons. The present study investigated whether LHb 5-HT2CRs and M-channels contribute to AB in adult male Long-Evans rats. We used the intermittent-access to 20% ethanol two-bottle free-choice drinking paradigm to induce dependence. We measured AB with the elevated plus-maze, open-field, and marble-burying tests at 24 h withdrawal. We found that intra-LHb infusion of SB242084, a selective 5-HT2CR antagonist alleviated AB and reduced the elevated c-Fos expression in the LHb of Post-EtOH rats. By contrast, intra-LHb infusion of the selective 5-HT2CR agonist WAY161503 induced AB and increased c-Fos expression in the LHb in alcohol-naive but not Post-EtOH rats. Also, intra-LHb SB242084 significantly reduced self-administration of alcohol intake in the operant chambers. Furthermore, both 5-HT2CR protein levels and 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio was increased in the LHb of Post-EtOH rats. Finally, intra-LHb SB242084 increased LHb KCNQ2/3 membrane protein expression in Post-EtOH rats. Collectively, these results suggest that enhanced LHb 5-HT2CR signaling that interacted with M-channels triggers AB in Post-EtOH rats and that 5-HT2CRs may be a promising target for treating comorbid anxiety disorders in alcoholics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rao Fu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Qinghua Mei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Nimisha Shiwalkar
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Wanhong Zuo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Haifeng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Danielle Gregor
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Shivani Patel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA
| | - Jiang-Hong Ye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, Physiology & Neuroscience, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Caffino L, Verheij MM, Que L, Guo C, Homberg JR, Fumagalli F. Increased cocaine self-administration in rats lacking the serotonin transporter: a role for glutamatergic signaling in the habenula. Addict Biol 2019; 24:1167-1178. [PMID: 30144237 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin (5-HT) and the habenula (Hb) contribute to motivational and emotional states such as depression and drug abuse. The dorsal raphe nucleus, where 5-HT neurons originate, and the Hb are anatomically and reciprocally interconnected. Evidence exists that 5-HT influences Hb glutamatergic transmission. Using serotonin transporter knockout (SERT-/- ) rats, which show depression-like behavior and increased cocaine intake, we investigated the effect of SERT reduction on expression of genes involved in glutamate neurotransmission under both baseline conditions as well as after short-access or long-access cocaine (ShA and LgA, respectively) intake. In cocaine-naïve animals, SERT removal led to reduced baseline Hb mRNA levels of critical determinants of glutamate transmission, such as SLC1A2, the main glutamate transporter and N-methyl-D-aspartate (Grin1, Grin2A and Grin2B) as well as α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (Gria1 and Gria2) receptor subunits, with no changes in the scaffolding protein Dlg4. In response to ShA and LgA cocaine intake, SLC1A2 and Grin1 mRNA levels decreased in SERT+/+ rats to levels equal of those of SERT-/- rats. Our data reveal that increased extracellular levels of 5-HT modulate glutamate neurotransmission in the Hb, serving as critical neurobiological substrate for vulnerability to cocaine addiction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular SciencesUniversità degli Studi di Milano Italy
| | - Michel M.M. Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular Animal Physiology, Nijmegen Center for Molecular Life SciencesRadboud University Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Lin Que
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre The Netherlands
| | - Chao Guo
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre The Netherlands
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, division of Molecular Neurogenetics, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre The Netherlands
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular SciencesUniversità degli Studi di Milano Italy
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Pham TH, Gardier AM. Fast-acting antidepressant activity of ketamine: highlights on brain serotonin, glutamate, and GABA neurotransmission in preclinical studies. Pharmacol Ther 2019; 199:58-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
24
|
Hu H. Advances in Molecular and Circuitry Mechanisms of Depressive Disorder-A Focus on Lateral Habenula. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1180:135-146. [PMID: 31784961 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-32-9271-0_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Depression is a devastating disorder with a combination of diverse symptoms such as low self-esteem, lack of motivation, anhedonia, loss of appetite, low energy, and discomfort without a clear cause. Depression has been suggested to be the result of maladaptive changes in specific brain circuits. Recently, the lateral habenula (LHb) has emerged as a key brain region in the pathophysiology of depression. Increasing evidence from rodent, nonhuman primate, and human studies indicates that the aberrant activity of the LHb is associated with depressive symptoms such as helplessness, anhedonia, and excessive negative focus. Revealing the molecular, cellular, and circuit properties of the LHb will help explain how abnormalities in LHb activity are linked to depressive disorders and shed light on developing novel strategies for depression treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hailan Hu
- Center for Neuroscience and Department of Psychiatry of First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
- Interdisciplinary Institute of Neuroscience and Technology, Qiushi Academy for Advanced Studies, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
- NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Hong S, Amemori S, Chung E, Gibson DJ, Amemori KI, Graybiel AM. Predominant Striatal Input to the Lateral Habenula in Macaques Comes from Striosomes. Curr Biol 2018; 29:51-61.e5. [PMID: 30554903 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2018.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Striosomes, neurochemically specialized modules in the striatum, are thought to be nodes in circuits extending, via basal ganglia pathways, from mood-related neocortical regions to dopamine-containing neurons of the substantia nigra. Yet striosomes have remained beyond the reach of electrophysiological methods to identify them, especially in non-human primates. Such work is needed for translational as well as for basic science. Here we introduce a method to identify striosomes on-line in awake, behaving macaques. We combined electrical microstimulation of the striatum with simultaneous electrophysiological recording in the lateral habenula (LHb) followed by immunohistochemistry. We demonstrate that striosomes provide the predominant striatal input to the macaque pallido-habenular circuit, which is known to function in relation to reinforcement signaling. Further, our experiments suggest that striosomes from different striatal regions may convergently influence the lateral habenula. This work now opens the way to defining the functions of striosomes in behaving primates in relation to mood, motivation, and action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Hong
