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Koszałka A, Lustyk K, Pytka K. Sex-dependent differences in animal cognition. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105374. [PMID: 37634555 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
The differences in cognitive processes driven by biological sex are the issues that have gotten growing attention recently. Considering the increasing population suffering from various cognitive impairments and the development of therapeutic strategies, it is essential that we recognize the mechanisms responsible for discrepancies observed in male and female learning and memory functions. In this review, we discuss recent reports from preclinical studies on rodents regarding selected cognitive domains to explore the state of knowledge on sex-dependent differences and point to challenges encountered during such research. We focus on spatial, recognition, and emotional memory, as well as on executive functions, such as attention, cognitive flexibility, and working memory. This review will help to acknowledge sex-related differences in cognition and indicate some fields that lack sufficient data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Koszałka
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Krakow, Poland; Jagiellonian University Medical College, Doctoral School of Medical and Health Sciences, Św. Łazarza 16, 31-530 Krakow, Poland
| | - Klaudia Lustyk
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Krakow, Poland
| | - Karolina Pytka
- Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacodynamics, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Krakow, Poland.
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2
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Medeiros LDS, Rodrigues PDS, Santos DNL, Silva-Sampaio AC, Kirsten TB, Suffredini IB, Coque ADC, da Silva RA, Bernardi MM. Prenatal restraint stress downregulates the hypothalamic kisspeptidergic system transcripts genes, reduces the estrogen plasma levels, delayed the onset of puberty, and reduced the sexual behavior intensity in female rats. Physiol Behav 2023; 260:114055. [PMID: 36563733 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.114055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
AIMS This study investigated the possible relationships between the expression of the Kiss1 and Gpr54 gene expressions and the pituitary-gonadal hormones with the female onset of puberty and sexual behavior. The Kiss1 and Gpr54 gene expressions were examined because they are critical to controlling the hypothalamic activation of GnRH neurons and, in turn, the pituitary-gonadal hormones related to the early onset of puberty and sexual behavior. Further, it was evaluated that the pituitary and gonadal hormones involved in the vaginal opening and the expression of sexual behavior. METHODS Pregnant rats exposed to PRS from gestation days 17 to 20 were evaluated for maternal and open-field behaviors. The maternal behavior was analyzed because it may alter brain sexual organization affecting the pups development. It was observed in female pups the physical and development and, in adult age, the open-field behavior, the anxiety-like behavior, the estrous cycle, the sexual behavior, the serum FSH, LH, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels, and the gene expression of kisspeptin protein (Kiss1) and Gpr54 in the hypothalamus. RESULTS the maternal and open-field behaviors were unaffected. In the F1 generation, PRS reduced weight at weaning, delayed the day of the vaginal opening and reduced the intensity of lordosis, the estrogen levels, and the Kiss1 and Gpr54 gene expression. These effects were attributed to hypothalamic kisspeptidergic system downregulation of transcripts genes and the reduced estrogen levels affected by the PRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Loren da Silva Medeiros
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP 04026-002, Brazil
| | - Paula da Silva Rodrigues
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP 04026-002, Brazil
| | - Daniel Nascimento Lago Santos
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP 04026-002, Brazil
| | - Ana Claudia Silva-Sampaio
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP 04026-002, Brazil
| | - Thiago Berti Kirsten
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP 04026-002, Brazil
| | - Ivana Barbosa Suffredini
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Biodiversidade, Laboratório de Extração, Universidade Paulista - UNIP, Av. Paulista, 900, São Paulo, SP 01310-100, Brazil
| | - Alex de Camargo Coque
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP 04026-002, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Augusto da Silva
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP 04026-002, Brazil; School of Dentistry, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, University of Taubaté, Rua dos Operários, 9, Taubaté, SP 12020-340, Brazil
| | - Maria Martha Bernardi
- Psychoneuroimmunology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Environmental and Experimental Pathology, Paulista University, Rua Dr. Bacelar, 1212, São Paulo, SP 04026-002, Brazil.
