1
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Liu Q, Luo X, Liang Z, Qin D, Xu M, Wang M, Guo W. Coordination between circadian neural circuit and intracellular molecular clock ensures rhythmic activation of adult neural stem cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318030121. [PMID: 38346182 PMCID: PMC10895264 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318030121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The circadian clock throughout the day organizes the activity of neural stem cells (NSCs) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of adult hippocampus temporally. However, it is still unclear whether and how circadian signals from the niches contribute to daily rhythmic variation of NSC activation. Here, we show that norepinephrinergic (NEergic) projections from the locus coeruleus (LC), a brain arousal system, innervate into adult DG, where daily rhythmic release of norepinephrine (NE) from the LC NEergic neurons controlled circadian variation of NSC activation through β3-adrenoceptors. Disrupted circadian rhythmicity by acute sleep deprivation leads to transient NSC overactivation and NSC pool exhaustion over time, which is effectively ameliorated by the inhibition of the LC NEergic neuronal activity or β3-adrenoceptors-mediated signaling. Finally, we demonstrate that NE/β3-adrenoceptors-mediated signaling regulates NSC activation through molecular clock BMAL1. Therefore, our study unravels that adult NSCs precisely coordinate circadian neural circuit and intrinsic molecular circadian clock to adapt their cellular behavior across the day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Xing Luo
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100093, China
| | - Ziqi Liang
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100093, China
| | - Dezhe Qin
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100093, China
| | - Mingyue Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100093, China
| | - Min Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
| | - Weixiang Guo
- State Key Laboratory for Molecular and Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100101, China
- Graduate School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100093, China
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2
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Kyle Martin W, Schladweiler MC, Oshiro W, Smoot J, Fisher A, Williams W, Valdez M, Miller CN, Jackson TW, Freeborn D, Kim YH, Davies D, Ian Gilmour M, Kodavanti U, Kodavanti P, Hazari MS, Farraj AK. Wildfire-related smoke inhalation worsens cardiovascular risk in sleep disrupted rats. FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2023; 2:1166918. [PMID: 38116203 PMCID: PMC10726696 DOI: 10.3389/fenvh.2023.1166918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Introduction As a lifestyle factor, poor sleep status is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and may be influenced by environmental stressors, including air pollution. Methods To determine whether exposure to air pollution modified cardiovascular effects of sleep disruption, we evaluated the effects of single or repeated (twice/wk for 4 wks) inhalation exposure to eucalyptus wood smoke (ES; 964 μg/m3 for 1 h), a key wildland fire air pollution source, on mild sleep loss in the form of gentle handling in rats. Blood pressure (BP) radiotelemetry and echocardiography were evaluated along with assessments of lung and systemic inflammation, cardiac and hypothalamic gene expression, and heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of cardiac autonomic tone. Results and Discussion GH alone disrupted sleep, as evidenced by active period-like locomotor activity, and increases in BP, heart rate (HR), and hypothalamic expression of the circadian gene Per2. A single bout of sleep disruption and ES, but neither alone, increased HR and BP as rats transitioned into their active period, a period aligned with a critical early morning window for stroke risk in humans. These responses were immediately preceded by reduced HRV, indicating increased cardiac sympathetic tone. In addition, only sleep disrupted rats exposed to ES had increased HR and BP during the final sleep disruption period. These rats also had increased cardiac output and cardiac expression of genes related to adrenergic function, and regulation of vasoconstriction and systemic blood pressure one day after final ES exposure. There was little evidence of lung or systemic inflammation, except for increases in serum LDL cholesterol and alanine aminotransferase. These results suggest that inhaled air pollution increases sleep perturbation-related cardiovascular risk, potentially in part by increased sympathetic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- W. Kyle Martin
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, UNC, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - M. C. Schladweiler
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - W. Oshiro
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - J. Smoot
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - A. Fisher
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - W. Williams
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - M. Valdez
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - C. N. Miller
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - T. W. Jackson
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - D. Freeborn
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - Y. H. Kim
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - D. Davies
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - M. Ian Gilmour
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - U. Kodavanti
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - P. Kodavanti
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - M. S. Hazari
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
| | - A. K. Farraj
- Public Health & Integrated Toxicology Division, US EPA, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States
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3
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Swan J, Boyer S, Westlund K, Bengtsson C, Nordahl G, Törnqvist E. Decreased levels of discomfort in repeatedly handled mice during experimental procedures, assessed by facial expressions. Front Behav Neurosci 2023; 17:1109886. [PMID: 36873771 PMCID: PMC9978997 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2023.1109886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mice are the most commonly used laboratory animal, yet there are limited studies which investigate the effects of repeated handling on their welfare and scientific outcomes. Furthermore, simple methods to evaluate distress in mice are lacking, and specialized behavioral or biochemical tests are often required. Here, two groups of CD1 mice were exposed to either traditional laboratory handling methods or a training protocol with cup lifting for 3 and 5 weeks. The training protocol was designed to habituate the mice to the procedures involved in subcutaneous injection, e.g., removal from the cage, skin pinch. This protocol was followed by two common research procedures: subcutaneous injection and tail vein blood sampling. Two training sessions and the procedures (subcutaneous injection and blood sampling) were video recorded. The mouse facial expressions were then scored, focusing on the ear and eye categories of the mouse grimace scale. Using this assessment method, trained mice expressed less distress than the control mice during subcutaneous injection. Mice trained for subcutaneous injection also had reduced facial scores during blood sampling. We found a clear sex difference as female mice responded to training faster than the male mice, they also had lower facial scores than the male mice when trained. The ear score appeared to be a more sensitive measure of distress than the eye score, which may be more indicative of pain. In conclusion, training is an important refinement method to reduce distress in mice during common laboratory procedures and this can best be assessed using the ear score of the mouse grimace scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Swan
- Research Unit of Biomedicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.,Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Scott Boyer
- Chemotargets SL, Barcelona, Spain.,Global Safety Assessment, AstraZeneca R&D, Södertälje, Sweden
| | | | - Camilla Bengtsson
- Global Safety Assessment, AstraZeneca R&D, Södertälje, Sweden.,Independant Consultant, Strömsund, Sweden
| | | | - Elin Törnqvist
- Global Safety Assessment, AstraZeneca R&D, Södertälje, Sweden.,Department of Animal Health and Antimicrobial Strategies, Swedish National Veterinary Institute (SVA), Uppsala, Sweden.,Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
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4
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Markov DD, Novosadova EV. Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Model of Depression: Possible Sources of Poor Reproducibility and Latent Variables. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:1621. [PMID: 36358321 PMCID: PMC9687170 DOI: 10.3390/biology11111621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mood disorders worldwide. A lack of understanding of the exact neurobiological mechanisms of depression complicates the search for new effective drugs. Animal models are an important tool in the search for new approaches to the treatment of this disorder. All animal models of depression have certain advantages and disadvantages. We often hear that the main drawback of the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model of depression is its poor reproducibility, but rarely does anyone try to find the real causes and sources of such poor reproducibility. Analyzing the articles available in the PubMed database, we tried to identify the factors that may be the sources of the poor reproducibility of CUMS. Among such factors, there may be chronic sleep deprivation, painful stressors, social stress, the difference in sex and age of animals, different stress susceptibility of different animal strains, handling quality, habituation to stressful factors, various combinations of physical and psychological stressors in the CUMS protocol, the influence of olfactory and auditory stimuli on animals, as well as the possible influence of various other factors that are rarely taken into account by researchers. We assume that careful inspection of these factors will increase the reproducibility of the CUMS model between laboratories and allow to make the interpretation of the obtained results and their comparison between laboratories to be more adequate.
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5
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Evolution of an increased performance under acute challenge does not exacerbate vulnerability to chronic stress. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2126. [PMID: 35136150 PMCID: PMC8825808 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06060-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
An adequate stress response plays a vital role in coping with challenges. However, if selection for improved coping with an acute challenge affects the entire stress response system, susceptibility to adverse effects of chronic stressors can be deepened. Here, we used bank voles from lines selected for high swim-induced aerobic metabolism (A) and unselected control (C), and asked if the selection affected sensitivity to chronic mild stress (CMS). The voles were first habituated to daily weighing and feces collection for three weeks, and then for two weeks were exposed to CMS or remained undisturbed. The habituation itself resulted in an increased swim-induced oxygen consumption in both line types, and a decreased body mass. The CMS treatment caused reduction of food consumption in the second week of the experiment, and, in males, a decline in the metabolic rate. Paradoxically, fecal corticosterone metabolites decreased in the CMS-treated group. The response to CMS did not differ between the line types. Thus, the selection for increased performance was not traded off by increased vulnerability to chronic stress. The counter-intuitive results may even lead to a speculation that bank voles—and perhaps also other animals—prefer experiencing unpredictable, unpleasant stressors over the monotony of standard laboratory housing.
