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Li H, Jin L, Wang Y, Hu S, Long K, Li M. Identification and analysis of circRNAs in the prefrontal cortices of wild boar and domestic pig. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:2596-2607. [PMID: 35960868 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2022.2109040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Domestication caused significant differences in morphology and behavior between wild and domestic pigs. However, the regulatory role of circRNA in this event is unclear. Here, we analyzed circRNA expression patterns in the prefrontal cortices of wild boar and domestic pigs to determine the potential role of circRNAs in domestication. We identified a total of 11,375 circRNAs and found that 349 and 354 circRNAs were up-regulated in wild boar and Rongchang pig, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis showed that host genes of significantly highly-expressed circRNAs in wild boar were significantly enriched in neural synapse-related categories and the categories of 'regulation of defense response (p = 0.028)' and 'neural retina development (p = 4.32 × 10-3)'. Host genes of significantly highly-expressed circRNAs in Rongchang pig were specifically involved in 'chordate embryonic development (p = 2.38 × 10-4)'. Additionally, we constructed circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory axes in wild boar and Rongchang pig and found more regulatory axes in wild boar that potentially regulate synaptic activities. We identified multiple circRNAs that may be related to domesticated characteristics, such as ssc_circ_6179 (ssc_circ_6179-ssc-miR-9847-HRH3, related to aggression) and ssc_circ_3027 (ssc_circ_3027-ssc-miR-4334-5p-HCRTR1, related to attention). This study provides a resource for further investigation of the molecular basis of pig domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengkuan Li
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Long Jin
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yuhao Wang
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Silu Hu
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Keren Long
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingzhou Li
- Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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Yao Y, Baronio D, Chen YC, Jin C, Panula P. The Roles of Histamine Receptor 1 (hrh1) in Neurotransmitter System Regulation, Behavior, and Neurogenesis in Zebrafish. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:6660-6675. [PMID: 37474883 PMCID: PMC10533647 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03447-z] [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: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Histamine receptors mediate important physiological processes and take part in the pathophysiology of different brain disorders. Histamine receptor 1 (HRH1) is involved in the development of neurotransmitter systems, and its role in neurogenesis has been proposed. Altered HRH1 binding and expression have been detected in the brains of patients with schizophrenia, depression, and autism. Our goal was to assess the role of hrh1 in zebrafish development and neurotransmitter system regulation through the characterization of hrh1-/- fish generated by the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunocytochemistry were used to study neurotransmitter systems and genes essential for brain development. Additionally, we wanted to reveal the role of this histamine receptor in larval and adult fish behavior using several quantitative behavioral methods including locomotion, thigmotaxis, dark flash and startle response, novel tank diving, and shoaling behavior. Hrh1-/- larvae displayed normal behavior in comparison with hrh1+/+ siblings. Interestingly, a transient abnormal expression of important neurodevelopmental markers was evident in these larvae, as well as a reduction in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase 1 (Th1)-positive cells, th1 mRNA, and hypocretin (hcrt)-positive cells. These abnormalities were not detected in adulthood. In summary, we verified that zebrafish lacking hrh1 present deficits in the dopaminergic and hypocretin systems during early development, but those are compensated by the time fish reach adulthood. However, impaired sociability and anxious-like behavior, along with downregulation of choline O-acetyltransferase a and LIM homeodomain transcription factor Islet1, were displayed by adult fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiao Yao
- Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, POB 63, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Diego Baronio
- Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, POB 63, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yu-Chia Chen
- Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, POB 63, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Congyu Jin
- Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, POB 63, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pertti Panula
- Department of Anatomy, University of Helsinki, POB 63, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
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3
