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Dutra-Tavares AC, Souza TP, Silva JO, Semeão KA, Mello FF, Filgueiras CC, Ribeiro-Carvalho A, Manhães AC, Abreu-Villaça Y. Neonatal phencyclidine as a model of sex-biased schizophrenia symptomatology in adolescent mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:2111-2129. [PMID: 37530885 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06434-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Sex-biased differences in schizophrenia are evident in several features of the disease, including symptomatology and response to pharmacological treatments. As a neurodevelopmental disorder, these differences might originate early in life and emerge later during adolescence. Considering that the disruption of the glutamatergic system during development is known to contribute to schizophrenia, we hypothesized that the neonatal phencyclidine model could induce sex-dependent behavioral and neurochemical changes associated with this disorder during adolescence. C57BL/6 mice received either saline or phencyclidine (5, 10, or 20 mg/kg) on postnatal days (PN) 7, 9, and 11. Behavioral assessment occurred in late adolescence (PN48-50), when mice were submitted to the open field, social interaction, and prepulse inhibition tests. Either olanzapine or saline was administered before each test. The NMDAR obligatory GluN1 subunit and the postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) were evaluated in the frontal cortex and hippocampus at early (PN30) and late (PN50) adolescence. Neonatal phencyclidine evoked dose-dependent deficits in all analyzed behaviors and males were more susceptible. Males also had reduced GluN1 expression in the frontal cortex at PN30. There were late-emergent effects at PN50. Cortical GluN1 was increased in both sexes, while phencyclidine increased cortical and decreased hippocampal PSD-95 in females. Olanzapine failed to mitigate most phencyclidine-evoked alterations. In some instances, this antipsychotic aggravated the deficits or potentiated subthreshold effects. These results lend support to the use of neonatal phencyclidine as a sex-biased neurodevelopmental preclinical model of schizophrenia. Olanzapine null effects and deleterious outcomes suggest that its use during adolescence should be further evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina Dutra-Tavares
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Av. Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 5 andar, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil
| | - Thainá P Souza
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Av. Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 5 andar, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil
| | - Juliana O Silva
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Av. Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 5 andar, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil
| | - Keila A Semeão
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Av. Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 5 andar, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil
| | - Felipe F Mello
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Av. Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 5 andar, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil
| | - Claudio C Filgueiras
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Av. Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 5 andar, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil
| | - Anderson Ribeiro-Carvalho
- Departamento de Ciências, Faculdade de Formação de Professores da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), RJ, São Gonçalo, Brazil
| | - Alex C Manhães
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Av. Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 5 andar, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil
| | - Yael Abreu-Villaça
- Laboratório de Neurofisiologia, Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Av. Prof. Manuel de Abreu 444, 5 andar, Vila Isabel, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-170, Brazil.
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de Oliveira Alves C, Reimer AE, de Oliveira AR. Involvement of D2-like dopaminergic receptors in contextual fear conditioning in female rats: influence of estrous cycle. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:1033649. [PMID: 36518813 PMCID: PMC9742248 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.1033649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Dopamine has been increasingly recognized as a key neurotransmitter regulating fear/anxiety states. Nevertheless, the influence of sex and estrous cycle differences on the role of dopamine in fear responses needs further investigation. We aimed to evaluate the effects of sulpiride (a dopaminergic D2-like receptor antagonist) on contextual fear conditioning in females while exploring the influence of the estrous cycle. Methods: First, using a contextual fear conditioning paradigm, we assessed potential differences in acquisition, expression, and extinction of the conditioned freezing response in male and female (split in proestrus/estrus and metestrus/diestrus) Wistar rats. In a second cohort, we evaluated the effects of sulpiride (20 and 40 mg/kg) on contextual conditioned fear in females during proestrus/estrus and metestrus/diestrus. Potential nonspecific effects were assessed in motor activity assays (catalepsy and open-field tests). Results: No sex differences nor estrous cycle effects on freezing behavior were observed during the fear conditioning phases. Sulpiride reduced freezing expression in female rats. Moreover, females during the proestrus/estrus phases of the estrous cycle were more sensitive to the effects of sulpiride than females in metestrus/diestrus. Sulpiride did not cause motor impairments. Discussion: Although no sex or estrous cycle differences were observed in basal conditioned fear expression and extinction, the estrous cycle seems to influence the effects of D2-like antagonists on contextual fear conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila de Oliveira Alves