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6
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Stenger S, Grasshoff H, Hundt JE, Lange T. Potential effects of shift work on skin autoimmune diseases. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1000951. [PMID: 36865523 PMCID: PMC9972893 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1000951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Shift work is associated with systemic chronic inflammation, impaired host and tumor defense and dysregulated immune responses to harmless antigens such as allergens or auto-antigens. Thus, shift workers are at higher risk to develop a systemic autoimmune disease and circadian disruption with sleep impairment seem to be the key underlying mechanisms. Presumably, disturbances of the sleep-wake cycle also drive skin-specific autoimmune diseases, but epidemiological and experimental evidence so far is scarce. This review summarizes the effects of shift work, circadian misalignment, poor sleep, and the effect of potential hormonal mediators such as stress mediators or melatonin on skin barrier functions and on innate and adaptive skin immunity. Human studies as well as animal models were considered. We will also address advantages and potential pitfalls in animal models of shift work, and possible confounders that could drive skin autoimmune diseases in shift workers such as adverse lifestyle habits and psychosocial influences. Finally, we will outline feasible countermeasures that may reduce the risk of systemic and skin autoimmunity in shift workers, as well as treatment options and highlight outstanding questions that should be addressed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Stenger
- Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Hanna Grasshoff
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Jennifer Elisabeth Hundt
- Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| | - Tanja Lange
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Center for Research on Inflammation of the Skin, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.,Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (CBBM), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
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7
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Bastianini S, Lo Martire V, Alvente S, Berteotti C, Matteoli G, Rullo L, Stamatakos S, Silvani A, Candeletti S, Romualdi P, Cohen G, Zoccoli G. Early-life nicotine or cotinine exposure produces long-lasting sleep alterations and downregulation of hippocampal corticosteroid receptors in adult mice. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23897. [PMID: 34903845 PMCID: PMC8668915 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-03468-5] [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: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Early-life exposure to environmental toxins like tobacco can permanently re-program body structure and function. Here, we investigated the long-term effects on mouse adult sleep phenotype exerted by early-life exposure to nicotine or to its principal metabolite, cotinine. Moreover, we investigated whether these effects occurred together with a reprogramming of the activity of the hippocampus, a key structure to coordinate the hormonal stress response. Adult male mice born from dams subjected to nicotine (NIC), cotinine (COT) or vehicle (CTRL) treatment in drinking water were implanted with electrodes for sleep recordings. NIC and COT mice spent significantly more time awake than CTRL mice at the transition between the rest (light) and the activity (dark) period. NIC and COT mice showed hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor (GR) downregulation compared to CTRL mice, and NIC mice also showed hippocampal mineralocorticoid receptor downregulation. Hippocampal GR expression significantly and inversely correlated with the amount of wakefulness at the light-to-dark transition, while no changes in DNA methylation were found. We demonstrated that early-life exposure to nicotine (and cotinine) concomitantly entails long-lasting reprogramming of hippocampal activity and sleep phenotype suggesting that the adult sleep phenotype may be modulated by events that occurred during that critical period of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Bastianini
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Viviana Lo Martire
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sara Alvente
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Chiara Berteotti
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Gabriele Matteoli
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Rullo
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Serena Stamatakos
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandro Silvani
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sanzio Candeletti
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Patrizia Romualdi
- grid.6292.f0000 0004 1757 1758Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gary Cohen
- grid.4714.60000 0004 1937 0626Department of Women and Child Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden ,grid.412703.30000 0004 0587 9093Centre for Sleep Health and Research, Sleep Investigation Laboratory, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Giovanna Zoccoli
- PRISM Lab, Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Piazza di Porta San Donato 2, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
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8
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Tomar A, Polygalov D, Chattarji S, McHugh TJ. Stress enhances hippocampal neuronal synchrony and alters ripple-spike interaction. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100327. [PMID: 33937446 PMCID: PMC8079661 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse effects of chronic stress include anxiety, depression, and memory deficits. Some of these stress-induced behavioural deficits are mediated by impaired hippocampal function. Much of our current understanding about how stress affects the hippocampus has been derived from post-mortem analyses of brain slices at fixed time points. Consequently, neural signatures of an ongoing stressful experiences in the intact brain of awake animals and their links to later hippocampal dysfunction remain poorly understood. Further, no information is available on the impact of stress on sharp-wave ripples (SPW-Rs), high frequency oscillation transients crucial for memory consolidation. Here, we used in vivo tetrode recordings to analyze the dynamic impact of 10 days of immobilization stress on neural activity in area CA1 of mice. While there was a net decrease in pyramidal cell activity in stressed animals, a greater fraction of CA1 spikes occurred specifically during sharp-wave ripples, resulting in an increase in neuronal synchrony. After repeated stress some of these alterations were visible during rest even in the absence of stress. These findings offer new insights into stress-induced changes in ripple-spike interactions and mechanisms through which chronic stress may interfere with subsequent information processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anupratap Tomar
- Laboratory for Circuit & Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0021, Japan
| | - Denis Polygalov
- Laboratory for Circuit & Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0021, Japan
| | - Sumantra Chattarji
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bellary Road, Bangalore, 560065, India.,Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, Deanery of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, 15 George Square, Edinburgh, EH89XD, UK
| | - Thomas J McHugh
- Laboratory for Circuit & Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0021, Japan
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9
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Efficient training of mice on the 5-choice serial reaction time task in an automated rodent training system. Sci Rep 2020; 10:22362. [PMID: 33349672 PMCID: PMC7752912 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79290-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Experiments aiming to understand sensory-motor systems, cognition and behavior necessitate training animals to perform complex tasks. Traditional training protocols require lab personnel to move the animals between home cages and training chambers, to start and end training sessions, and in some cases, to hand-control each training trial. Human labor not only limits the amount of training per day, but also introduces several sources of variability and may increase animal stress. Here we present an automated training system for the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT), a classic rodent task often used to test sensory detection, sustained attention and impulsivity. We found that full automation without human intervention allowed rapid, cost-efficient training, and decreased stress as measured by corticosterone levels. Training breaks introduced only a transient drop in performance, and mice readily generalized across training systems when transferred from automated to manual protocols. We further validated our automated training system with wireless optogenetics and pharmacology experiments, expanding the breadth of experimental needs our system may fulfill. Our automated 5CSRTT system can serve as a prototype for fully automated behavioral training, with methods and principles transferrable to a range of rodent tasks.
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10
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Nollet M, Wisden W, Franks NP. Sleep deprivation and stress: a reciprocal relationship. Interface Focus 2020; 10:20190092. [PMID: 32382403 PMCID: PMC7202382 DOI: 10.1098/rsfs.2019.0092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is highly conserved across evolution, suggesting vital biological functions that are yet to be fully understood. Animals and humans experiencing partial sleep restriction usually exhibit detrimental physiological responses, while total and prolonged sleep loss could lead to death. The perturbation of sleep homeostasis is usually accompanied by an increase in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity, leading to a rise in circulating levels of stress hormones (e.g. cortisol in humans, corticosterone in rodents). Such hormones follow a circadian release pattern under undisturbed conditions and participate in the regulation of sleep. The investigation of the consequences of sleep deprivation, from molecular changes to behavioural alterations, has been used to study the fundamental functions of sleep. However, the reciprocal relationship between sleep and the activity of the HPA axis is problematic when investigating sleep using traditional sleep-deprivation protocols that can induce stress per se. This is especially true in studies using rodents in which sleep deprivation is achieved by exogenous, and potentially stressful, sensory–motor stimulations that can undoubtedly confuse their conclusions. While more research is needed to explore the mechanisms underlying sleep loss and health, avoiding stress as a confounding factor in sleep-deprivation studies is therefore crucial. This review examines the evidence of the intricate links between sleep and stress in the context of experimental sleep deprivation, and proposes a more sophisticated research framework for sleep-deprivation procedures that could benefit from recent progress in biotechnological tools for precise neuromodulation, such as chemogenetics and optogenetics, as well as improved automated real-time sleep-scoring algorithms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Nollet
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - William Wisden
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, London, UK.,Centre for Neurotechnology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Nicholas P Franks
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK.,UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London, London, UK.,Centre for Neurotechnology, Imperial College London, London, UK
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11
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Does the Stress of Laboratory Life and Experimentation on Animals Adversely Affect Research Data? A Critical Review. Altern Lab Anim 2018; 46:291-305. [DOI: 10.1177/026119291804600501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recurrent acute and/or chronic stress can affect all vertebrate species, and can have serious consequences. It is increasingly and widely appreciated that laboratory animals experience significant and repeated stress, which is unavoidable and is caused by many aspects of laboratory life, such as captivity, transport, noise, handling, restraint and other procedures, as well as the experimental procedures applied to them. Such stress is difficult to mitigate, and lack of significant desensitisation/habituation can result in considerable psychological and physiological welfare problems, which are mediated by the activation of various neuroendocrine networks that have numerous and pervasive effects. Psychological damage can be reflected in stereotypical behaviours, including repetitive pacing and circling, and even self-harm. Physical consequences include adverse effects on immune function, inflammatory responses, metabolism, and disease susceptibility and progression. Further, some of these effects are epigenetic, and are therefore potentially transgenerational: the biology of animals whose parents/grandparents were wild-caught and/or have experienced chronic stress in laboratories could be altered, as compared to free-living individuals. It is argued that these effects must have consequences for the reliability of experimental data and their extrapolation to humans, and this may not be recognised sufficiently among those who use animals in experiments.