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Luigi-Sierra MG, Guan D, López-Béjar M, Casas E, Olvera-Maneu S, Gardela J, Palomo MJ, Osuagwuh UI, Ohaneje UL, Mármol-Sánchez E, Amills M. A protein-coding gene expression atlas from the brain of pregnant and non-pregnant goats. Front Genet 2023; 14:1114749. [PMID: 37519888 PMCID: PMC10382233 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1114749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: The brain is an extraordinarily complex organ with multiple anatomical structures involved in highly specialized functions related with behavior and physiological homeostasis. Our goal was to build an atlas of protein-coding gene expression in the goat brain by sequencing the transcriptomes of 12 brain regions in seven female Murciano-Granadina goats, from which three of them were 1-month pregnant. Results: Between 14,889 (cerebellar hemisphere) and 15,592 (pineal gland) protein-coding genes were expressed in goat brain regions, and most of them displayed ubiquitous or broad patterns of expression across tissues. Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering based on the patterns of mRNA expression revealed that samples from certain brain regions tend to group according to their position in the anterior-posterior axis of the neural tube, i.e., hindbrain (pons and medulla oblongata), midbrain (rostral colliculus) and forebrain (frontal neocortex, olfactory bulb, hypothalamus, and hippocampus). Exceptions to this observation were cerebellum and glandular tissues (pineal gland and hypophysis), which showed highly divergent mRNA expression profiles. Differential expression analysis between pregnant and non-pregnant goats revealed moderate changes of mRNA expression in the frontal neocortex, hippocampus, adenohypophysis and pons, and very dramatic changes in the olfactory bulb. Many genes showing differential expression in this organ are related to olfactory function and behavior in humans. Conclusion: With the exception of cerebellum and glandular tissues, there is a relationship between the cellular origin of sampled regions along the anterior-posterior axis of the neural tube and their mRNA expression patterns in the goat adult brain. Gestation induces substantial changes in the mRNA expression of the olfactory bulb, a finding consistent with the key role of this anatomical structure on the development of maternal behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dailu Guan
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Manel López-Béjar
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Encarna Casas
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Sergi Olvera-Maneu
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jaume Gardela
- Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - María Jesús Palomo
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Uchebuchi Ike Osuagwuh
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Uchechi Linda Ohaneje
- Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Emilio Mármol-Sánchez
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Marcel Amills
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Bellaterra, Spain
- Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
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4
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Seok JW, Soltis-Vaughan B, Lew BJ, Ahmad A, Blair RJR, Hwang S. Psychopharmacological treatment of disruptive behavior in youths: systematic review and network meta-analysis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6921. [PMID: 37117632 PMCID: PMC10147946 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33979-2] [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: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
To conduct a systematic review of the comparative efficacy of various psychotropic medications for the treatment of disruptive behavior (DBs) in youths. To this aim, we systematically reviewed randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of various psychotropic medications targeting symptoms of DBs and applied network meta-analysis to investigate their relative efficacy. Fifty-five RCTs meeting the inclusion criteria were selected. To predict and interpret relative treatment efficacy, we compared the efficacy of various psychotropic medications prescribed for DB symptoms based on their mechanism of action. Network meta-analysis revealed that for reducing DBs, second-generation antipsychotics, stimulants, and non-stimulant ADHD medications were more efficacious than placebo, and second-generation antipsychotics were the most efficacious. The dopaminergic modulation of top-down inhibitory process by these medications is discussed in this review. This study offers information on the relative efficacy of various psychotropic medications for the treatment of DB, and insight into a potential neurobiological underpinning for those symptoms. It also illustrates the potential utility of these neurobiological mechanisms as a target for future treatment studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Woo Seok
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985578 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5578, USA
- Digital Health Research Division, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Brigette Soltis-Vaughan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985578 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5578, USA
| | - Brandon J Lew
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985578 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5578, USA
| | - Aatiya Ahmad
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985578 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5578, USA
| | - R J R Blair
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Centre, Mental Health Services, Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Soonjo Hwang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 985578 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5578, USA.