- Department of Psychology, Center of Education and Human Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil
- Institute of Neuroscience and Behavior (INeC), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Adriano Edgar Reimer
- Department of Psychology, Center of Education and Human Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil
- Institute of Neuroscience and Behavior (INeC), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Amanda Ribeiro de Oliveira
- Department of Psychology, Center of Education and Human Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar), São Carlos, Brazil
- Institute of Neuroscience and Behavior (INeC), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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Drzewiecki CM, Willing J, Cortes LR, Juraska JM. Adolescent stress during, but not after, pubertal onset impairs indices of prepulse inhibition in adult rats. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:837-850. [PMID: 33629385 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to stress during adolescence is a risk factor for developing several psychiatric disorders, many of which involve prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction. The human PFC and analogous rodent medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) continue to mature functionally and anatomically during adolescence, and some of these maturational events coincide with pubertal onset. As developing brain regions are more susceptible to the negative effects of stress, this may make puberty especially vulnerable. To test this, we exposed male and female rats to isolation and restraint stress during the onset of puberty or during the post-pubertal period of adolescence. In young adulthood, both stressed groups and an unstressed control group underwent testing on a battery of tasks to assess emotional and cognitive behaviors, and the volume of the mPFC was quantified postmortem. Factor analysis revealed only subjects stressed peri-pubertally showed a long-term deficiency compared to controls in prepulse inhibition. Additionally, both sexes showed volumetric mPFC decreases following adolescent stress, and these losses were most pronounced in females. Our findings suggest that pubertal onset may be a vulnerable window wherein adolescents are most susceptible to the negative consequences of stress exposure. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of accounting for pubertal status when studying adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carly M Drzewiecki
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
| | - Jari Willing
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.,Department of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, 822 E Merry Ave, Bowling Green, OH, 43403, USA
| | - Laura R Cortes
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.,Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, 100 Piedmont Ave SE, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA
| | - Janice M Juraska
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA
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4
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Conner MR, Jang D, Anderson BJ, Kritzer MF. Biological Sex and Sex Hormone Impacts on Deficits in Episodic-Like Memory in a Rat Model of Early, Pre-motor Stages of Parkinson's Disease. Front Neurol 2020; 11:942. [PMID: 33041964 PMCID: PMC7527538 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00942] [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: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Episodic memory deficits are among the earliest appearing and most commonly occurring examples of cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease (PD). These enduring features can also predict a clinical course of rapid motor decline, significant cognitive deterioration, and the development of PD-related dementia. The lack of effective means to treat these deficits underscores the need to better understand their neurobiological bases. The prominent sex differences that characterize episodic memory in health, aging and in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease suggest that neuroendocrine factors may also influence episodic memory dysfunction in PD. However, while sex differences have been well-documented for many facets of PD, sex differences in, and sex hormone influences on associated episodic memory impairments have been less extensively studied and have never been examined in preclinical PD models. Accordingly, we paired bilateral neostriatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions with behavioral testing using the What-Where-When Episodic-Like Memory (ELM) Task in adult rats to first determine whether episodic-like memory is impaired in this model. We further compared outcomes in gonadally intact female and male subjects, and in male rats that had undergone gonadectomy—with and without hormone replacement, to determine whether biological sex and/or sex hormones influenced the expression of dopamine lesioned-induced memory deficits. These studies showed that 6-OHDA lesions profoundly impaired recall for all memory domains in male and female rats. They also showed that in males, circulating gonadal hormones powerfully modulated the negative impacts of 6-OHDA lesions on What, Where, and When discriminations in domain-specific ways. Specifically, the absence of androgens was shown to fully attenuate 6-OHDA lesion-induced deficits in ELM for “Where” and to partially protect against lesion-induced deficits in ELM for “What.” In sum, these findings show that 6-OHDA lesions in rats recapitulate the vulnerability of episodic memory seen in early PD. Together with similar evidence recently obtained for spatial working memory, the present findings also showed that diminished androgen levels provide powerful, highly selective protections against the harmful effects that 6-OHDA lesions have on memory functions in male rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan R Conner
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Doyeon Jang
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Brenda J Anderson
- Department of Psychology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