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Satoko Amemori
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Emily Chung
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Daniel J Gibson
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Ken-Ichi Amemori
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research and Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, 41-2 Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan
| | - Ann M Graybiel
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Llamosas N, Ugedo L, Torrecilla M. Inactivation of GIRK channels weakens the pre- and postsynaptic inhibitory activity in dorsal raphe neurons. Physiol Rep 2018; 5:5/3/e13141. [PMID: 28196855 PMCID: PMC5309581 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.13141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The serotonergic tone of the dorsal raphe (DR) is regulated by 5-HT1A receptors, which negatively control serotonergic activity via the activation of G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channels. In addition, DR activity is modulated by local GABAergic transmission, which is believed to play a key role in the development of mood-related disorders. Here, we sought to characterize the role of GIRK2 subunit-containing channels on the basal electrophysiological properties of DR neurons and to investigate whether the presynaptic and postsynaptic activities of 5-HT1A, GABAB, and GABAA receptors are affected by Girk2 gene deletion. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in brain slices from GIRK2 knockout mice revealed that the GIRK2 subunit contributes to maintenance of the resting membrane potential and to the membrane input resistance of DR neurons. 5-HT1A and GABAB receptor-mediated postsynaptic currents were almost absent in the mutant mice. Spontaneous and evoked GABAA receptor-mediated transmissions were markedly reduced in GIRK2 KO mice, as the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous IPSCs were reduced, the paired-pulse ratio was increased and GABA-induced whole-cell currents were decreased. Similarly, the pharmacological blockade of GIRK channels with tertiapin-Q prevented the 5-HT1A and GABAB receptor-mediated postsynaptic currents and increased the paired-pulse ratio. Finally, deletion of the Girk2 gene also limited the presynaptic inhibition of GABA release exerted by 5-HT1A and GABAB receptors. These results indicate that the properties and inhibitory activity of DR neurons are highly regulated by GIRK2 subunit-containing channels, introducing GIRK channels as potential candidates for studying the pathophysiology and treatment of affective disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nerea Llamosas
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Luisa Ugedo
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| | - Maria Torrecilla
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Fakhoury M. The dorsal diencephalic conduction system in reward processing: Spotlight on the anatomy and functions of the habenular complex. Behav Brain Res 2018; 348:115-126. [PMID: 29684476 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.04.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2018] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The dorsal diencephalic conduction system (DDC) is a highly conserved pathway in vertebrates that provides a route for the neural information to flow from forebrain to midbrain structures. It contains the bilaterally paired habenular nuclei along with two fiber tracts, the stria medullaris and the fasciculus retroflexus. The habenula is the principal player in mediating the dialogue between forebrain and midbrain regions, and functional abnormalities in this structure have often been attributed to pathologies like mood disorders and substance use disorder. Following Matsumoto and Hikosaka seminal work on the lateral habenula as a source of negative reward signals, the last decade has witnessed a great surge of interest in the role of the DDC in reward-related processes. However, despite significant progress in research, much work remains to unfold the behavioral functions of this intriguing, yet complex, pathway. This review describes the current state of knowledge on the DDC with respect to its anatomy, connectivity, and functions in reward and aversion processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marc Fakhoury
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, H3C3J7, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Delicata F, Bombardi C, Pierucci M, Di Maio R, De Deurwaerdère P, Di Giovanni G. Preferential modulation of the lateral habenula activity by serotonin-2A rather than -2C receptors: Electrophysiological and neuroanatomical evidence. CNS Neurosci Ther 2018; 24:721-733. [PMID: 29479825 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS Serotonergic (5-HT) modulation of the lateral habenula (LHb) activity is central in normal and pathologic conditions such as mood disorders. Among the multiple 5-HT receptors (5-HTRs) involved, the 5-HT2C R seems to play a pivotal role. Yet, the role of 5-HT2A Rs in the control of the LHb neuronal activity is completely unknown. METHODS Single-cell extracellular recording of the LHb neurons was used in rats to study the effect of the general activation and blockade of the 5-HT2C R and 5-HT2A R with Ro 60-0175 and SB242084, TCB-2 and MDL11939, respectively. The expression of both receptors in the LHb was confirmed using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Cumulative doses (5-640 μg/kg, iv) of Ro 60-0175 and TCB-2 affected the activity of 34% and 63% of the LHb recorded neurons, respectively. LHb neurons were either inhibited at low doses or excited at higher doses of the 5-HT2A/C R agonists. SB242084 or MDL11939 (both at 200 μg/kg, iv) did not modify neuronal firing when injected alone, but reverted the bidirectional effects of Ro 60-0175 or TCB-2, respectively. 5-HT2C Rs and 5-HT2A Rs are expressed in less than the 20% of the LHb neurons, and they neither colocalize nor make heterodimers. Strikingly, only 5-HT2A Rs are expressed by the majority of LHb astrocyte cells. CONCLUSIONS Peripheral administration of 5-HT2A R agonist promotes a heterogeneous pattern of neuronal responses in the LHb, and these effects are more prominent than those induced by the 5-HT2C R activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francis Delicata