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5
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Yang J, Guo C, Luo Y, Fan J, Wang W, Yin X, Xu J. Effect of thiamethoxam on the behavioral profile alteration and toxicity of adult zebrafish at environmentally relevant concentrations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 858:159883. [PMID: 36356732 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 10/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Thiamethoxam (THM) is a commercial neonicotinoid insecticide with broad-spectrum insecticidal activity. It has been widely detected in the aquatic environment, but its behavioral toxicity on aquatic organisms received limited attention. In this study, adult zebrafish were exposed to THM at three levels (0.1, 10, and 1000 μg/L) for 45 days to investigate its effect on their ecological behavior, histopathology, bioaccumulation, and stress response. The bioconcentration factor in zebrafish brain was significantly higher (p < 0.05) at low concentration of THM (0.1 μg/L) than in other treatment groups. In terms of individual behavior, the locomotor activity, aggregation, and social activity of fish were enhanced after THM exposure, but the memory of the food zone was disturbed and abnormal swimming behavior was observed. THM exposure caused brain tissue necrosis, erythrocyte infiltration, cloudy swelling, and other pathological changes in brain tissue and affected the concentrations of acetylcholinesterase and cortisol related to neurotoxicity. The condition factor and organ coefficients (brain, heart, and intestine) of zebrafish were markedly impacted by THM treatment at 0.1 and 1000 μg/L, respectively. This finding showed that THM was more harmful to fish behavior than lethality, reproduction, and growth, and a behavioral study can be a useful tool for ecological risk assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Changsheng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Ying Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Jingpu Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Weimin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Xingxing Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China
| | - Jian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Ecological Effect and Risk Assessment of Chemicals, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China; Center for Environmental Health Risk Assessment and Research, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, China.
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6
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Meade EB, Iwanowicz LR, Neureuther N, LeFevre GH, Kolpin DW, Zhi H, Meppelink SM, Lane RF, Schmoldt A, Mohaimani A, Mueller O, Klaper RD. Transcriptome signatures of wastewater effluent exposure in larval zebrafish vary with seasonal mixture composition in an effluent-dominated stream. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:159069. [PMID: 36174698 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent-dominated streams provide critical habitat for aquatic and terrestrial organisms but also continually expose them to complex mixtures of pharmaceuticals that can potentially impair growth, behavior, and reproduction. Currently, few biomarkers are available that relate to pharmaceutical-specific mechanisms of action. In the experiment reported in this paper, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos at two developmental stages were exposed to water samples from three sampling sites (0.1 km upstream of the outfall, at the effluent outfall, and 0.1 km below the outfall) during base-flow conditions from two months (January and May) of a temperate-region effluent-dominated stream containing a complex mixture of pharmaceuticals and other contaminants of emerging concern. RNA-sequencing identified potential biological impacts and biomarkers of WWTP effluent exposure that extend past traditional markers of endocrine disruption. Transcriptomics revealed changes to a wide range of biological functions and pathways including cardiac, neurological, visual, metabolic, and signaling pathways. These transcriptomic changes varied by developmental stage and displayed sensitivity to variable chemical composition and concentration of effluent, thus indicating a need for stage-specific biomarkers. Some transcripts are known to be associated with genes related to pharmaceuticals that were present in the collected samples. Although traditional biomarkers of endocrine disruption were not enriched in either month, a high estrogenicity signal was detected upstream in May and implicates the presence of unidentified chemical inputs not captured by the targeted chemical analysis. This work reveals associations between bioeffects of exposure, stage of development, and the composition of chemical mixtures in effluent-dominated surface water. The work underscores the importance of measuring effects beyond the endocrine system when assessing the impact of bioactive chemicals in WWTP effluent and identifies a need for non-targeted chemical analysis when bioeffects are not explained by the targeted analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma B Meade
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States
| | - Luke R Iwanowicz
- U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, 11649 Leetown Road, Kearneysville, WV 25430, United States
| | - Nicklaus Neureuther
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States
| | - Gregory H LeFevre
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, 4105 Seamans Center, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, 100 C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Dana W Kolpin
- U.S. Geological Survey, Central Midwest Water Science Center, 400 S. Clinton St, Rm 269 Federal Building, Iowa City, IA 52240, United States
| | - Hui Zhi
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Iowa, 4105 Seamans Center, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States; IIHR-Hydroscience & Engineering, 100 C. Maxwell Stanley Hydraulics Laboratory, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States
| | - Shannon M Meppelink
- U.S. Geological Survey, Central Midwest Water Science Center, 400 S. Clinton St, Rm 269 Federal Building, Iowa City, IA 52240, United States
| | - Rachael F Lane
- U.S. Geological Survey, Kansas Water Science Center, 1217 Biltmore Dr, Lawrence, KS 66049, United States
| | - Angela Schmoldt
- Great Lakes Genomics Center, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States
| | - Aurash Mohaimani
- Great Lakes Genomics Center, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States
| | - Olaf Mueller
- Great Lakes Genomics Center, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States
| | - Rebecca D Klaper
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States; Great Lakes Genomics Center, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 600 E. Greenfield Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53204, United States.