| | - Mary F Kritzer
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, United States
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Krishna G, Bromberg C, Connell EC, Mian E, Hu C, Lifshitz J, Adelson PD, Thomas TC. Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Sex-Dependent Changes in Late-Onset Sensory Hypersensitivity and Glutamate Neurotransmission. Front Neurol 2020; 11:749. [PMID: 32849211 PMCID: PMC7419702 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.00749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Women approximate one-third of the annual 2.8 million people in the United States who sustain traumatic brain injury (TBI). Several clinical reports support or refute that menstrual cycle-dependent fluctuations in sex hormones are associated with severity of persisting post-TBI symptoms. Previously, we reported late-onset sensory hypersensitivity to whisker stimulation that corresponded with changes in glutamate neurotransmission at 1-month following diffuse TBI in male rats. Here, we incorporated intact age-matched naturally cycling females into the experimental design while monitoring daily estrous cycle. We hypothesized that sex would not influence late-onset sensory hypersensitivity and associated in vivo amperometric extracellular recordings of glutamate neurotransmission within the behaviorally relevant thalamocortical circuit. At 28 days following midline fluid percussion injury (FPI) or sham surgery, young adult Sprague-Dawley rats were tested for hypersensitivity to whisker stimulation using the whisker nuisance task (WNT). As predicted, both male and female rats showed significantly increased sensory hypersensitivity to whisker stimulation after FPI, with females having an overall decrease in whisker nuisance scores (sex effect), but no injury and sex interaction. In males, FPI increased potassium chloride (KCl)-evoked glutamate overflow in primary somatosensory barrel cortex (S1BF) and ventral posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus (VPM), while in females the FPI effect was discernible only within the VPM. Similar to our previous report, we found the glutamate clearance parameters were not influenced by FPI, while a sex-specific effect was evident with female rats showing a lower uptake rate constant both in S1BF and VPM and longer clearance time (in S1BF) in comparison to male rats. Fluctuations in estrous cycle were evident among brain-injured females with longer diestrus (low circulating hormone) phase of the cycle over 28 days post-TBI. Together, these findings add to growing evidence indicating both similarities and differences between sexes in a chronic response to TBI. A better understanding of the influence of gonadal hormones on behavior, neurotransmission, secondary injury and repair processes after TBI is needed both clinically and translationally, with potential impact on acute treatment, rehabilitation, and symptom management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gokul Krishna
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Caitlin Bromberg
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Emily Charlotte Connell
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Erum Mian
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Chengcheng Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Jonathan Lifshitz
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - P. David Adelson
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Theresa Currier Thomas
- Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ, United States
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Gao F, Huang J, Guan YF, Huang GB, Li WJ, He XY, Qiu ZC, Zhang YL, Zhao ST, Li J, Xuan A, Sun XD. Social Company by a Receptive Mating Partner Facilitates Fear Extinction. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:62. [PMID: 32116509 PMCID: PMC7018940 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Fear extinction remains an unresolved challenge for behavioral exposure therapy in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Previous reports have suggested that social support from either familiar or unfamiliar same-sex partners is beneficial to attenuating fear responses during fear extinction and renewal. Despite that, few studies have examined the effects of social support in advance on fear extinction and/or retrieval. It is also not clear whether social company by a receptive mating partner in advance facilitates fear extinction. In the present study, we address these questions by introducing a co-housing method, where fear-conditioned male mice are co-housed with or without a receptive mating partner prior to fear extinction. We found that while co-housing with an ovariectomized female mouse showed little effect on fear extinction or retrieval, social company by a receptive mating partner in advance dramatically facilitates fear extinction. In addition, the number of cFos-positive neurons in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) were also found to be reduced in male mice accompanied with receptive mating partner in response to fear extinction and retrieval, indicating diminished neuronal activation. Electrophysiological studies further showed that the excitability of excitatory neurons in BLA was decreased, which is probably due to the attenuated basal level of excitatory synaptic transmission. Together, our observations demonstrate an effect of social company by a receptive mating partner can facilitate fear extinction and afford a possible cellular mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Gao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jie Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yan-Fei Guan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guo-Bin Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Jing Li
- KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xi-Yi He
- KingMed School of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zi-Cong Qiu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yun-Long Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shen-Ting Zhao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianhua Li