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Cristiano Bombardi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italia
| | - Massimo Pierucci
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
| | - Roberto Di Maio
- Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.,Ri.MED Foundation, Palermo, Italy
| | - Philippe De Deurwaerdère
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Unité Mixte de Recherche 5287), Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | - Giuseppe Di Giovanni
- Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Lateral habenula in the pathophysiology of depression. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2018; 48:90-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2017.10.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
|
30
|
Zhou L, Liu MZ, Li Q, Deng J, Mu D, Sun YG. Organization of Functional Long-Range Circuits Controlling the Activity of Serotonergic Neurons in the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus. Cell Rep 2017; 18:3018-3032. [PMID: 28329692 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.02.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2016] [Revised: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonergic neurons play key roles in various biological processes. However, circuit mechanisms underlying tight control of serotonergic neurons remain largely unknown. Here, we systematically investigated the organization of long-range synaptic inputs to serotonergic neurons and GABAergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of mice with a combination of viral tracing, slice electrophysiological, and optogenetic techniques. We found that DRN serotonergic neurons and GABAergic neurons receive largely comparable synaptic inputs from six major upstream brain areas. Upon further analysis of the fine functional circuit structures, we found both bilateral and ipsilateral patterns of topographic connectivity in the DRN for the axons from different inputs. Moreover, the upstream brain areas were found to bidirectionally control the activity of DRN serotonergic neurons by recruiting feedforward inhibition or via a push-pull mechanism. Our study provides a framework for further deciphering the functional roles of long-range circuits controlling the activity of serotonergic neurons in the DRN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhou
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China; Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Ming-Zhe Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China; Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Qing Li
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Juan Deng
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China; Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Di Mu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China; Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Yan-Gang Sun
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue-Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, China.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Wong-Lin K, Wang DH, Moustafa AA, Cohen JY, Nakamura K. Toward a multiscale modeling framework for understanding serotonergic function. J Psychopharmacol 2017; 31:1121-1136. [PMID: 28417684 PMCID: PMC5606304 DOI: 10.1177/0269881117699612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Despite its importance in regulating emotion and mental wellbeing, the complex structure and function of the serotonergic system present formidable challenges toward understanding its mechanisms. In this paper, we review studies investigating the interactions between serotonergic and related brain systems and their behavior at multiple scales, with a focus on biologically-based computational modeling. We first discuss serotonergic intracellular signaling and neuronal excitability, followed by neuronal circuit and systems levels. At each level of organization, we will discuss the experimental work accompanied by related computational modeling work. We then suggest that a multiscale modeling approach that integrates the various levels of neurobiological organization could potentially transform the way we understand the complex functions associated with serotonin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- KongFatt Wong-Lin
- Intelligent Systems Research Centre, School of Computing and Intelligent Systems, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Derry~Londonderry, UK
| | - Da-Hui Wang
- School of Systems Science, and National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Ahmed A Moustafa
- School of Social Sciences and Psychology, and Marcs Institute for Brain and Behaviour, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jeremiah Y Cohen
- Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Kae Nakamura
- Department of Physiology, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Abstract
Over the past 20years, substantive research has firmly implicated the lateral habenula in myriad neural processes including addiction, depression, and sleep. More recently, evidence has emerged suggesting that the lateral habenula is a component of the brain's intrinsic daily or circadian timekeeping system. This system centers on the master circadian pacemaker in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus that is synchronized to the external world through environmental light information received directly from the eye. Rhythmic clock gene expression in suprachiasmatic neurons drives variation in their electrical activity enabling communication of temporal information, and the organization of circadian rhythms in downstream targets. Here, we review the evidence implicating the lateral habenula as part of an extended neural circadian system. We consider findings suggesting that the lateral habenula is a recipient of circadian signals from the suprachiasmatic nuclei as well as light information from the eye. Further we examine the proposition that the lateral habenula itself expresses intrinsic clock gene and neuronal rhythms. We then speculate on how circadian information communicated from the lateral habenula could influence activity and function in downstream targets such as the ventral tegmental area and raphe nuclei.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hugh D Piggins