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12
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Balzani E, Falappa M, Balci F, Tucci V. An approach to monitoring home-cage behavior in mice that facilitates data sharing. Nat Protoc 2018; 13:1331-1347. [PMID: 29773907 DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2018.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Genetically modified mice are used as models for a variety of human behavioral conditions. However, behavioral phenotyping can be a major bottleneck in mouse genetics because many of the classic protocols are too long and/or are vulnerable to unaccountable sources of variance, leading to inconsistent results between centers. We developed a home-cage approach using a Chora feeder that is controlled by-and sends data to-software. In this approach, mice are tested in the standard cages in which they are held for husbandry, which removes confounding variables such as the stress induced by out-of-cage testing. This system increases the throughput of data gathering from individual animals and facilitates data mining by offering new opportunities for multimodal data comparisons. In this protocol, we use a simple work-for-food testing strategy as an example application, but the approach can be adapted for other experiments looking at, e.g., attention, decision-making or memory. The spontaneous behavioral activity of mice in performing the behavioral task can be monitored 24 h a day for several days, providing an integrated assessment of the circadian profiles of different behaviors. We developed a Python-based open-source analytical platform (Phenopy) that is accessible to scientists with no programming background and can be used to design and control such experiments, as well as to collect and share data. This approach is suitable for large-scale studies involving multiple laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Balzani
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Matteo Falappa
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy.,Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Riabilitazione, Oftalmologia, Genetica e Scienze Materno-Infantili (DINOGMI), Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - Fuat Balci
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.,Research Center for Translational Medicine, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Valter Tucci
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
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13
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Repeated Neck Restraint Stress Bidirectionally Modulates Excitatory Transmission in the Dentate Gyrus and Performance in a Hippocampus-dependent Memory Task. Neuroscience 2018; 379:32-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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14
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Logan S, Owen D, Chen S, Chen WJ, Ungvari Z, Farley J, Csiszar A, Sharpe A, Loos M, Koopmans B, Richardson A, Sonntag WE. Simultaneous assessment of cognitive function, circadian rhythm, and spontaneous activity in aging mice. GeroScience 2018; 40:123-137. [PMID: 29687240 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-018-0019-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive function declines substantially with age in both humans and animal models. In humans, this decline is associated with decreases in independence and quality of life. Although the methodology for analysis of cognitive function in human models is relatively well established, similar analyses in animal models have many technical issues (e.g., unintended experimenter bias, motivational issues, stress, and testing during the light phase of the light dark cycle) that limit interpretation of the results. These caveats, and others, potentially bias the interpretation of studies in rodents and prevent the application of current tests of learning and memory as part of an overall healthspan assessment in rodent models of aging. The goal of this study was to establish the methodology to assess cognitive function in aging animals that addresses many of these concerns. Here, we use a food reward-based discrimination procedure with minimal stress in C57Bl/6J male mice at 6, 21, and 27 months of age, followed by a reversal task to assess behavioral flexibility. Importantly, the procedures minimize issues related to between-experimenter confounds and are conducted during both the dark and light phases of the light dark cycle in a home-cage setting. During cognitive testing, we were able to assess multiple measures of spontaneous movement and diurnal activity in young and aged mice including, distance moved, velocity, and acceleration over a 90-h period. Both initial discrimination and reversal learning significantly decreased with age and, similar to rats and humans, not all old mice demonstrated impairments in learning with age. These results permitted classification of animals based on their cognitive status. Analysis of movement parameters indicated decreases in distance moved as well as velocity and acceleration with increasing age. Based on these data, we developed preliminary models indicating, as in humans, a close relationship exists between age-related movement parameters and cognitive ability. Our results provide a reliable method for assessing cognitive performance with minimal stress and simultaneously provide key information on movement and diurnal activity. These methods represent a novel approach to developing non-invasive healthspan measures in rodent models that allow standardization across laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreemathi Logan
- Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10TH Street, SLY-BRC 1303, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA.
| | - Daniel Owen
- Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10TH Street, SLY-BRC 1303, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Sixia Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Wei-Jen Chen
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Zoltan Ungvari
- Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10TH Street, SLY-BRC 1303, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Julie Farley
- Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10TH Street, SLY-BRC 1303, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Anna Csiszar
- Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10TH Street, SLY-BRC 1303, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - Amanda Sharpe
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics BV), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Arlan Richardson
- Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10TH Street, SLY-BRC 1303, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
| | - William E Sonntag
- Reynolds Oklahoma Center on Aging, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 975 NE 10TH Street, SLY-BRC 1303, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA
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15
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Bailey J. Does the stress inherent to laboratory life and experimentation on animals adversely affect research data? Altern Lab Anim 2018; 45:299-301. [PMID: 29313701 DOI: 10.1177/026119291704500605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Stress and distress in laboratory animals is often inherent and unavoidable. The effect of these factors on the reliability and relevance of experimental data is not sufficiently appreciated. Greater awareness, debate and discussion of this issue are urgently required
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16
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The Effect of Gentle Handling on Depressive-Like Behavior in Adult Male Mice: Considerations for Human and Rodent Interactions in the Laboratory. Behav Neurol 2018; 2018:2976014. [PMID: 29692869 PMCID: PMC5859797 DOI: 10.1155/2018/2976014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental factors play a significant role in well-being of laboratory animals. Regulations and guidelines recommend, if not require, that stressors such as bright lighting, smells, and noises are eliminated or reduced to maximize animal well-being. A factor that is often overlooked is handling and how researchers interact with their animals. Researchers, lab assistants, and husbandry staff in animal facilities may use inconsistent handling methods when interacting with rodents, but humans should be considered a part of the animal's social environment. This study examined the effects of different handling techniques on depressive-like behavior, measured by the Porsolt forced swim test, in adult C57BL/6J male mice. The same two researchers handled the mice in a gentle, aggressive, or minimal (control) fashion over approximately two weeks prior to testing. The results demonstrated a beneficial effect of gentle handling: gentle handling reduced swimming immobility in the forced swim test compared to mice that were aggressively or minimally handled. We argue that gentle handling, rather than methodical handling, can foster a better relationship between the handlers and rodents. Although handling is not standardized across labs, consistent gentle handling allows for less challenging behavioral testing, better data collection, and overall improved animal welfare.