- Key Laboratory of Protein Modification and Degradation, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Aiguo Xuan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Sun
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Institute of Neuroscience and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, Guangzhou, China.,Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Psychiatric Disorders, Guangzhou, China
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Zamudio PA, Smothers TC, Homanics GE, Woodward JJ. Knock-in Mice Expressing an Ethanol-Resistant GluN2A NMDA Receptor Subunit Show Altered Responses to Ethanol. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:479-491. [PMID: 31872888 PMCID: PMC7018579 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are glutamate-activated, heterotetrameric ligand-gated ion channels critically important in virtually all aspects of glutamatergic signaling. Ethanol (EtOH) inhibition of NMDARs is thought to mediate specific actions of EtOH during acute and chronic exposure. Studies from our laboratory, and others, identified EtOH-sensitive sites within specific transmembrane (TM) domains involved in channel gating as well as those in subdomains of extracellular and intracellular regions of GluN1 and GluN2 subunits that affect channel function. In this study, we characterize for the first time the physiological and behavioral effects of EtOH on knock-in mice expressing a GluN2A subunit that shows reduced sensitivity to EtOH. METHODS A battery of tests evaluating locomotion, anxiety, sedation, motor coordination, and voluntary alcohol intake were performed in wild-type mice and those expressing the GluN2A A825W knock-in mutation. Whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings were used to confirm reduced EtOH sensitivity of NMDAR-mediated currents in 2 separate brain regions (mPFC and the cerebellum) where the GluN2A subunit is known to contribute to NMDAR-mediated responses. RESULTS Male and female mice homozygous for the GluN2A(A825W) knock-in mutation showed reduced EtOH inhibition of NMDAR-mediated synaptic currents in mPFC and cerebellar neurons as compared to their wild-type counterparts. GluN2A(A825W) male but not female mice were less sensitive to the sedative and motor-incoordinating effects of EtOH and showed a rightward shift in locomotor-stimulating effects of EtOH. There was no effect of the mutation on EtOH-induced anxiolysis or voluntary EtOH consumption in either male or female mice. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that expression of EtOH-resistant GluN2A NMDARs results in selective and sex-specific changes in the behavioral sensitivity to EtOH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula A Zamudio
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Thetford C Smothers
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Gregg E Homanics
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - John J Woodward
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
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8
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Pena-Bravo JI, Penrod R, Reichel CM, Lavin A. Methamphetamine Self-Administration Elicits Sex-Related Changes in Postsynaptic Glutamate Transmission in the Prefrontal Cortex. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0401-18.2018. [PMID: 30693312 PMCID: PMC6348447 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0401-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Preclinical and clinical research has shown that females are more vulnerable to the rewarding effects of stimulants, and it has been proposed that estrogens may play a role in this enhanced sensitivity; however sex differences in methamphetamine (METH)-induced neuroplasticity have not been explored. To address this gap in knowledge, we recorded from the prelimbic area of the prefrontal cortex (PL-PFC) of male and female rats following long access METH self-administration (SA) and investigated the resulting long-term synaptic neuroadaptations. Males and females took similar amounts of METH during SA; however, female rats exhibit significant synaptic baseline differences when compared to males. Furthermore, females exhibited a significant increase in evoked excitatory currents. This increase in evoked glutamate was correlated with increases in NMDA currents and was not affected by application of a GluN2B selective blocker. We propose that METH SA selectively upregulates GluN2B-lacking NMDA receptors (NMDAR) in the PFC of female rats. Our results may provide a mechanistic explanation for the sex differences reported for METH addiction in females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel Penrod
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Carmela M. Reichel
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425
| | - Antonieta Lavin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425
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9
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Wickens MM, Bangasser DA, Briand LA. Sex Differences in Psychiatric Disease: A Focus on the Glutamate System. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:197. [PMID: 29922129 PMCID: PMC5996114 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Alterations in glutamate, the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, are implicated in several psychiatric diseases. Many of these psychiatric diseases display epidemiological sex differences, with either males or females exhibiting different symptoms or disease prevalence. However, little work has considered the interaction of disrupted glutamatergic transmission and sex on disease states. This review describes the clinical and preclinical evidence for these sex differences with a focus on two conditions that are more prevalent in women: Alzheimer's disease and major depressive disorder, and three conditions that are more prevalent in men: schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These studies reveal sex differences at multiple levels in the glutamate system including metabolic markers, receptor levels, genetic interactions, and therapeutic responses to glutamatergic drugs. Our survey of the current literature revealed a considerable need for more evaluations of sex differences in future studies examining the role of the glutamate system in psychiatric disease. Gaining a more thorough understanding of how sex differences in the glutamate system contribute to psychiatric disease could provide novel avenues for the development of sex-specific pharmacotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan M Wickens