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Becegato M, Silva RH. Object recognition tasks in rats: Does sex matter? Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:970452. [PMID: 36035023 PMCID: PMC9412164 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.970452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Novelty recognition tasks based on object exploration are frequently used for the evaluation of cognitive abilities and investigation of neurobiological and molecular aspects of memory in rodents. This is an interesting approach because variations of the object recognition tasks focus on different aspects of the memory events such as novelty, location, context, and combinations of these elements. Nevertheless, as in most animal neuroscience research, female subjects are underrepresented in object recognition studies. When studies include females, the particularities of this sex are not always considered. For example, appropriate controls for manipulations conducted exclusively in females (such as estrous cycle verification) are not included. In addition, interpretation of data is often based on standardizations conducted with male subjects. Despite that, females are frequently reported as deficient and unable to adequately perform some memory tests. Thus, our study aims to review studies that describe similarities and differences between male and female performances in the different variations of object recognition tasks. In summary, although females are commonly described with deficits and the articles emphasize sex differences, most published data reveal similar performances when sexes are compared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Becegato
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Regina H. Silva
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- MaternaCiência, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Regina H. Silva,
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Reemst K, Ruigrok SR, Bleker L, Naninck EFG, Ernst T, Kotah JM, Lucassen PJ, Roseboom TJ, Pollux BJA, de Rooij SR, Korosi A. Sex-dependence and comorbidities of the early-life adversity induced mental and metabolic disease risks: Where are we at? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104627. [PMID: 35339483 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104627] [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: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Early-life adversity (ELA) is a major risk factor for developing later-life mental and metabolic disorders. However, if and to what extent ELA contributes to the comorbidity and sex-dependent prevalence/presentation of these disorders remains unclear. We here comprehensively review and integrate human and rodent ELA (pre- and postnatal) studies examining mental or metabolic health in both sexes and discuss the role of the placenta and maternal milk, key in transferring maternal effects to the offspring. We conclude that ELA impacts mental and metabolic health with sex-specific presentations that depend on timing of exposure, and that human and rodent studies largely converge in their findings. ELA is more often reported to impact cognitive and externalizing domains in males, internalizing behaviors in both sexes and concerning the metabolic dimension, adiposity in females and insulin sensitivity in males. Thus, ELA seems to be involved in the origin of the comorbidity and sex-specific prevalence/presentation of some of the most common disorders in our society. Therefore, ELA-induced disease states deserve specific preventive and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Reemst
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Silvie R Ruigrok
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Bleker
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eva F G Naninck
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tiffany Ernst
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Experimental Zoology &Evolutionary Biology Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Janssen M Kotah
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J Lucassen
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Centre for Urban Mental Health, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa J Roseboom
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart J A Pollux
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Experimental Zoology &Evolutionary Biology Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne R de Rooij
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aniko Korosi
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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Lagoda ME, Marchewka J, O'Driscoll K, Boyle LA. Risk Factors for Chronic Stress in Sows Housed in Groups, and Associated Risks of Prenatal Stress in Their Offspring. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:883154. [PMID: 35498729 PMCID: PMC9039259 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.883154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic stress has a detrimental effect on sow welfare and productivity, as well as on the welfare and resilience of their piglets, mediated prenatally. Despite this, the specific risk factors for chronic stress in pregnant sows are understudied. Group-housed pregnant sows continuously face numerous challenges associated with aspects of the physical (group type and size, flooring, feeding system) and social (stocking density, mixing strategy) environment. There are many well-known potent stressors for pigs that likely contribute to chronic, physiological stress, including overcrowding, hot temperatures, feed restriction, inability to forage, uncomfortable floors, and poor handling. Some of these stressors also contribute to the development of production diseases such as lameness, which in turn are also likely causes of chronic stress because of the associated pain and difficulty accessing resources. The aim of this review is to discuss potential risk factors for chronic stress in pregnant sows such as space allowance, group size and type (stable/dynamic), feeding level, lameness, pen design, feed system, enrichment and rooting material, floor type, the quality of stockmanship, environmental conditions, and individual sow factors. The mechanisms of action of both chronic and prenatal stress, as well as the effects of the latter on offspring are also discussed. Gaps in existing research and recommendations for future work are outlined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Ewa Lagoda
- Pig Development Department, Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, Ireland
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Joanna Marchewka
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland
| | - Keelin O'Driscoll
- Pig Development Department, Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, Ireland
| | - Laura Ann Boyle
- Pig Development Department, Teagasc, Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Fermoy, Ireland