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17
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Voikar V, Krackow S, Lipp HP, Rau A, Colacicco G, Wolfer DP. Automated dissection of permanent effects of hippocampal or prefrontal lesions on performance at spatial, working memory and circadian timing tasks of C57BL/6 mice in IntelliCage. Behav Brain Res 2017; 352:8-22. [PMID: 28927717 PMCID: PMC6102415 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2017.08.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2017] [Revised: 08/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
To evaluate permanent effects of hippocampal and prefrontal cortex lesion on spatial tasks, lesioned and sham-operated female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to a series of conditioning schemes in IntelliCages housing 8–10 transponder-tagged mice from each treatment group. Sequential testing started at 51–172 days after bilateral lesions and lasted for 154 and 218 days in two batches of mice, respectively. Spontaneous undisturbed behavioral patterns clearly separated the three groups, hippocampals being characterized by more erratic hyperactivity, and strongly impaired circadian synchronization ability. Hippocampal lesions led to deficits in spatial passive avoidance, as well as in spatial reference and working memory tasks. Impairment was minimal in rewarded preference/reversal schemes, but prominent if behavioral responses required precise circadian timing or included punishment of wrong spatial choices. No differences between sham-operated and prefrontally lesioned subjects in conditioning success were discernible. These results corroborate the view that hippocampal dysfunction spares simple spatial learning tasks but impairs the ability to cope with conflicting task-inherent spatial, temporal or emotional cues. Methodologically, the results show that automated testing and data analysis of socially kept mice is a powerful, efficient and animal-friendly tool for dissecting complex features and behavioral profiles of hippocampal dysfunction characterizing many transgenic or pharmacological mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vootele Voikar
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Switzerland; Neuroscience Center, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sven Krackow
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Switzerland; XBehavior GmbH, Bänk, Dägerlen, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Peter Lipp
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Switzerland; Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zürich, Switzerland; School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
| | - Anton Rau
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Switzerland; Chair of Entrepreneurial Risks, Department of Management, Technology, and Economics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - David P Wolfer
- Institute of Anatomy, University of Zürich, Switzerland; Institute of Human Movement Sciences and Sport, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
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18
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Dhawale AK, Poddar R, Wolff SB, Normand VA, Kopelowitz E, Ölveczky BP. Automated long-term recording and analysis of neural activity in behaving animals. eLife 2017; 6:27702. [PMID: 28885141 PMCID: PMC5619984 DOI: 10.7554/elife.27702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Addressing how neural circuits underlie behavior is routinely done by measuring electrical activity from single neurons in experimental sessions. While such recordings yield snapshots of neural dynamics during specified tasks, they are ill-suited for tracking single-unit activity over longer timescales relevant for most developmental and learning processes, or for capturing neural dynamics across different behavioral states. Here we describe an automated platform for continuous long-term recordings of neural activity and behavior in freely moving rodents. An unsupervised algorithm identifies and tracks the activity of single units over weeks of recording, dramatically simplifying the analysis of large datasets. Months-long recordings from motor cortex and striatum made and analyzed with our system revealed remarkable stability in basic neuronal properties, such as firing rates and inter-spike interval distributions. Interneuronal correlations and the representation of different movements and behaviors were similarly stable. This establishes the feasibility of high-throughput long-term extracellular recordings in behaving animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashesh K Dhawale
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.,Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Rajesh Poddar
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.,Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Steffen Be Wolff
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.,Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Valentin A Normand
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.,Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Evi Kopelowitz
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.,Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
| | - Bence P Ölveczky
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States.,Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, United States
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19
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Tohyama C. Developmental neurotoxicity test guidelines: problems and perspectives. J Toxicol Sci 2017; 41:SP69-SP79. [PMID: 28250285 DOI: 10.2131/jts.41.sp69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Epidemiologic evidence has demonstrated associations between early life exposure to industrial chemicals and the occurrence of disease states, including cognitive and behavioral abnormalities, in children. The developing brain in the fetal and infantile periods is extremely vulnerable to chemicals because the blood-brain barrier is not completely formed during these periods. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) test guideline, TG426, updated in 2007, comprises in vivo behavioral observational tests and other tests intended to assess DNT induced by exposure to industrial chemicals. These chemicals may enter the market without having been subjected to DNT testing, as DNT test data is not mandated by law at the time of chemical registration. In addition, proprietary rights have led to problems concerning the non-disclosure of industrial chemical toxicity test data, including DNT test data. To overcome the disadvantages of high-cost and low time efficiency of in vivo DNT tests, in vitro or in silico tests are the proposed alternatives, but it is unlikely that the results of such tests would reflect changes in higher brain functions. Accordingly, the current DNT test guidelines need to be revised to avoid overlooking or neglecting the occurrence of DNT induced by exposure to low doses of chemicals. This review also proposes the introduction of novel in vivo DNT testing methods in light of a cost-performance analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiharu Tohyama
- Health, Environment, Science and Technology International Consulting (HESTIC)
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20
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Remmelink E, Chau U, Smit AB, Verhage M, Loos M. A one-week 5-choice serial reaction time task to measure impulsivity and attention in adult and adolescent mice. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42519. [PMID: 28198416 PMCID: PMC5309744 DOI: 10.1038/srep42519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many psychiatric disorders emerge during adolescence. The study of executive functions in animal models of these disorders critically requires short-duration tasks measuring these functions before the animal ages. Here, a novel 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT) protocol is presented, to measure attention and impulsivity within one week, without scheduled food deprivation and with little animal handling. Mice were allowed 24-h/day task access from their home-cage, during which they could self-pace task progression and earn unlimited food rewards depending on task performance. Manipulation of task parameters in this self-paced 5-CSRTT protocol (SP-5C) affected attentional performance and impulsivity to a similar extent as previously observed in the 5-CSRTT. Task activity followed intrinsic circadian rhythm, distinctive for the SP-5C protocol, with task performance stable over the day. The sensitivity of the SP-5C protocol to detect strain differences between C57BL/6J, DBA/2 J, BXD16 and BXD62 mice was demonstrated as well as its suitability for testing adolescent mice. Acute administration of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist scopolamine impaired attentional performance, providing initial pharmacological validation of the task. The SP-5C substantially shortens the assessment of impulsivity and attention, increases test efficiency and enables the assessment of adolescent mouse models of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Remmelink
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Uyen Chau
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - August B. Smit
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Verhage
- Department of Functional Genomics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Neuroscience Campus Amsterdam, VU University, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maarten Loos
- Sylics (Synaptologics B.V.), 1008 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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21
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Brager AJ, Heemstra L, Bhambra R, Ehlen JC, Esser KA, Paul KN, Novak CM. Homeostatic effects of exercise and sleep on metabolic processes in mice with an overexpressed skeletal muscle clock. Biochimie 2017; 132:161-165. [PMID: 27916643 PMCID: PMC5191931 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2016.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Brain and muscle-ARNT-like factor (Bmal1/BMAL1) is an essential transcriptional/translational factor of circadian clocks. Loss of function of Bmal1/BMAL1 is highly disruptive to physiological and behavioral processes. In light of these previous findings, we examined if transgenic overexpression of Bmal1/BMAL1 in skeletal muscle could alter metabolic processes. First, we characterized in vivo and ex vivo metabolic phenotypes of muscle overexpressed mice (male and female) compared to wild-type littermates (WT). Second, we examined in vivo and ex vivo metabolic processes in the presence of positive and negative homeostatic challenges: high-intensity treadmill running (positive) and acute sleep deprivation (negative). In vivo measures of metabolic processes included body composition, respiratory exchange ratio (RER; VCO2/VO2), energy expenditure, total activity counts, and food intake collected from small animal indirect calorimetry. Ex vivo measure of insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle was determined from radioassays. RER was lower for muscle overexpressed females compared to female WTs. There were no genotype-dependent differences in metabolic phenotypes for males. With homeostatic challenges, muscle overexpressed mice had lower energy expenditure after high-intensity treadmill running. Acute sleep deprivation reduced insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle in overexpressed male mice, but not male WTs. The present study contributes to a body of evidence showing pleiotropic, non-circadian, and homeostatic effects of altered Bmal1/BMAL1 expression on metabolic processes, demonstrating a critical need to further investigate the broad and complex actions of Bmal1/BMAL1 on physiology and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison J Brager
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
| | - Lydia Heemstra
- Department of Biological Sciences and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - Raman Bhambra
- Department of Biological Sciences and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
| | - J Christopher Ehlen
- Department of Neurobiology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30310, USA
| | - Karyn A Esser
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Ketema N Paul
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Colleen M Novak
- Department of Biological Sciences and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, 44242, USA
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22
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Krishnan HC, Gandour CE, Ramos JL, Wrinkle MC, Sanchez-Pacheco JJ, Lyons LC. Acute Sleep Deprivation Blocks Short- and Long-Term Operant Memory in Aplysia. Sleep 2016; 39:2161-2171. [PMID: 27748243 DOI: 10.5665/sleep.6320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Insufficient sleep in individuals appears increasingly common due to the demands of modern work schedules and technology use. Consequently, there is a growing need to understand the interactions between sleep deprivation and memory. The current study determined the effects of acute sleep deprivation on short and long-term associative memory using the marine mollusk Aplysia californica, a relatively simple model system well known for studies of learning and memory. METHODS Aplysia were sleep deprived for 9 hours using context changes and tactile stimulation either prior to or after training for the operant learning paradigm, learning that food is inedible (LFI). The effects of sleep deprivation on short-term (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) were assessed. RESULTS Acute sleep deprivation prior to LFI training impaired the induction of STM and LTM with persistent effects lasting at least 24 h. Sleep deprivation immediately after training blocked the consolidation of LTM. However, sleep deprivation following the period of molecular consolidation did not affect memory recall. Memory impairments were independent of handling-induced stress, as daytime handled control animals demonstrated no memory deficits. Additional training immediately after sleep deprivation failed to rescue the induction of memory, but additional training alleviated the persistent impairment in memory induction when training occurred 24 h following sleep deprivation. CONCLUSIONS Acute sleep deprivation inhibited the induction and consolidation, but not the recall of memory. These behavioral studies establish Aplysia as an effective model system for studying the interactions between sleep and memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harini C Krishnan
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.,Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
| | | | - Joshua L Ramos
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
| | - Mariah C Wrinkle
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
| | | | - Lisa C Lyons
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL.,Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL
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23
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Measuring discrimination- and reversal learning in mouse models within 4 days and without prior food deprivation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 23:660-667. [PMID: 27918287 PMCID: PMC5066605 DOI: 10.1101/lm.042085.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Many neurological and psychiatric disorders are characterized by deficits in cognitive flexibility. Modeling cognitive flexibility in mice enables the investigation of mechanisms underlying these deficits. The majority of currently available behavioral tests targeting this cognitive domain are reversal learning tasks that require scheduled food restriction, extended training periods and labor-intensive, and stress-inducing animal handling. Here, we describe a novel 4-day (4-d) continuously running task measuring discrimination- and reversal learning in an automated home cage (CognitionWall DL/RL task) that largely eliminates these limitations. In this task, mice can earn unlimited number of food rewards by passing through the correct hole of the three-holed CognitionWall. To assess the validity and sensitivity of this novel task, the performance of C57BL/6J mice, amyloid precursor protein/presenilin1 transgenic (APP/PS1) mice, α-calmodulin kinase-II (αCaMKII) T305D knock-in mice, and mice with an orbitofrontal cortex lesion were examined. We found that C57BL/6J mice reach stable performance levels within the 4 d of the task, while experiencing only slight reductions in weight and no major effects on circadian rhythm. The task detected learning deficits in APP/PS1 transgenic and αCaMKII T305D mutant mice. Additionally, we established that the orbitofrontal cortex underlies reversal learning performance in our task. Because of its short duration and the absence of food deprivation and concurrent weight loss, this novel automated home-cage task substantially improves comprehensive preclinical assessment of cognitive functions in mouse models of psychiatric and neurological disorders and also enables analysis during specific developmental stages.