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Yamashita PS, Spiacci A, Hassel JE, Lowry CA, Zangrossi H. Disinhibition of the rat prelimbic cortex promotes serotonergic activation of the dorsal raphe nucleus and panicolytic-like behavioral effects. J Psychopharmacol 2017; 31:704-714. [PMID: 28071216 DOI: 10.1177/0269881116684334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have shown that serotonin plays a dual role in the modulation of defensive behaviors related to anxiety and panic. A major source of serotonergic projections to limbic structures responsible for this modulation is the dorsal raphe nucleus (DR). Anatomical studies indicate that the prelimbic (PL) cortex sends dense glutamatergic projections to the DR, leading to stimulation or inhibition of serotonin release in structures innervated by the DR. The objective of the present study was to investigate if GABAergic disinhibition of the PL by means of local administration of picrotoxin (PIC), a chloride channel blocker, can affect serotonergic tone and the expression of defensive behaviors related to anxiety and panic. We used the elevated T-maze model and Vogel conflict test to evaluate defensive responses associated with anxiety or panic. The results showed that intra-PL PIC caused an increase in c-Fos activation in serotonergic cells in DR subregions. Furthermore, the intra-PL injection of PIC induced a panicolytic-like effect without affecting behaviors associated with anxiety. Our findings suggest that the PL-DR pathway, through DR serotonergic stimulation, is involved in the control of panic-related behaviors by control of serotonin release in structures that modulate panic responses, such as the dorsal periaqueductal gray.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paula Sm Yamashita
- 1 Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,2 Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Ailton Spiacci
- 1 Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - James E Hassel
- 2 Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- 2 Department of Integrative Physiology and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Helio Zangrossi
- 1 Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirao Preto Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Wang D, Li Y, Feng Q, Guo Q, Zhou J, Luo M. Learning shapes the aversion and reward responses of lateral habenula neurons. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28561735 PMCID: PMC5469615 DOI: 10.7554/elife.23045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) is believed to encode negative motivational values. It remains unknown how LHb neurons respond to various stressors and how learning shapes their responses. Here, we used fiber-photometry and electrophysiology to track LHb neuronal activity in freely-behaving mice. Bitterness, pain, and social attack by aggressors intensively excite LHb neurons. Aversive Pavlovian conditioning induced activation by the aversion-predicting cue in a few trials. The experience of social defeat also conditioned excitatory responses to previously neutral social stimuli. In contrast, fiber photometry and single-unit recordings revealed that sucrose reward inhibited LHb neurons and often produced excitatory rebound. It required prolonged conditioning and high reward probability to induce inhibition by reward-predicting cues. Therefore, LHb neurons can bidirectionally process a diverse array of aversive and reward signals. Importantly, their responses are dynamically shaped by learning, suggesting that the LHb participates in experience-dependent selection of behavioral responses to stressors and rewards. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.23045.001
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daqing Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Li
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qiru Feng
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qingchun Guo
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingfeng Zhou
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Minmin Luo
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
The lateral habenula and the serotonergic system. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2017; 162:22-28. [PMID: 28528079 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Revised: 04/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The habenula (Hb) is an epithalamic structure differentiated into two nuclear complexes, medial (MHb) and lateral habenula (LHb). After decades of relative neglect, interest in the Hb resurged when it was demonstrated that LHb neurons play a key role in encoding disappointments and expectation of punishments. Consistent with such a role, the LHb has been implicated in a broad array of functions and pathologic conditions, notably in mechanisms of stress and pain, as well as in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. So far, the vast majority of research involving the LHb has focused on its role in regulating midbrain dopamine release. However, the LHb is also robustly interconnected in a reciprocal manner with a set of rostral serotonin (5-HT) nuclei. Thus, there is increasing evidence that the LHb is amply linked to the dorsal (DR) and median raphe nucleus (MnR) by a complex network of parallel topographically organized direct and indirect pathways. Here, we summarize research about the interconnections of the LHb with different subregions of the DR and MnR, as well as findings about 5-HT-dependent modulation of LHb neurons. Finally, we discuss the contribution of distinct LHb-raphe loops to stress and stress-related psychiatric disorders including anxiety and depression.
Collapse
|
36
|
Flanigan M, Aleyasin H, Takahashi A, Golden SA, Russo SJ. An emerging role for the lateral habenula in aggressive behavior. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2017; 162:79-86. [PMID: 28499809 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2017.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Inter-male aggression is an essential component of social behavior in organisms from insects to humans. However, when expressed inappropriately, aggression poses significant threats to the mental and physical health of both the aggressor and the target. Inappropriate aggression is a common feature of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders in humans and has been hypothesized to result from the atypical activation of reward circuitry in response to social targets. The lateral habenula (LHb) has recently been identified as a major node of the classical reward circuitry and inhibits the release of dopamine from the midbrain to signal negative valence. Here, we discuss the evidence linking LHb function to aggression and its valence, arguing that strong LHb outputs to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are likely to play roles in aggression and its rewarding components. Future studies should aim to elucidate how various inputs and outputs of the LHb shape motivation and reward in the context of aggression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan Flanigan
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hossein Aleyasin
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aki Takahashi
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Sam A Golden
- National Institute of Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Scott J Russo
- Fishberg Department of Neuroscience and Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Wang S, Zhao Y, Gao J, Guo Y, Wang X, Huo J, Wei P, Cao J. In Vivo Effect of a 5-HT 7 Receptor Agonist on 5-HT Neurons and GABA Interneurons in the Dorsal Raphe Nuclei of Sham and PD Rats. Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen 2017; 32:73-81. [PMID: 28084087 PMCID: PMC10852805 DOI: 10.1177/1533317516685425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2024]