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7
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Nazarova VA, Sokolov AV, Chubarev VN, Tarasov VV, Schiöth HB. Treatment of ADHD: Drugs, psychological therapies, devices, complementary and alternative methods as well as the trends in clinical trials. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1066988. [PMID: 36467081 PMCID: PMC9713849 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1066988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders having a high influence on social interactions. The number of approved treatments and clinical trials for ADHD have increased markedly during the recent decade. This analytical review provides a quantitative overview of the existing pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods of ADHD treatments investigated in clinical trials during 1999-2021. A total of 695 interventional trials were manually assessed from clinicaltrial.gov with the search term « ADHD», and trial data has been used for analysis. A clear majority of the studies investigated non-pharmacological therapies (∼80%), including many behavioral options, such as social skills training, sleep and physical activity interventions, meditation and hypnotherapy. Devices, complementary and other alternative methods of ADHD treatment are also gaining attention. The pharmacological group accounts for ∼20% of all the studies. The most common drug classes include central nervous system stimulants (e.g., methylphenidate hydrochloride, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, amphetamine sulfate, mixed amphetamine salts, a combination of dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride and serdexmethylphenidate chloride), selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (atomoxetine, viloxazine), and alpha2 adrenergic receptor agonists (guanfacine hydrochloride, clonidine hydrochloride). Several studies investigated antidepressants (e.g., bupropion hydrochloride, vortioxetine), and atypical antipsychotics (e.g., quetiapine, aripiprazole) but these are yet not approved by the FDA for ADHD treatment. We discuss the quantitative trends in clinical trials and provide an overview of the new drug agents and non-pharmacological therapies, drug targets, and novel treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria A. Nazarova
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Aleksandr V. Sokolov
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | | | - Helgi B. Schiöth
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Functional Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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8
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Tan JXM, Ang RJW, Wee CL. Larval Zebrafish as a Model for Mechanistic Discovery in Mental Health. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:900213. [PMID: 35813062 PMCID: PMC9263853 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.900213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal models are essential for the discovery of mechanisms and treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. However, complex mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are difficult to fully recapitulate in these models. Borrowing from the field of psychiatric genetics, we reiterate the framework of 'endophenotypes' - biological or behavioral markers with cellular, molecular or genetic underpinnings - to reduce complex disorders into measurable behaviors that can be compared across organisms. Zebrafish are popular disease models due to the conserved genetic, physiological and anatomical pathways between zebrafish and humans. Adult zebrafish, which display more sophisticated behaviors and cognition, have long been used to model psychiatric disorders. However, larvae (up to 1 month old) are more numerous and also optically transparent, and hence are particularly suited for high-throughput screening and brain-wide neural circuit imaging. A number of behavioral assays have been developed to quantify neuropsychiatric phenomena in larval zebrafish. Here, we will review these assays and the current knowledge regarding the underlying mechanisms of their behavioral readouts. We will also discuss the existing evidence linking larval zebrafish behavior to specific human behavioral traits and how the endophenotype framework can be applied. Importantly, many of the endophenotypes we review do not solely define a diseased state but could manifest as a spectrum across the general population. As such, we make the case for larval zebrafish as a promising model for extending our understanding of population mental health, and for identifying novel therapeutics and interventions with broad impact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Caroline Lei Wee
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
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9