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24
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Smith PF, Renner RM, Haslett SJ. Compositional data in neuroscience: If you’ve got it, log it! J Neurosci Methods 2016; 271:154-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2016.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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25
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Onaolapo JO, Onaolapo YA, Akanmu AM, Olayiwola G. Caffeine and sleep-deprivation mediated changes in open-field behaviours, stress response and antioxidant status in mice. Sleep Sci 2016; 9:236-243. [PMID: 28123668 PMCID: PMC5241623 DOI: 10.1016/j.slsci.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 10/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Effects of daily caffeine consumption on open-field behaviours, serum corticosterone and brain antioxidant levels were investigated after six hours of total sleep-deprivation in prepubertal mice. We tested the hypothesis that daily caffeine consumption may significantly alter behaviour, stress and antioxidative response of prepubertal mice to an acute episode of total sleep-deprivation. METHODS Prepubertal Swiss mice of both sexes were assigned to two main groups of 120 each (subdivided into 6 groups of 10 each, based on sex), and administered vehicle or graded oral doses of caffeine (10, 20, 40, 80 and 120 mg/kg/day) for 14 days. On day 14, a main group was subjected to 6 h of total sleep-deprivation by 'gentle-handling'. Open-field behaviours were then assessed in both groups, after which animals were euthanized, and levels of corticosterone, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase assayed. RESULTS Horizontal locomotion, rearing and grooming increased significantly, compared to control, with sleep-deprived (SD) mice showing stronger caffeine-driven responses at higher doses; and SD female mice showing sustained response to caffeine, compared to respective males. Plasma corticosterone increased with increasing doses of caffeine in both non sleep-deprived (NSD) and SD mice; although SD mice had higher corticosterone levels. Sleep-deprivation and/or higher doses of caffeine were associated with derangements in brain antioxidant levels. CONCLUSION Repeated caffeine consumption and/or acute sleep-deprivation led to significant changes in pattern of open-field behaviour and stress/antioxidant response in mice. Responses seen in the study are probably due to modulatory effects of caffeine on the total body response to stressful stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Olakunle Onaolapo
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Osun, Nigeria
| | - Y. Adejoke Onaolapo
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - A. Moses Akanmu
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile, Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Gbola Olayiwola
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Administration, Faculty of Pharmacy, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile, Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
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26
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Sun Y, Zhan L, Cheng X, Zhang L, Hu J, Gao Z. The Regulation of GluN2A by Endogenous and Exogenous Regulators in the Central Nervous System. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2016; 37:389-403. [PMID: 27255970 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-016-0388-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The NMDA receptor is the most widely studied ionotropic glutamate receptor, and it is central to many physiological and pathophysiological processes in the central nervous system. GluN2A is one of the two main types of GluN2 NMDA receptor subunits in the forebrain. The proper activity of GluN2A is important to brain function, as the abnormal regulation of GluN2A may induce some neuropsychiatric disorders. This review will examine the regulation of GluN2A by endogenous and exogenous regulators in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjun Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Yuhua East Road 70, Shijiazhuang, 050018, People's Republic of China.,Hebei Research Center of Pharmaceutical and Chemical Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, 050018, People's Republic of China
| | - Liying Zhan
- Department of Pharmacy, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Yuhua East Road 70, Shijiazhuang, 050018, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaokun Cheng
- North China Pharmaceutical Group New Drug Research and Development Co., Ltd, Shijiazhuang, 050015, People's Republic of China
| | - Linan Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Hu
- School of Nursing, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, People's Republic of China
| | - Zibin Gao
- Department of Pharmacy, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Yuhua East Road 70, Shijiazhuang, 050018, People's Republic of China. .,Hebei Research Center of Pharmaceutical and Chemical Engineering, Hebei University of Science and Technology, Shijiazhuang, 050018, People's Republic of China. .,State Key Laboratory Breeding Base-Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry for Drug, Shijiazhuang, 050018, People's Republic of China.
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Tékus V, Horváth Á, Hajna Z, Borbély É, Bölcskei K, Boros M, Pintér E, Helyes Z, Pethő G, Szolcsányi J. Noxious heat threshold temperature and pronociceptive effects of allyl isothiocyanate (mustard oil) in TRPV1 or TRPA1 gene-deleted mice. Life Sci 2016; 154:66-74. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2016.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Revised: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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Orikasa S, Nabeshima K, Iwabuchi N, Xiao JZ. Effect of repeated oral administration of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 on apomorphine-induced rearing behavior in mice. BIOSCIENCE OF MICROBIOTA FOOD AND HEALTH 2016; 35:141-5. [PMID: 27508116 PMCID: PMC4965519 DOI: 10.12938/bmfh.2016-004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric illness. Disruption of the dopaminergic system has been suggested to
be the pathogenic cause of this disease. The effect of Bifidobacterium longum BB536 (BB536)
on schizophrenic behavior was investigated in an animal model. Daily administration of BB536 (109
CFU/mouse, p.o. for 2 weeks) was found to reduce rearing behavior augmented by the dopamine receptor agonist
apomorphine and to decrease the resting level of plasma corticosterone and the ratio of kynurenine to
tryptophan. These results suggest the potential of BB536 for supplemental treatment of the symptoms of
schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuzo Orikasa
- Next Generation Science Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., 5-1-83 Higashihara, Zama, Kanagawa 252-8583, Japan
| | - Kazumi Nabeshima
- Food Ingredients and Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., 5-1-83 Higashihara, Zama, Kanagawa 252-8583, Japan
| | - Noriyuki Iwabuchi
- Food Ingredients and Technology Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., 5-1-83 Higashihara, Zama, Kanagawa 252-8583, Japan
| | - Jin-Zhong Xiao
- Next Generation Science Institute, Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., 5-1-83 Higashihara, Zama, Kanagawa 252-8583, Japan
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Sleep disruption impairs haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in mice. Nat Commun 2015; 6:8516. [PMID: 26465715 PMCID: PMC4621781 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 09/02/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many of the factors affecting the success of haematopoietic cell transplantation are still unknown. Here we show in mice that donor sleep deprivation reduces the ability of its haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to engraft and reconstitute the blood and bone marrow of an irradiated recipient by more than 50%. We demonstrate that sleep deprivation downregulates the expression of microRNA (miR)-19b, a negative regulator of the suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS) genes, which inhibit HSC migration and homing. Accordingly, HSCs from sleep-deprived mice have higher levels of SOCS genes expression, lower migration capacity in vitro and reduced homing to the bone marrow in vivo. Recovery of sleep after sleep deprivation restored the reconstitution potential of the HSCs. Taken together, this study provides insights into cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of sleep deprivation on HSCs, emphasizing the potentially critical role of donor sleep in the success of bone marrow transplantation.
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Toth LA. The influence of the cage environment on rodent physiology and behavior: Implications for reproducibility of pre-clinical rodent research. Exp Neurol 2015; 270:72-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2015.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 04/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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Ghosal S, Nunley A, Mahbod P, Lewis AG, Smith EP, Tong J, D'Alessio DA, Herman JP. Mouse handling limits the impact of stress on metabolic endpoints. Physiol Behav 2015; 150:31-7. [PMID: 26079207 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Studies focused on end-points that are confounded by stress are best performed under minimally stressful conditions. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the impact of handling designed to reduce animal stress on measurements of glucose tolerance. A cohort of mice (CD1.C57BL/6) naïve to any specific handling was subjected to either a previously described "cup" handling method, or a "tail-picked" method in which the animals were picked up by the tail (as is common for metabolic studies). Following training, an elevated plus maze (EPM) test was performed followed by measurement of blood glucose and plasma corticosterone. A second cohort (CD1.C57BL/6) was rendered obese by exposure to a high fat diet, handled with either the tail-picked or cup method and subjected to an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. A third cohort of C57BL/6 mice was exposed to a cup regimen that included a component of massage and was subjected to tests of anxiety-like behavior, glucose homeostasis, and corticosterone secretion. We found that the cup mice showed reduced anxiety-like behaviors in the EPM coupled with a reduction in blood glucose levels compared to mice handled by the tail-picked method. Additionally, cup mice on the high fat diet exhibited improved glucose tolerance compared to tail-picked controls. Finally, we found that the cup/massage group showed lower glucose levels following an overnight fast, and decreased anxiety-like behaviors associated with lower stress-induced plasma corticosterone concentration compared to tail-picked controls. These data demonstrate that application of handling methods that reduce anxiety-like behaviors in mice mitigates the confounding contribution of stress to interpretation of metabolic endpoints (such as glucose tolerance).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriparna Ghosal
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States.