Abstract
The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) neurotransmission is severely affected by the degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Here, we report the effects of the systemic administration of the 5-HT7 receptor agonist AS-19. In sham rats, the mean response of the 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) to systemic AS-19 was excitatory and the mean response of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) interneurons was inhibitory. In Parkinson disease (PD) rats, the same dose did not affect the 5-HT neurons and only high doses (640 μg/kg intravenous) were able to the increase GABA interneuron activity. These results indicate that DRN 5-HT neurons and GABA interneurons are regulated by the activation of 5-HT7 receptors and that the degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway leads to decreased responses of these neurons to AS-19, which in turn suggests that the 5-HT7 receptors on 5-HT neurons and GABA interneurons in PD rats are dysfunctional and downregulated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yufang Guo
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiang Wang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jian Huo
- Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ping Wei
- Department of Immunology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Jian Cao
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Science, Xi’an Medical University, Xi’an, China
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Li Y, Wang Y, Xuan C, Li Y, Piao L, Li J, Zhao H. Role of the Lateral Habenula in Pain-Associated Depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:31. [PMID: 28270756 PMCID: PMC5318408 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with chronic pain have significantly higher incidences of depression and anxiety than the average person. However, the mechanism underlying this link has not been elucidated in terms of how chronic pain causes significant mood changes and further develops into severe anxiety or depression. The serotonergic system in the raphe nuclei is an important component in both pain processing and the pathogenesis of depression. Since the lateral habenular nucleus (LHb) controls the raphe nuclei, it may participate in the regulation of pain-associated depression. Thus, the aim of the current study was to investigate the role of the LHb in this pathophysiological process. We used chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve in rats as a model for neuropathic pain and assessed the changes potentially related to the mood disorders. The forced swim test (FST) and sucrose preference test (SPT) were performed to determine the behavioral changes 28 days after pain surgery. Expression of β calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type II (βCaMKII) in the LHb, cytochrome-c oxidase (COX) activity in the LHb and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in the DRN were measured. We found an increasing in LHb activity and βCaMKII expression, and a decrease in neuronal activity in the DRN and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA)/5-HT ratios in the CCI rats. These effects were accompanied by the depression-like behaviors. Lesions in the LHb improved the pain threshold and depression-like behavior in the rats. These results suggest that the LHb may play a role in pain-associated depression by affecting the activity of 5-HT neurons in the DRN. Furthermore, we showed that increases in the LHb-DRN pathway activity were a common neurobiological mechanisms for pain and depression, which may explain the coexistence of pain and depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanhui Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, China; Department of Anesthesia, Neuroscience Research Center, First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchun, China
| | - Yumeng Wang
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Chengluan Xuan
- Department of Anesthesia, Neuroscience Research Center, First Hospital of Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Lianhua Piao
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Jicheng Li
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University Changchun, China
| | - Hua Zhao
- Department of Physiology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin UniversityChangchun, China; Department of Anesthesia, Neuroscience Research Center, First Hospital of Jilin UniversityChangchun, China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Tchenio A, Valentinova K, Mameli M. Can the Lateral Habenula Crack the Serotonin Code? Front Synaptic Neurosci 2016; 8:34. [PMID: 27822183 PMCID: PMC5075531 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2016.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) and the serotonergic system both contribute to motivational states by encoding rewarding and aversive signals. Converging evidence suggests that perturbation of these systems is critical for the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Anatomical and functional studies indicate that the serotonergic system and the LHb are interconnected in a forward-feedback loop. However, how serotonin release modifies the synaptic and cellular properties of LHb neurons and whether this has any behavioral repercussions remain poorly investigated. In this review article, we discuss insights gained from rodents and humans regarding the implications of the serotonin system and the LHb in aversion encoding and related disorders. We then describe the type, properties and pharmacology of serotonergic receptors expressed throughout the LHb. Finally, we discuss physiological data reporting how serotonergic signaling modifies synaptic transmission and neuronal activity within the LHb. Altogether, we combine a mechanistic- and circuit-level knowledge to provide an overview on how the LHb integrates serotonergic signals, a process potentially contributing to LHb-dependent encoding of valenced external stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tchenio
- Institut du Fer à MoulinParis, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), UMR-S 839Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie CurieParis, France
| | - Kristina Valentinova
- Institut du Fer à MoulinParis, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), UMR-S 839Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie CurieParis, France
| | - Manuel Mameli
- Institut du Fer à MoulinParis, France; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), UMR-S 839Paris, France; Université Pierre et Marie CurieParis, France