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Debra A Bangasser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Lisa A Briand
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Neuroscience Program, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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10
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Cross SJ, Linker KE, Leslie FM. Sex-dependent effects of nicotine on the developing brain. J Neurosci Res 2017; 95:422-436. [PMID: 27870426 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The use of tobacco products represents a major public health concern, especially among women. Epidemiological data have consistently demonstrated that women have less success quitting tobacco use and a higher risk for developing tobacco-related diseases. The deleterious effects of nicotine are not restricted to adulthood, as nicotinic acetylcholine receptors regulate critical aspects of neural development. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the particular sensitivity of women to develop tobacco dependence have not been well elucidated. In this mini-review, we show that gonadal hormone-mediated sexual differentiation of the brain may be an important determinant of sex differences in the effects of nicotine. We highlight direct interactions between sex steroid hormones and ligand-gated ion channels critical for brain maturation, and discuss the extended and profound sexual differentiation of the brain. We emphasize that nicotine exposure during the perinatal and adolescent periods interferes with normal sexual differentiation and can induce long-lasting, sex-dependent alterations in neuronal structure, cognitive and executive function, learning and memory, and reward processing. We stress important age and sex differences in nicotine's effects and emphasize the importance of including these factors in preclinical research that models tobacco dependence. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Cross
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Kay E Linker
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Frances M Leslie
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, California
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11
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de Bie J, Lim CK, Guillemin GJ. Kynurenines, Gender and Neuroinflammation; Showcase Schizophrenia. Neurotox Res 2016; 30:285-94. [DOI: 10.1007/s12640-016-9641-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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12
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Wang Y, Yu T, Yuan C, Yuan J, Luo Z, Pan Y, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Yu B. Effects of propofol on the dopamine, metabolites and GABAA receptors in media prefrontal cortex in freely moving rats. Am J Transl Res 2016; 8:2301-2308. [PMID: 27347337 PMCID: PMC4891442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent researches indicate that the mechanism of anesthetic induce loss of consciousness (LOC) is related to dopamine dysfunction in the media prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Given GABAA receptors are the main target for commonly intravenous anesthetic propofol, in this study, we test whether that propofol induced LOC mediate by GABAA receptors in mPFC through altering the dopamine and its metabolites. In the present study, we use Loss of righting reflex (LORR) and Recovery of righting reflex (RORR) as measure to respectively reflect the status of unconsciousness and consciousness recovery in rats. We imitate the clinical anesthesia process, found the minimum of induction and maintenance concentration of propofol respectively was 11 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg per hour. Then, microdialysis technique was used to observe the change of dopamine (DA), metabolites 3, 4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) before and after intravenous infusion of propofol from caudal vein of freely moving rats. The results showed that propofol can increase the level of DOPAC except HVA, and reduced the level of DA in mPFC during unconsciousness of rats. DOPAC and DA return to the baseline level when the rats began to regain consciousness. Local reverse dialysis infusion of GABAA receptor antagonist GABAzine (50 uM) in mPFC can promote the time of LORR, reduce the time of RORR, and increase the basal level of DOPAC. With this condition, propofol increased HVA instead of DOPAC, whereas the DA was still reduced. These results suggest that propofol may induce unconsciousness by directly inhibiting dopamine release in the mPFC, and this effect does not be mediated by GABAA receptor in mPFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical CollegeZunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Tian Yu
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical CollegeZunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Chengdong Yuan
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical CollegeZunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Jie Yuan
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical CollegeZunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhuxin Luo
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical CollegeZunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yunchao Pan
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical CollegeZunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical CollegeZunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical CollegeZunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Buwei Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of MedicineShanghai, China
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13