| | - Amanda Nunley
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Parinaz Mahbod
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Alfor G Lewis
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Eric P Smith
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - Jenny Tong
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - David A D'Alessio
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
| | - James P Herman
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45237, United States
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Animal Models of Depression and Drug Delivery with Food as an Effective Dosing Method: Evidences from Studies with Celecoxib and Dicholine Succinate. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:596126. [PMID: 26064929 PMCID: PMC4433645 DOI: 10.1155/2015/596126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 12/05/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Multiple models of human neuropsychiatric pathologies have been generated during the last decades which frequently use chronic dosing. Unfortunately, some drug administration methods may result in undesirable effects creating analysis confounds hampering model validity and preclinical assay outcomes. Here, automated analysis of floating behaviour, a sign of a depressive-like state, revealed that mice, subjected to a three-week intraperitoneal injection regimen, had increased floating. In order to probe an alternative dosing design that would preclude this effect, we studied the efficacy of a low dose of the antidepressant imipramine (7 mg/kg/day) delivered via food pellets. Antidepressant action for this treatment was found while no other behavioural effects were observed. We further investigated the potential efficacy of chronic dosing via food pellets by testing the antidepressant activity of new drug candidates, celecoxib (30 mg/kg/day) and dicholine succinate (50 mg/kg/day), against standard antidepressants, imipramine (7 mg/kg/day) and citalopram (15 mg/kg/day), utilizing the forced swim and tail suspension tests. Antidepressant effects of these compounds were found in both assays. Thus, chronic dosing via food pellets is efficacious in small rodents, even with a low drug dose design, and can prevail against potential confounds in translational research within depression models applicable to adverse chronic invasive pharmacotherapies.
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Cline BH, Costa-Nunes JP, Cespuglio R, Markova N, Santos AI, Bukhman YV, Kubatiev A, Steinbusch HWM, Lesch KP, Strekalova T. Dicholine succinate, the neuronal insulin sensitizer, normalizes behavior, REM sleep, hippocampal pGSK3 beta and mRNAs of NMDA receptor subunits in mouse models of depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:37. [PMID: 25767439 PMCID: PMC4341562 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Central insulin receptor-mediated signaling is attracting the growing attention of researchers because of rapidly accumulating evidence implicating it in the mechanisms of plasticity, stress response, and neuropsychiatric disorders including depression. Dicholine succinate (DS), a mitochondrial complex II substrate, was shown to enhance insulin-receptor mediated signaling in neurons and is regarded as a sensitizer of the neuronal insulin receptor. Compounds enhancing neuronal insulin receptor-mediated transmission exert an antidepressant-like effect in several pre-clinical paradigms of depression; similarly, such properties for DS were found with a stress-induced anhedonia model. Here, we additionally studied the effects of DS on several variables which were ameliorated by other insulin receptor sensitizers in mice. Pre-treatment with DS of chronically stressed C57BL6 mice rescued normal contextual fear conditioning, hippocampal gene expression of NMDA receptor subunit NR2A, the NR2A/NR2B ratio and increased REM sleep rebound after acute predation. In 18-month-old C57BL6 mice, a model of elderly depression, DS restored normal sucrose preference and activated the expression of neural plasticity factors in the hippocampus as shown by Illumina microarray. Finally, young naïve DS-treated C57BL6 mice had reduced depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors and, similarly to imipramine-treated mice, preserved hippocampal levels of the phosphorylated (inactive) form of GSK3 beta that was lowered by forced swimming in pharmacologically naïve animals. Thus, DS can ameliorate behavioral and molecular outcomes under a variety of stress- and depression-related conditions. This further highlights neuronal insulin signaling as a new factor of pathogenesis and a potential pharmacotherapy of affective pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon H Cline
- Faculté de Médecine, INSERM U1119, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg Strasbourg, France
| | - Joao P Costa-Nunes
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands ; Group of Behavioural Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Institute for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, New University of Lisbon Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Raymond Cespuglio
- Faculty of Medicine, Neuroscience Research Center of Lyon, INSERM U1028, C. Bernard University Lyon, France
| | - Natalyia Markova
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Screening, Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia ; Laboratory of Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Moscow, Russia
| | - Ana I Santos
- Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Yury V Bukhman
- Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Computational Biology, Wisconsin Energy Institute, University of Wisconsin Madison, WI, USA
| | - Aslan Kubatiev
- Laboratory of Cognitive Dysfunctions, Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands ; Laboratory of Translational Neuroscience, Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Centre of Mental Health, University of Wuerzburg Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Tatyana Strekalova
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University Maastricht, Netherlands ; Group of Behavioural Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Institute for Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, New University of Lisbon Lisbon, Portugal ; Laboratory of Biomolecular Screening, Institute of Physiologically Active Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia
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Gray JM, Chaouloff F, Hill MN. To stress or not to stress: a question of models. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 70:8.33.1-8.33.22. [PMID: 25559007 DOI: 10.1002/0471142301.ns0833s70] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Stress research is a rapidly evolving field that encompasses numerous disciplines ranging from neuroscience to metabolism. With many new researchers migrating into the field, navigating the hows and whys of specific research questions can sometimes be enigmatic given the availability of so many models in the stress field. Additionally, as with every field, there are many seemingly minor experimental details that can have dramatic influences on data interpretation, although many of these are unknown to those not familiar with the field. The aim of this overview is to provide some suggestions and points to guide researchers moving into the stress field and highlight relevant methodological points that they should consider when choosing a model for stress and deciding how to structure a study. We briefly provide a primer on the basics of endpoint measurements in the stress field, factors to consider when choosing a model for acute stress, the difference between repeated and chronic stress, and importantly, influencing variables that modulate endpoints of analysis in stress work.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Megan Gray
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Francis Chaouloff
- Endocannabinoids and NeuroAdaptation, Neurocentre INSERM U862, University Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux, France
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Yap IKS, Kho MT, Lim SHE, Ismail NH, Yam WK, Chong CW. Acclimatisation-induced stress influenced host metabolic and gut microbial composition change. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2015; 11:297-306. [DOI: 10.1039/c4mb00463a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
An integrated metabonomics and metagenomics approach utilised here showed that acclimatisation-induced stress leads to host metabolic and gut microbiotal changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan K. S. Yap
- Life Sciences Department
- School of Pharmacy
- International Medical University
- 57000 Kuala Lumpur
- Malaysia
| | - Mee Teck Kho
- School of Postgraduate Studies and Research
- International Medical University
- 57000 Kuala Lumpur
- Malaysia
| | | | - Nor Hadiani Ismail
- Atta-ur-Rahman Institute for Natural Products Discovery
- Universiti Teknologi MARA
- 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam
- Malaysia
| | - Wai Keat Yam
- Life Sciences Department
- School of Pharmacy
- International Medical University
- 57000 Kuala Lumpur
- Malaysia
| | - Chun Wie Chong
- Life Sciences Department
- School of Pharmacy
- International Medical University
- 57000 Kuala Lumpur
- Malaysia
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Van Kempen TA, Gorecka J, Gonzalez AD, Soeda F, Milner TA, Waters EM. Characterization of neural estrogen signaling and neurotrophic changes in the accelerated ovarian failure mouse model of menopause. Endocrinology 2014; 155:3610-23. [PMID: 24926825 PMCID: PMC4138565 DOI: 10.1210/en.2014-1190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Accelerated ovarian failure (AOF) can be induced in young mice with low doses of 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD), modeling the hormone changes observed across menopause. We assessed markers of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, anxiety-like behavior, and spatial learning longitudinally at 4 time points across the AOF model: premenopause, early perimenopause, late perimenopause, and postmenopause (POST). As others have shown, VCD administration decreased ovarian follicle counts and increased acyclicity as the model progressed to POST but with no impact on organ or body weights. The morphology of Iba1 immunoreactive microglia did not differ between vehicle- and VCD-administered mice. Hippocampal postsynaptic density 95 levels were minimally altered across the AOF model but decreased at POST in CA3b 24 hours after exogenous estradiol benzoate (EB). In contrast, hippocampal phosphorylated AKT levels transiently decreased in premenopause but increased at POST after 24 hours of EB in select subregions. Electron microscopy revealed fewer estrogen receptor α containing dendritic spines and terminals in CA1 stratum radiatum at POST. mRNA levels of most brain-derived neurotrophic factor exons (except V and VI) were lower in POST compared with ovariectomized mice. Exon V was sensitive to 24 hours of EB administration in POST-VCD. Anxiety-like behavior was unaffected at any menopause phase. Spatial learning was unaffected in all groups, but POST-VCD mice performed below chance. Our results suggest that the AOF model is suitable for longitudinal studies of neurobiological changes across the menopause transition in mice. Our findings also point to complex interactions between estrogen receptors and pathways involved in synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracey A Van Kempen
- Brain and Mind Research Institute (T.A.V.K., T.A.M.) and Graduate Program in Neuroscience (T.A.V.K., A.D.G.), Weill Cornell Medical College, and Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology (J.G., T.A.M., E.M.W.), The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065; and Department of Environmental and Molecular Health Sciences (F.S.), Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan