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Hartung H, Tan SKH, Temel Y, Sharp T. High-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus modulates neuronal activity in the lateral habenula nucleus. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 44:2698-2707. [PMID: 27623306 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 09/09/2016] [Accepted: 09/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
High-frequency stimulation (HFS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is often used to treat movement disability in advanced Parkinson's disease, but some patients experience debilitating psychiatric effects including depression. Interestingly, HFS of the STN modulates 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) which are linked to depression, but the neural substrate of this effect is unknown. Here, we tested the effect of STN stimulation on neuronal activity in the lateral habenula nucleus (LHb), an important source of input to DRN 5-HT neurons and also a key controller of emotive behaviours. LHb neurons were monitored in anaesthetized rats using single-unit extracellular recording, and localization within the LHb was confirmed by juxtacellular labelling. HFS of the STN (130 Hz) evoked rapid changes in the firing rate of the majority of LHb neurons tested (38 of 68). Some LHb neurons (19/68) were activated by HFS, while others (19/68), distinguished by a higher basal firing rate, were inhibited. LHb neurons that project to the DRN were identified using antidromic activation and collision testing (n = 17 neurons). Some of these neurons (5/17) were also excited by HFS of the STN, and others (7/17) were inhibited although this was only a statistical trend. In summary, HFS of the STN modulated the firing of LHb neurons, including those projecting to the DRN. The data identify that the STN impacts on the LHb-DRN pathway. Moreover, this pathway may be part of the circuitry mediating the psychiatric effects of STN stimulation experienced by patients with Parkinson's disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Henrike Hartung
- University Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK
| | - Sonny K H Tan
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany
| | - Yasin Temel
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurosurgery, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Trevor Sharp
- University Department of Pharmacology, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3QT, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Srejic LR, Wood KM, Zeqja A, Hashemi P, Hutchison WD. Modulation of serotonin dynamics in the dorsal raphe nucleus via high frequency medial prefrontal cortex stimulation. Neurobiol Dis 2016; 94:129-38. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
|
42
|
Dolzani SD, Baratta MV, Amat J, Agster KL, Saddoris MP, Watkins LR, Maier SF. Activation of a Habenulo-Raphe Circuit Is Critical for the Behavioral and Neurochemical Consequences of Uncontrollable Stress in the Male Rat. eNeuro 2016; 3:ENEURO.0229-16.2016. [PMID: 27785462 PMCID: PMC5066263 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0229-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2016] [Revised: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to uncontrollable stress [inescapable tailshock (IS)] produces behavioral changes that do not occur if the stressor is controllable [escapable tailshock (ES)] an outcome that is mediated by greater IS-induced dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] activation. It has been proposed that this differential activation occurs because the presence of control leads to top-down inhibition of the DRN from medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), not because uncontrollability produces greater excitatory input. Although mPFC inhibitory regulation over DRN 5-HT activation has received considerable attention, the relevant excitatory inputs that drive DRN 5-HT during stress have not. The lateral habenula (LHb) provides a major excitatory input to the DRN, but very little is known about the role of the LHb in regulating DRN-dependent behaviors. Here, optogenetic silencing of the LHb during IS blocked the typical anxiety-like behaviors produced by IS in male rats. Moreover, LHb silencing blocked the increase in extracellular basolateral amygdala 5-HT during IS and, surprisingly, during behavioral testing the following day. We also provide evidence that LHb-DRN pathway activation is not sensitive to the dimension of behavioral control. Overall, these experiments highlight a critical role for LHb in driving DRN activation and 5-HT release into downstream circuits that mediate anxiety-like behavioral outcomes of IS and further support the idea that behavioral control does not modulate excitatory inputs to the DRN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D. Dolzani
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309
| | - Michael V. Baratta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309
| | - Jose Amat
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309
| | - Kara L. Agster
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309
| | - Michael P. Saddoris
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309
| | - Linda R. Watkins
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309
| | - Steven F. Maier
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience and the Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
ON and OFF retinal ganglion cells differentially regulate serotonergic and GABAergic activity in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Sci Rep 2016; 6:26060. [PMID: 27181078 PMCID: PMC4867631 DOI: 10.1038/srep26060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), the major source of serotonergic input to the forebrain, receives excitatory input from the retina that can modulate serotonin levels and depressive-like behavior. In the Mongolian gerbil, retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) with alpha-like morphological and Y-like physiological properties innervate the DRN with ON DRN-projecting RGCs out numbering OFF DRN-projecting RGCs. The DRN neurons targeted by ON and OFF RGCs are unknown. To explore retino-raphe anatomical organization, retinal afferents labeled with Cholera toxin B were examined for association with the postsynaptic protein PSD-95. Synaptic associations between retinal afferents and DRN serotonergic and GABAergic neurons were observed. To explore retino-raphe functional organization, light-evoked c-fos expression was examined. Light significantly increased the number of DRN serotonergic and GABAergic cells expressing c-Fos. When ON RGCs were rendered silent while enhancing the firing rate of OFF RGCs, c-Fos expression was greatly increased in DRN serotonergic neurons suggesting that OFF DRN-projecting RGCs predominately activate serotonergic neurons whereas ON DRN-projecting RGCs mainly target GABAergic neurons. Direct glutamatergic retinal input to DRN 5-HT neurons contributes to the complex excitatory drive regulating these cells. Light, via the retinoraphe pathway can modify DRN 5-HT neuron activity which may play a role in modulating affective behavior.