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Reichmann F, Pilic J, Trajanoski S, Norton WHJ. Transcriptomic underpinnings of high and low mirror aggression zebrafish behaviours. BMC Biol 2022; 20:97. [PMID: 35501893 PMCID: PMC9059464 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01298-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Aggression is an adaptive behaviour that animals use to protect offspring, defend themselves and obtain resources. Zebrafish, like many other animals, are not able to recognize themselves in the mirror and typically respond to their own reflection with aggression. However, mirror aggression is not an all-or-nothing phenomenon, with some individuals displaying high levels of aggression against their mirror image, while others show none at all. In the current work, we have investigated the genetic basis of mirror aggression by using a classic forward genetics approach - selective breeding for high and low mirror aggression zebrafish (HAZ and LAZ). Results We characterized AB wild-type zebrafish for their response to the mirror image. Both aggressive and non-aggressive fish were inbred over several generations. We found that HAZ were on average more aggressive than the corresponding LAZ across generations and that the most aggressive adult HAZ were less anxious than the least aggressive adult LAZ after prolonged selective breeding. RNAseq analysis of these fish revealed that hundreds of protein-encoding genes with important diverse biological functions such as arsenic metabolism (as3mt), cell migration (arl4ab), immune system activity (ptgr1), actin cytoskeletal remodelling (wdr1), corticogenesis (dgcr2), protein dephosphorylation (ublcp1), sialic acid metabolism (st6galnac3) and ketone body metabolism (aacs) were differentially expressed between HAZ and LAZ, suggesting a strong genetic contribution to this phenotype. DAVID pathway analysis showed that a number of diverse pathways are enriched in HAZ over LAZ including pathways related to immune function, oxidation-reduction processes and cell signalling. In addition, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified 12 modules of highly correlated genes that were significantly associated with aggression duration and/or experimental group. Conclusions The current study shows that selective breeding based of the mirror aggression phenotype induces strong, heritable changes in behaviour and gene expression within the brain of zebrafish suggesting a strong genetic basis for this behaviour. Our transcriptomic analysis of fish selectively bred for high and low levels of mirror aggression revealed specific transcriptomic signatures induced by selective breeding and mirror aggression and thus provides a large and novel resource of candidate genes for future study. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01298-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Reichmann
- Division of Pharmacology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
| | - Johannes Pilic
- Division of Pharmacology, Otto Loewi Research Center, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - Slave Trajanoski
- Center for Medical Research, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
| | - William H J Norton
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, College of Life Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. .,Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
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10
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Scaia MF, Akinrinade I, Petri G, Oliveira RF. Sex Differences in Aggression Are Paralleled by Differential Activation of the Brain Social Decision-Making Network in Zebrafish. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:784835. [PMID: 35250500 PMCID: PMC8890505 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.784835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Although aggression is more prevalent in males, females also express aggressive behaviors and in specific ecological contexts females can be more aggressive than males. The aim of this work is to assess sex differences in aggression and to characterize the patterns of neuronal activation of the social-decision making network (SDMN) in response to intra-sexual aggression in both male and female zebrafish. Adult fish were exposed to social interaction with a same-sex opponent and all behavioral displays, latency, and time of resolution were quantified. After conflict resolution, brains were sampled and sex differences on functional connectivity throughout the SDMN were assessed by immunofluorescence of the neuronal activation marker pS6. Results suggest that both sexes share a similar level of motivation for aggression, but female encounters show shorter conflict resolution and a preferential use of antiparallel displays instead of overt aggression, showing a reduction of putative maladaptive effects. Although there are no sex differences in the neuronal activation in any individual brain area from the SDMN, agonistic interactions increased neuronal activity in most brain areas in both sexes. Functional connectivity was assessed using bootstrapped adjacency matrices that capture the co-activation of the SDMN nodes. Male winners increased the overall excitation and showed no changes in inhibition across the SDMN, whereas female winners and both male and female losers showed a decrease in both excitation and inhibition of the SDMN in comparison to non-interacting control fish. Moreover, network centrality analysis revealed both shared hubs, as well as sex-specific hubs, between the sexes for each social condition in the SDMN. In summary, a distinct neural activation pattern associated with social experience during fights was found for each sex, suggesting a sex-specific differential activation of the social brain as a consequence of social experience. Overall, our study adds insights into sex differences in agonistic behavior and on the neuronal architecture of intrasexual aggression in zebrafish.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Florencia Scaia
- Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada—CONICET, Ciudad Auntónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Neuroendocrinología y Comportamiento, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ibukun Akinrinade
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Giovanni Petri
- ISI Foundation and ISI Global Science Foundation, Torino, Italy