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Halpern CH, Attiah MA, Tekriwal A, Baltuch GH. A step-wise approach to deep brain stimulation in mice. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 2014; 156:1515-21. [PMID: 24687810 DOI: 10.1007/s00701-014-2062-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2013] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in mice are rare due to their small size, agility, aversion to handling, and high anxiety compared to larger species. Studying DBS modulation of neural circuitry in murine models of human behavior may ensure safety, guide stimulatory parameters for clinical trials in humans, and inform a long-eluded mechanism. METHODS Stereotactic deep brain electrode implantation in a mouse is performed. Mechanical etching of the skull with a high-speed drill is used with placement of cyanoacrylate glue and molding of dental acrylate to affix the electrode in place. Stimulation experiments are conducted in the home cage after a habituation period. After testing is complete, electrode placement is verified in fixed tissue. RESULTS Electrodes can be safely and accurately implanted in mice for DBS experimentation. Previous findings demonstrated accuracy in placement within the nucleus accumbens shell of 93 % [14]. In this study, there were no hardware malfunctions that required interrupting experimentation. CONCLUSIONS Stereotactic DBS studies may be safely and effectively performed in mice to investigate neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition, examining the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying these disorders may be facilitated by widely available transgenic mouse lines and the Cre-Lox recombination system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey H Halpern
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA,
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Sharma R, Sahota P, Thakkar MM. Rapid tolerance development to the NREM sleep promoting effect of alcohol. Sleep 2014; 37:821-4. [PMID: 24899768 DOI: 10.5665/sleep.3598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Alcohol tolerance is a major contributor towards the development of alcohol dependence. Does alcohol intake result in rapid tolerance development to alcohol induced NREM sleep promotion? This has never been examined. Our objective was to examine whether two bouts of alcohol consumption on consecutive days results in rapid tolerance development to alcohol-induced NREM sleep promotion. DESIGN N/A. SETTING N/A. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS C57BL/6J mice. INTERVENTIONS Mice (N = 5) were implanted with sleep electrodes using standard surgical conditions. Following postoperative recovery and habituation, the experiment was begun. On baseline day, water bottle changes were performed at 10:00 (3 h after dark onset) and 14:00 to mimic conditions during alcohol consumption days. On next 2 days, (Days 1 and 2) mice were allowed to self-administer alcohol (20% v/v) for 4 h beginning at 10:00 and ending at 14:00. Sleep-wakefulness was continuously recorded from 10:00 to 18:00 (8 h; 4 h during alcohol + 4 h post-alcohol) on all 3 days. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Although mice consumed comparable amounts of alcohol on Days 1 and 2, NREM sleep and wakefulness were significantly and differentially affected during 4 h post-alcohol period. A robust alcohol-induced NREM sleep promotion was observed on Day 1. However, no such sleep promotion was observed on Day 2, suggesting rapid tolerance development. CONCLUSIONS Our study is the first to demonstrate that alcohol consumption for two consecutive days results in development of rapid tolerance to alcohol-induced sleep promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishi Sharma
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital and Department of Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
| | - Pradeep Sahota
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital and Department of Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
| | - Mahesh M Thakkar
- Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans Hospital and Department of Neurology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The handling of experimental animals prior to experimental interventions is often poorly described, even though it may affect the final functional outcome. This study explores how the use of repeated handling of C57BL/6 mice prior to Morris water maze (MWM) tests can affect the performance. METHODS AND MATERIALS The handled animals were subjected to the escalating handling protocol, with the investigator spending 5 min per day per cage for 8 days prior to the MWM test. On the last days of handling, the mice were introduced to water and the concept of a hidden platform. The MWM test consisted of four daily trials for 90 s per day for 4 days with a hidden platform. A probe test was performed 4 days after the last learning trial. Control animals were not handled prior to MWM. RESULTS Handling reduced the latency to find the platform on the first 2 days of the MWM tests and reduced thigmotaxis. The mice increased their swim speed and elicited more explorative behavior in the learning trials and to some lesser extent in the probe trials. CONCLUSIONS The improvement in MWM navigation was most likely due to reduced stress and anxiety regarding the investigator and the test. Handled mice displayed less variability than non-handled mice, suggesting that by using a controlled handling protocol prior to the experiments fewer C57BL/6 mice would be needed to achieve statistically significant differences in studies of learning and spatial memory using MWM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lars Hillered
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Clausen
- Department of Neuroscience, Section of Neurosurgery, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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Trammell RA, Verhulst S, Toth LA. Effects of sleep fragmentation on sleep and markers of inflammation in mice. Comp Med 2014; 64:13-24. [PMID: 24512957 PMCID: PMC3929215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2013] [Revised: 05/15/2013] [Accepted: 09/11/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Many people in our society experience curtailment and disruption of sleep due to work responsibilities, care-giving, or life style choice. Delineating the health effect of acute and chronic disruptions in sleep is essential to raising awareness of and creating interventions to manage these prevalent concerns. To provide a platform for studying the health impact and underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms associated with inadequate sleep, we developed and characterized an approach to creating chronic disruption of sleep in laboratory mice. We used this method to evaluate how 3 durations of sleep fragmentation (SF) affect sleep recuperation and blood and lung analyte concentrations in male C57BL/6J mice. Mice housed in environmentally controlled chambers were exposed to automated SF for periods of 6, 12, or 24 h or for 12 h daily during the light (somnolent) phase for 4 sequential days. Sleep time, slow-wave amplitude, or bout lengths were significantly higher when uninterrupted sleep was permitted after each of the 3 SF durations. However, mice did not recover all of the lost slow-wave sleep during the subsequent 12- to 24-h period and maintained a net loss of sleep. Light-phase SF was associated with significant changes in serum and lung levels of some inflammatory substances, but these changes were not consistent or sustained. The data indicate that acute light-phase SF can result in a sustained sleep debt in mice and may disrupt the inflammatory steady-state in serum and lung.
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Key Words
- dwa, δ wave amplitude
- de, disk environment
- e, time of euthanasia
- g-csf, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
- hc, home cage
- hpa, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal
- ip10, interferon-γ-induced protein 10 (cxcl10)
- kc, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (cxcl1)
- lcn2, lipocalin 2
- mcp1, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (ccl2)
- m-csf, macrophage colony-stimulating factor
- mip1α, macrophage inflammatory protein
- nrems, non-rapid-eye-movement sleep
- rems, rapid-eye-movement sleep
- sf, sleep fragmentation
- smet, simple main-effects test
- sws, slow-wave sleep
- tpai1, total plasminogen activator inhibitor 1
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita A Trammell
- Department of Internal Medicine, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Steve Verhulst
- Department of Statistics and Research Informatics, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
| | - Linda A Toth
- Department of Pharmacology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA
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Colavito V, Fabene PF, Grassi-Zucconi G, Pifferi F, Lamberty Y, Bentivoglio M, Bertini G. Experimental sleep deprivation as a tool to test memory deficits in rodents. Front Syst Neurosci 2013; 7:106. [PMID: 24379759 PMCID: PMC3861693 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2013.00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2013] [Accepted: 11/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Paradigms of sleep deprivation (SD) and memory testing in rodents (laboratory rats and mice) are here reviewed. The vast majority of these studies have been aimed at understanding the contribution of sleep to cognition, and in particular to memory. Relatively little attention, instead, has been devoted to SD as a challenge to induce a transient memory impairment, and therefore as a tool to test cognitive enhancers in drug discovery. Studies that have accurately described methodological aspects of the SD protocol are first reviewed, followed by procedures to investigate SD-induced impairment of learning and memory consolidation in order to propose SD protocols that could be employed as cognitive challenge. Thus, a platform of knowledge is provided for laboratory protocols that could be used to assess the efficacy of drugs designed to improve memory performance in rodents, including rodent models of neurodegenerative diseases that cause cognitive deficits, and Alzheimer's disease in particular. Issues in the interpretation of such preclinical data and their predictive value for clinical translation are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Colavito
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona Verona, Italy
| | - Paolo F Fabene
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona Verona, Italy
| | | | - Fabien Pifferi
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, UMR 7179 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle Brunoy, France
| | - Yves Lamberty
- Neuroscience Therapeutic Area, UCB Pharma s.a. Braine l'Alleud, Belgium
| | - Marina Bentivoglio
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona Verona, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Bertini
- Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences, University of Verona Verona, Italy