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Bredewold R, Schiavo JK, van der Hart M, Verreij M, Veenema AH. Dynamic changes in extracellular release of GABA and glutamate in the lateral septum during social play behavior in juvenile rats: Implications for sex-specific regulation of social play behavior. Neuroscience 2015; 307:117-27. [PMID: 26318330 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Social play is a motivated and rewarding behavior that is displayed by nearly all mammals and peaks in the juvenile period. Moreover, social play is essential for the development of social skills and is impaired in social disorders like autism. We recently showed that the lateral septum (LS) is involved in the regulation of social play behavior in juvenile male and female rats. The LS is largely modulated by GABA and glutamate neurotransmission, but their role in social play behavior is unknown. Here, we determined whether social play behavior is associated with changes in the extracellular release of GABA and glutamate in the LS and to what extent such changes modulate social play behavior in male and female juvenile rats. Using intracerebral microdialysis in freely behaving rats, we found no sex difference in extracellular GABA concentrations, but extracellular glutamate concentrations are higher in males than in females under baseline conditions and during social play. This resulted in a higher glutamate/GABA concentration ratio in males vs. females and thus, an excitatory predominance in the LS of males. Furthermore, social play behavior in both sexes is associated with significant increases in extracellular release of GABA and glutamate in the LS. Pharmacological blockade of GABA-A receptors in the LS with bicuculline (100 ng/0.5 μl, 250 ng/0.5 μl) dose-dependently decreased the duration of social play behavior in both sexes. In contrast, pharmacological blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors (NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptors) in the LS with AP-5+CNQX (2mM+0.4mM/0.5 μl, 30 mM+3mM/0.5 μl) dose-dependently decreased the duration of social play behavior in females, but did not alter social play behavior in males. Together, these data suggest a role for GABA neurotransmission in the LS in the regulation of juvenile social play behavior in both sexes, while glutamate neurotransmission in the LS is involved in the sex-specific regulation of juvenile social play behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Bredewold
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA.
| | - J K Schiavo
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | | | - M Verreij
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - A H Veenema
- Neurobiology of Social Behavior Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
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Sex-specific alterations in behavioral and cognitive functions in a “three hit” animal model of schizophrenia. Behav Brain Res 2015; 284:85-93. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2015] [Revised: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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15
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Locklear MN, Bhamidipaty S, Kritzer MF. Local N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonism in the prefrontal cortex attenuates spatial cognitive deficits induced by gonadectomy in adult male rats. Neuroscience 2014; 288:73-85. [PMID: 25545712 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.12.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 12/11/2014] [Accepted: 12/13/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Gonadectomy in adult male rats significantly impairs spatial working memory, behavioral flexibility and other functions associated with the prefrontal cortex (PFC). However, the mechanisms through which this occurs are largely unknown. In this study, intracortical drug challenge with the selective N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist D(-)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (APV) was combined with Barnes maze testing, gonadectomy (GDX) and hormone replacement (17β-estradiol, testosterone propionate) to explore the contributions of NMDAR-mediated activity within the PFC to hormone effects on spatial cognition in adult male rats. Previous studies have shown that Barnes maze testing reveals significant estrogen-dependent, GDX-induced deficits in spatial working memory and androgen-sensitive, GDX-induced deficits in spatial search strategy. Here we found that bilateral infusion of APV into the medial PFC prior to testing significantly improved both sets of behaviors in gonadectomized rats and significantly worsened performance measures in gonadally intact controls. In hormone-replaced cohorts, we further found that behaviors that are normally similar to controls were significantly disrupted by APV, and those that are normally similar to gonadectomized rats were rescued by intracortical APV infusion. There were, however, no residual effects of APV on retention testing conducted 24h later. Together these findings suggest that hormone regulation of NMDAR-mediated activity specifically within the PFC may be fundamental to the effects of gonadal steroids on spatial cognition in males. Our findings further identify NMDAR antagonists as potentially novel, non-steroidal means of attenuating the cognitive deficits that can accompany gonadal hormone decline in human males in aging, clinical cases of hypogonadalism and in certain neurologic and psychiatric illnesses. Accordingly, it may be important to obtain in males the kind of detailed knowledge concerning hormone effects on, for example, the channel and electrophysiological properties of NMDAR that currently exists for the female brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- M N Locklear
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-5230, United States
| | - S Bhamidipaty
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-5230, United States
| | - M F Kritzer
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York 11794-5230, United States.
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