| | - Rui F. Oliveira
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal
- ISPA– Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal
- Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme, Lisbon, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Rui F. Oliveira
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Wang H. Roles of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 in neuronal development and histaminergic signalling-Insights from zebrafish. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2022; 234:e13739. [PMID: 34741795 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Han Wang
- Center for Circadian Clocks Soochow University Suzhou China
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Sciences Medical College, Soochow University Suzhou China
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12
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Hubená P, Horký P, Grabic R, Grabicová K, Douda K, Slavík O, Randák T. Prescribed aggression of fishes: Pharmaceuticals modify aggression in environmentally relevant concentrations. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2021; 227:112944. [PMID: 34715502 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Traces of psychoactive substances have been found in freshwaters globally. Fish are chronically exposed to pollution at low concentrations. The changes of aggressive behaviour of chub (Squalius cephalus) were determined under the exposure to four psychoactive compounds (sertraline, citalopram, tramadol, methamphetamine) at environmentally relevant concentrations of 1 μg/L for 42 days. We tested whether (A) the behavioural effect of compounds varies within a single species; (B) there is a correlation between the individual brain concentration of the tested pollutants and fish aggression using the novel analysis of pollutants in brain; and (C) there is detectable threshold to effective pollutant concentration in brain. Behaviour and pollutant concentrations in brain were determined repeatedly (1st, 7th, 21st, 42nd and 56th days), including a two-week-long depuration period. The effect of particular compounds varied. Citalopram and methamphetamine generally increased the fish aggression, while no such effect was found after exposure to tramadol or sertraline. The longitudinal analysis showed an aggression increase after depuration, indicating the presence of withdrawal effects in methamphetamine- and tramadol-exposed fish. The analysis of pollutant concentration in brain revealed a positive linear relationship of citalopram concentration and aggression, while no such effect was detected for other compounds and/or their metabolites. Structural break analyses detected concentration thresholds of citalopram (1 and 3 ng/g) and sertraline (1000 ng/g) in brain tissue, from which a significant effect on behaviour was manifested. While the effect of sertraline was not detected using traditional approaches, there was a reduction in aggression after considering its threshold concentration in the brain. Our results suggest that pursuing the concentration threshold of psychoactive compounds can help to reduce false negative results and provide more realistic predictions on behavioural outcomes in freshwater environments, especially in the case of compounds with bioaccumulation potential such as sertraline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavla Hubená
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 - Suchdol, Czech Republic.
| | - Pavel Horký
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 - Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Grabic
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Grabicová
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
| | - Karel Douda
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 - Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Slavík
- Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha 6 - Suchdol, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Randák
- University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zátiší 728/II, 398 25 Vodňany, Czech Republic
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13
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Shan L, Swaab DF. Changes in histaminergic system in neuropsychiatric disorders and the potential treatment consequences. Curr Neuropharmacol 2021; 20:403-411. [PMID: 34521328 PMCID: PMC9413789 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x19666210909144930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to that of other monoamine neurotransmitters, the association of the histaminergic system with neuropsychiatric disorders is not well documented. In the last two decades, several clinical studies involved in the development of drugs targeting the histaminergic system have been reported. These include the H3R-antagonist/inverse agonist, pitolisant, used for the treatment of excessive sleepiness in narcolepsy, and the H1R antagonist, doxepin, used to alleviate symptoms of insomnia. The current review summarizes reports from animal models, including genetic and neuroimaging studies, as well as human brain samples and cerebrospinal fluid measurements from clinical trials, on the possible role of the histaminergic system in neuropsychiatric disorders. These studies will potentially pave the way for novel histamine-related therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Shan
- Department of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam. Netherlands
| | - Dick F Swaab
- Department of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, an Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam. Netherlands
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