Collapse
|
44
|
Domonkos A, Nikitidou Ledri L, Laszlovszky T, Cserép C, Borhegyi Z, Papp E, Nyiri G, Freund TF, Varga V. Divergent in vivo activity of non-serotonergic and serotonergic VGluT3-neurones in the median raphe region. J Physiol 2016; 594:3775-90. [PMID: 27028801 PMCID: PMC4929318 DOI: 10.1113/jp272036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS The median raphe is a key subcortical modulatory centre involved in several brain functions, such as regulation of the sleep-wake cycle, emotions and memory storage. A large proportion of median raphe neurones are glutamatergic and implement a radically different mode of communication compared to serotonergic cells, although their in vivo activity is unknown. We provide the first description of the in vivo, brain state-dependent firing properties of median raphe glutamatergic neurones identified by immunopositivity for the vesicular glutamate transporter type 3 (VGluT3) and serotonin (5-HT). Glutamatergic populations (VGluT3+/5-HT- and VGluT3+/5-HT+) were compared with the purely serotonergic (VGluT3-/5-HT+ and VGluT3-/5-HT-) neurones. VGluT3+/5-HT+ neurones fired similar to VGluT3-/5-HT+ cells, whereas they significantly diverged from the VGluT3+/5-HT- population. Activity of the latter subgroup resembled the spiking of VGluT3-/5-HT- cells, except for their diverging response to sensory stimulation. The VGluT3+ population of the median raphe may broadcast rapidly varying signals on top of a state-dependent, tonic modulation. ABSTRACT Subcortical modulation is crucial for information processing in the cerebral cortex. Besides the canonical neuromodulators, glutamate has recently been identified as a key cotransmitter of numerous monoaminergic projections. In the median raphe, a pure glutamatergic neurone population projecting to limbic areas was also discovered with a possibly novel, yet undetermined function. In the present study, we report the first functional description of the vesicular glutamate transporter type 3 (VGluT3)-expressing median raphe neurones. Because there is no appropriate genetic marker for the separation of serotonergic (5-HT+) and non-serotonergic (5-HT-) VGluT3+ neurones, we utilized immunohistochemistry after recording and juxtacellular labelling in anaesthetized rats. VGluT3+/5-HT- neurones fired faster, more variably and were permanently activated during sensory stimulation, as opposed to the transient response of the slow firing VGluT3-/5-HT+ subgroup. VGluT3+/5-HT- cells were also more active during hippocampal theta. In addition, the VGluT3-/5-HT- population, comprising putative GABAergic cells, resembled the firing of VGluT3+/5-HT- neurones but without any significant reaction to the sensory stimulus. Interestingly, the VGluT3+/5-HT+ group, spiking slower than the VGluT3+/5-HT- population, exhibited a mixed response (i.e. the initial transient activation was followed by a sustained elevation of firing). Phase coupling to hippocampal and prefrontal slow oscillations was found in VGluT3+/5-HT- neurones, also differentiating them from the VGluT3+/5-HT+ subpopulation. Taken together, glutamatergic neurones in the median raphe may implement multiple, highly divergent forms of modulation in parallel: a slow, tonic mode interrupted by sensory-evoked rapid transients, as well as a fast one capable of conveying complex patterns influenced by sensory inputs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andor Domonkos
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,János Szentágothai Doctoral School of Neurosciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Litsa Nikitidou Ledri
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Laszlovszky
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csaba Cserép
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Borhegyi
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Present address: MTA-ELTE-NAP B-Opto-Neuropharmacology Group, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Edit Papp
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Nyiri
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás F Freund
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Viktor Varga
- Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Xie G, Zuo W, Wu L, Li W, Wu W, Bekker A, Ye JH. Serotonin modulates glutamatergic transmission to neurons in the lateral habenula. Sci Rep 2016; 6:23798. [PMID: 27033153 PMCID: PMC4817146 DOI: 10.1038/srep23798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The lateral habenula (LHb) is bilaterally connected with serotoninergic raphe nuclei, and expresses high density of serotonin receptors. However, actions of serotonin on the excitatory synaptic transmission to LHb neurons have not been thoroughly investigated. The LHb contains two anatomically and functionally distinct regions: lateral (LHbl) and medial (LHbm) divisions. We compared serotonin’s effects on glutamatergic transmission across the LHb in rat brains. Serotonin bi-directionally and differentially modulated glutamatergic transmission. Serotonin inhibited glutamatergic transmission in higher percentage of LHbl neurons but potentiated in higher percentage of LHbm neurons. Magnitude of potentiation was greater in LHbm than in LHbl. Type 2 and 3 serotonin receptor antagonists attenuated serotonin’s potentiation. The serotonin reuptake blocker, and the type 2 and 3 receptor agonists facilitated glutamatergic transmission in both LHbl and LHbm neurons. Thus, serotonin via activating its type 2, 3 receptors, increased glutamate release at nerve terminals in some LHb neurons. Our data demonstrated that serotonin affects both LHbm and LHbl. Serotonin might play an important role in processing information between the LHb and its downstream-targeted structures during decision-making. It may also contribute to a homeostatic balance underlying the neural circuitry between the LHb and raphe nuclei.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guiqin Xie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Wanhong Zuo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Liangzhi Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Wenting Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Alex Bekker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jiang-Hong Ye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
The Antidepressant Effects of an mGlu2/3 Receptor Antagonist and Ketamine Require AMPA Receptor Stimulation in the mPFC and Subsequent Activation of the 5-HT Neurons in the DRN. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:1046-56. [PMID: 26245499 PMCID: PMC4748429 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2015] [Revised: 08/01/2015] [Accepted: 08/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
We have reported the antidepressant effects of both metabotropic glutamate 2/3 (mGlu2/3) receptor antagonists and ketamine in several animal models, and proposed that serotonergic (5-HTergic) transmission is involved in these actions. Given that the projections from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), where the majority of serotonin (5-HT) neurons exist, are reportedly involved in the antidepressant effects, in this study, we investigated using the forced swimming test (FST) of C57BL/6J male mice, the role of 5-HT neurons in the DRN regulated by the mPFC-DRN projections in the antidepressant effects of an mGlu2/3 receptor antagonist, LY341495, and ketamine. Following systemic administration/microinjection into the mPFC, both LY341495 and ketamine were found to exert antidepressant effects in the FST, and the effects were attenuated by depletion of 5-HT by treatment with an inhibitor of 5-HT synthesis, PCPA. The antidepressant effects of LY341495 and ketamine were also blocked by systemic administration/microinjection into the mPFC of an AMPA receptor antagonist, NBQX. Moreover, systemic administration/microinjection into the mPFC of LY341495 and ketamine significantly increased the c-Fos expression in the 5-HT neurons in the DRN, and the effect of systemic administration of these drugs on the neuronal c-Fos expression was attenuated by microinjection of NBQX into the mPFC. Our findings suggest that activation of 5-HT neurons in the DRN regulated by stimulation of the AMPA receptor in the mPFC may be involved in the antidepressant effects of an mGlu2/3 receptor antagonist and ketamine.