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Procaccini C, Maksimovic M, Aitta-Aho T, Korpi ER, Linden AM. Reversal of novelty-induced hyperlocomotion and hippocampal c-Fos expression in GluA1 knockout male mice by the mGluR2/3 agonist LY354740. Neuroscience 2013; 250:189-200. [PMID: 23867766 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2013] [Revised: 06/07/2013] [Accepted: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Dysfunctional glutamatergic neurotransmission has been implicated in schizophrenia and mood disorders. As a putative model for these disorders, a mouse line lacking the GluA1 subunit (GluA1-KO) of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) glutamate receptor displays a robust novelty-induced hyperlocomotion associated with excessive neuronal activation in the hippocampus. Agonists of metabotropic glutamate 2/3 receptors (mGluR2/3) inhibit glutamate release in various brain regions and they have been shown to inhibit neuronal activation in the hippocampus. Here, we tested a hypothesis that novelty-induced hyperlocomotion in the GluA1-KO mice is mediated via excessive hippocampal neuronal activation by analyzing whether an mGluR2/3 agonist inhibits this phenotypic feature. GluA1-KO mice and littermate wildtype (WT) controls were administered with (1S,2S,5R,6S)-2-aminobicyclo[3.1.0]hexane-2,6-dicarboxylic acid (LY354740) (15 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min before a 2-h exposure to novel arenas after which c-Fos immunopositive cells were analyzed in the hippocampus. LY354740 (15 mg/kg) decreased hyperactivity in male GluA1-KO mice, with only a minimal effect in WT controls. This was observed in two cohorts of animals, one naïve to handling and injections, another pre-handled and accustomed to injections. LY354740 (15 mg/kg) also reduced the excessive c-Fos expression in the dorsal hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell layer in maleGluA1-KO mice, while not affecting c-Fos levels in WT mice. In female mice, no significant effect for LY354740 (15 mg/kg) on hyperactive behavior or hippocampal c-Fos was observed in either genotype or treatment cohort. A higher dose of LY354740 (30 mg/kg) alleviated hyperlocomotion of GluA1-KO males, but not that of GluA1-KO females. In conclusion, the excessive behavioral hyperactivity of GluA1-KO mice can be partly prevented by reducing neuronal excitability in the hippocampus with the mGluR2/3 agonist suggesting that the hippocampal reactivity is strongly involved in the behavioral phenotype of GluA1-KO mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Procaccini
- Institute of Biomedicine/Pharmacology, Biomedicum Helsinki, P.O.B. 63, FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland
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Vecsey CG, Wimmer MEJ, Havekes R, Park AJ, Perron IJ, Meerlo P, Abel T. Daily acclimation handling does not affect hippocampal long-term potentiation or cause chronic sleep deprivation in mice. Sleep 2013; 36:601-7. [PMID: 23565007 DOI: 10.5665/sleep.2556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Gentle handling is commonly used to perform brief sleep deprivation in rodents. It was recently reported that daily acclimation handling, which is often used before behavioral assays, causes alterations in sleep, stress, and levels of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits prior to the actual period of sleep deprivation. It was therefore suggested that acclimation handling could mediate some of the observed effects of subsequent sleep deprivation. Here, we examine whether acclimation handling, performed as in our sleep deprivation studies, alters sleep/wake behavior, stress, or forms of hippocampal synaptic plasticity that are impaired by sleep deprivation. DESIGN Adult C57BL/6J mice were either handled daily for 6 days or were left undisturbed in their home cages. On the day after the 6(th) day of handling, long-term potentiation (LTP) was induced in hippocampal slices with spaced four-train stimulation, which we previously demonstrated to be impaired by brief sleep deprivation. Basal synaptic properties were also assessed. In three other sets of animals, activity monitoring, polysomnography, and stress hormone measurements were performed during the 6 days of handling. RESULTS Daily gentle handling alone does not alter LTP, rest/activity patterns, or sleep/wake architecture. Handling initially induces a minimal stress response, but by the 6(th) day, stress hormone levels are unaltered by handling. CONCLUSION It is possible to handle mice daily to accustom them to the researcher without causing alterations in sleep, stress, or synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. Therefore, effects of acclimation handling cannot explain the impairments in signaling mechanisms, synaptic plasticity, and memory that result from brief sleep deprivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Vecsey
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Toth LA, Bhargava P. Animal models of sleep disorders. Comp Med 2013; 63:91-104. [PMID: 23582416 PMCID: PMC3625050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2012] [Revised: 10/21/2012] [Accepted: 11/25/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Problems with sleep affect a large part of the general population, with more than half of all people in the United States reporting difficulties with sleep or insufficient sleep at various times and about 40 million affected chronically. Sleep is a complex physiologic process that is influenced by many internal and environmental factors, and problems with sleep are often related to specific personal circumstances or are based on subjective reports from the affected person. Although human subjects are used widely in the study of sleep and sleep disorders, the study of animals has been invaluable in developing our understanding about the physiology of sleep and the underlying mechanisms of sleep disorders. Historically, the use of animals for the study of sleep disorders has arguably been most fruitful for the condition of narcolepsy, in which studies of dogs and mice revealed previously unsuspected mechanisms for this condition. The current overview considers animal models that have been used to study 4 of the most common human sleep disorders-insomnia, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, and sleep apnea-and summarizes considerations relevant to the use of animals for the study of sleep and sleep disorders. Animal-based research has been vital to the elucidation of mechanisms that underlie sleep, its regulation, and its disorders and undoubtedly will remain crucial for discovering and validating sleep mechanisms and testing interventions for sleep disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda A Toth
- Department of Pharmacology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois, USA.
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Castro OW, Santos VR, Pun RYK, McKlveen JM, Batie M, Holland KD, Gardner M, Garcia-Cairasco N, Herman JP, Danzer SC. Impact of corticosterone treatment on spontaneous seizure frequency and epileptiform activity in mice with chronic epilepsy. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46044. [PMID: 23029379 PMCID: PMC3460996 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2012] [Accepted: 08/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is the most commonly reported precipitating factor for seizures in patients with epilepsy. Despite compelling anecdotal evidence for stress-induced seizures, animal models of the phenomena are sparse and possible mechanisms are unclear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that increased levels of the stress-associated hormone corticosterone (CORT) would increase epileptiform activity and spontaneous seizure frequency in mice rendered epileptic following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. We monitored video-EEG activity in pilocarpine-treated mice 24/7 for a period of four or more weeks, during which animals were serially treated with CORT or vehicle. CORT increased the frequency and duration of epileptiform events within the first 24 hours of treatment, and this effect persisted for up to two weeks following termination of CORT injections. Interestingly, vehicle injection produced a transient spike in CORT levels – presumably due to the stress of injection – and a modest but significant increase in epileptiform activity. Neither CORT nor vehicle treatment significantly altered seizure frequency; although a small subset of animals did appear responsive. Taken together, our findings indicate that treatment of epileptic animals with exogenous CORT designed to mimic chronic stress can induce a persistent increase in interictal epileptiform activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olagide W. Castro
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Victor R. Santos
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raymund Y. K. Pun
- Department of Anesthesia, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Jessica M. McKlveen
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Matthew Batie
- Division of Clinical Engineering, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Katherine D. Holland
- Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Margaret Gardner
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Norberto Garcia-Cairasco
- Department of Physiology, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - James P. Herman
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
| | - Steve C. Danzer
- Program in Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesia, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Molecular and Developmental Biology Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- Departments of Anesthesia and Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Wakefulness affects synaptic and network activity by increasing extracellular astrocyte-derived adenosine. J Neurosci 2012; 32:4417-25. [PMID: 22457491 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.5689-11.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Loss of sleep causes an increase in sleep drive and deficits in hippocampal-dependent memory. Both of these responses are thought to require activation of adenosine A1 receptors (adorA1Rs) and release of transmitter molecules including ATP, which is rapidly converted to adenosine in the extracellular space, from astrocytes in a process termed gliotransmission. Although it is increasingly clear that astrocyte-derived adenosine plays an important role in driving the homeostatic sleep response and the effects of sleep loss on memory (Halassa et al., 2009; Florian et al., 2011), previous studies have not determined whether the concentration of this signaling molecule increases in response to wakefulness. Here, we show that the level of adorA1R activation increases in response to wakefulness in mice (Mus musculus). We found that this increase affected synaptic transmission in the hippocampus and modulated network activity in the cortex. Direct biosensor-based measurement of adenosine showed that the net extracellular concentration of this transmitter increased in response to normal wakefulness and sleep deprivation. Genetic inhibition of gliotransmission prevented this increase and attenuated the wakefulness-dependent changes in synaptic and network regulation by adorA1R. Consequently, we conclude that wakefulness increases the level of extracellular adenosine in the hippocampus and that this increase requires the release of transmitters from astroctyes.
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Chirumbolo S. Plant-derived extracts in the neuroscience of anxiety on animal models: biases and comments. Int J Neurosci 2011; 122:177-88. [PMID: 22050267 DOI: 10.3109/00207454.2011.635829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Generalized anxiety disorders probably represent one of the world's biggest mental health problems. A large number of studies have also shown that anxiety disorders and depression are often associated with quality of life impairments. As anxiety represents a big concern in public health, a substantial literature supports clinically important associations between psychiatric illness and chronic medical conditions. Actually, most research focuses on depression, finding that depression can adversely affect self-care and increase the risk of incident medical illness, complications, and mortality. Anxiety disorders are less well studied, but robust epidemiological and clinical evidences show that they play an equally important role. Recent reported articles have raised a debate about the effectiveness of some plant-derived extracts in anxiety-like models in mice. Biases about several aspects related with experimental setting, animal selection, environments, operators and investigators, selection and performance of behavioral tests, controls, results managing, and statistics are here discussed.
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