Collapse
|
47
|
Epigenetic regulation of dorsal raphe GABA B1a associated with isolation-induced abnormal responses to social stimulation in mice. Neuropharmacology 2016; 101:1-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 09/05/2015] [Accepted: 09/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
|
48
|
Role of the dorsal diencephalic conduction system in the brain reward circuitry. Behav Brain Res 2015; 296:431-441. [PMID: 26515931 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.10.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Previous work with psychophysically based studies suggests that electrolytic lesion of the habenula, which lies in the dorsal diencephalic conduction system (DDC), degrades the intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS). This experiment was aimed at studying the importance of the DDC in brain stimulation reward, and its connections with other areas that support operant responding for brain stimulation. For this purpose, rats were implanted with stimulating electrodes at the dorsal raphe (DR) and lateral hypothalamus (LH), and lesioning electrodes in the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) and the DDC. Rats were trained to self-administer the stimulation at three different current intensities and were tested daily for changes in reward thresholds, defined as the pulse frequency required for half-maximal responding. The lesions were done at the DDC and the MFB, and were separated by two weeks interval during which the rats were tested for self-stimulation. At the end of the experiment, rats were transcardially perfused and their brains collected to determine the extent of the lesions and the locations of the stimulation sites. Results show that lesions at both the DDC and MFB produce larger and longer-lasting increases in the reward thresholds (upto 0.40 log10 units) than lesions at either pathway alone (upto 0.25 log10 units), and were more effective in attenuating the reward induced by the LH stimulation. These results suggest that there exist two parallel pathways, the MFB and the DDC, which could constitute a viable route for the reward signal triggered by ICSS.
Collapse
|
49
|
Zuo W, Zhang Y, Xie G, Gregor D, Bekker A, Ye JH. Serotonin stimulates lateral habenula via activation of the post-synaptic serotonin 2/3 receptors and transient receptor potential channels. Neuropharmacology 2015; 101:449-59. [PMID: 26471419 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Revised: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest on the role of the lateral habenula (LHb) in depression, because it closely and bilaterally connects with the serotoninergic raphe nuclei. The LHb sends glutamate efferents to the raphe nuclei, while it receives serotoninergic afferents, and expresses a high density of serotonin (5-HT) receptors. Recent studies suggest that 5-HT receptors exist both in the presynaptic and postsynaptic sites of LHb neurons, and activation of these receptors may have different effects on the activity of LHb neurons. The current study focused on the effect of 5-HT on the postsynaptic membrane. We found that 5-HT initiated a depolarizing inward current (I((5-HTi))) and accelerated spontaneous firing in ∼80% of LHb neurons in rat brain slices. I((5-HTi)) was also induced by the 5-HT uptake blocker citalopram, indicating activity of endogenous 5-HT. I((5-HTi)) was diminished by 5-HT(2/3) receptor antagonists (ritanserin, SB-200646 or ondansetron), and activated by the selective 5-HT(2/3) agonists 1-(3-Chlorophenyl) piperazine hydrochloride or 1-(3-Chlorophenyl) biguanide hydrochloride. Furthermore, I((5-HTi)) was attenuated by 2-Aminoethyl diphenylborinate, a blocker of transient receptor potential channels, and an IP3 receptor inhibitor, indicating the involvement of transient receptor potential channels. These results demonstrate that the reciprocal connection between the LHb and the 5-HT system highlights a key role for 5-HT stimulation of LHb neurons that may be important in the pathogenesis of depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wanhong Zuo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Yong Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Guiqin Xie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Danielle Gregor
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Alex Bekker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Jiang-Hong Ye
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Physiology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Pickard GE, So KF, Pu M. Dorsal raphe nucleus projecting retinal ganglion cells: Why Y cells? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 57:118-31. [PMID: 26363667 PMCID: PMC4646079 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Revised: 06/30/2015] [Accepted: 08/01/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Retinal ganglion Y (alpha) cells are found in retinas ranging from frogs to mice to primates. The highly conserved nature of the large, fast conducting retinal Y cell is a testament to its fundamental task, although precisely what this task is remained ill-defined. The recent discovery that Y-alpha retinal ganglion cells send axon collaterals to the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in addition to the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), medial interlaminar nucleus (MIN), pretectum and the superior colliculus (SC) has offered new insights into the important survival tasks performed by these cells with highly branched axons. We propose that in addition to its role in visual perception, the Y-alpha retinal ganglion cell provides concurrent signals via axon collaterals to the DRN, the major source of serotonergic afferents to the forebrain, to dramatically inhibit 5-HT activity during orientation or alerting/escape responses, which dis-facilitates ongoing tonic motor activity while dis-inhibiting sensory information processing throughout the visual system. The new data provide a fresh view of these evolutionarily old retinal ganglion cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gary E Pickard
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, 68583, United States; Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, United States; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kwok-Fai So
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China; Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China; GHM Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China; State Key Laboratory for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Mingliang Pu
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory on Machine Perception (Ministry of Education), Peking University, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory for Visual Impairment and Restoration (Ministry of Education), Peking University, Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|