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Omeiza NA, Abdulrahim HA, Alagbonsi AI, Ezurike PU, Soluoku TK, Isiabor H, Alli-Oluwafuyi AA. Melatonin salvages lead-induced neuro-cognitive shutdown, anxiety, and depressive-like symptoms via oxido-inflammatory and cholinergic mechanisms. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e2227. [PMID: 34087957 PMCID: PMC8413791 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lead is the most used nonphysiological neurotoxic heavy metal in the world that has been indicated to interfere with the cognitive and noncognitive processes via numerous mechanisms. The neuroprotective effect of melatonin is well known, but the effect of its interaction with lead in the brain remains inconclusive. OBJECTIVE To assess the therapeutic role of melatonin on cognitive deficit, anxiety and depressive-like symptoms in matured male Wistar rats exposed to a subchronic lead chloride (PbCl2 ). METHODS Twenty male Wistar rats were blindly randomized into four groups (n = 5/group): group 1 to 4 underwent intragastric administration of physiological saline (10 ml/kg; vehicle), PbCl2 (50 mg/kg), melatonin (10 mg/kg) and PbCl2 + melatonin respectively for a period of 4 weeks during which neurobehavioral data were extracted, followed by neurochemical and histopathological evaluations. RESULTS Exposure to PbCl2 reduced cognitive performance by increasing the escape latency and average proximity to the platform zone border, decreasing average path length in the platform zone, cognitive score, and time spent in probing. It raised the thigmotaxis percentage, time spent in rearing, number of pellet-like feces, and time spent in the dark compartment of a bright/dark box which are predictors of anxiety. It also induced depressive-like behavior as immobility time was enhanced. PbCl2 deranged neurochemicals; malondialdehyde, interlukin-1β, and tumor necrotic factor-α were increased while superoxide dismutase and acetylcholinesterase were decreased without remarkable alteration in reduced glutathione and nitric oxide. Administration of PbCl2 further disrupted neuronal settings of hippocampal proper and dentate gyrus. In contrast, the supplementation of melatonin reversed all the neurological consequences of PbCl2 neurotoxicity by eliciting its properties against oxidative and nonoxidative action of PbCl2 . CONCLUSION These findings suggest that melatonin down-regulates neurotoxicant interplays in the brain systems. Therefore, this study suggests the use of melatonin as an adjuvant therapy in neuropathological disorders/dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah A Omeiza
- Neuropharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Halimat A Abdulrahim
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
| | - Abdullateef I Alagbonsi
- Department of Clinical Biology (Physiology), School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, Huye, Southern Province, Republic of Rwanda
| | - Precious U Ezurike
- Neuropharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Talha K Soluoku
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
| | - Happy Isiabor
- Neuropharmacology and Toxicology Unit, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
| | - Abdulmusawwir A Alli-Oluwafuyi
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria
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Haq SU, Bhat UA, Kumar A. Prenatal stress effects on offspring brain and behavior: Mediators, alterations and dysregulated epigenetic mechanisms. J Biosci 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-021-00153-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Developmental stress has sex-specific effects on contextual and cued fear conditioning in adulthood. Physiol Behav 2021; 231:113314. [PMID: 33417904 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Stress-induced deviations in central nervous system development has long-term effects on adult mental health. Previous research in humans demonstrates that prenatal or adolescent stress increases the risk for psychiatric disorders. Animal models investigating the effects of stress during prenatal or adolescent development produces behavioral outcomes analogous to those observed in humans. However, whether adolescent stress exposure potentiates the effects of prenatal stress is currently unknown. Thus, the current study tested whether adolescent stress increases the impact of prenatal stress on contextual and cued fear memory in adulthood. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to a chronic variable stress schedule during the last week of gestation, during adolescence, or during both developmental periods before undergoing fear conditioning training in adulthood. Our hypothesis predicted that the combined effects of prenatal and adolescent stress on contextual and cued fear memory would be greater than the effects of stress during either time period alone. In contrast to our hypothesis, however, we found independent effects of prenatal and adolescent stress on contextual and cued fear memory in both sexes, with no additional combined impact of stress exposure during both developmental phases. In males, developmental stress increased freezing behavior during contextual and cued testing regardless of whether stress exposure was prenatal, adolescent, or combined prenatal and adolescent stress exposure. In contrast, the effects of developmental stress in females were both test- and ovarian hormone status-dependent. During cued testing, nonstressed female freezing behavior depended on estrous cycle phase, whereas freezing behavior in stressed females did not, suggesting that developmental stress interferes with hormone-dependent cued fear memory. No effects of developmental stress or estrous cycle phase were observed for contextual fear memory in females. The results of the current study suggest that the effects of prenatal and adolescent stress on contextual and cued fear memory are not cumulative, but the effects of developmental stress on associative memory differ between males and females.
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Fitzgerald E, Parent C, Kee MZL, Meaney MJ. Maternal Distress and Offspring Neurodevelopment: Challenges and Opportunities for Pre-clinical Research Models. Front Hum Neurosci 2021; 15:635304. [PMID: 33643013 PMCID: PMC7907173 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.635304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pre-natal exposure to acute maternal trauma or chronic maternal distress can confer increased risk for psychiatric disorders in later life. Acute maternal trauma is the result of unforeseen environmental or personal catastrophes, while chronic maternal distress is associated with anxiety or depression. Animal studies investigating the effects of pre-natal stress have largely used brief stress exposures during pregnancy to identify critical periods of fetal vulnerability, a paradigm which holds face validity to acute maternal trauma in humans. While understanding these effects is undoubtably important, the literature suggests maternal stress in humans is typically chronic and persistent from pre-conception through gestation. In this review, we provide evidence to this effect and suggest a realignment of current animal models to recapitulate this chronicity. We also consider candidate mediators, moderators and mechanisms of maternal distress, and suggest a wider breadth of research is needed, along with the incorporation of advanced -omics technologies, in order to understand the neurodevelopmental etiology of psychiatric risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon Fitzgerald
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Carine Parent
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michelle Z. L. Kee
- Translational Neuroscience Programme, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Michael J. Meaney
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics and Mental Health, Douglas Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Translational Neuroscience Programme, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Fitzgerald E, Hor K, Drake AJ. Maternal influences on fetal brain development: The role of nutrition, infection and stress, and the potential for intergenerational consequences. Early Hum Dev 2020; 150:105190. [PMID: 32948364 PMCID: PMC7481314 DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
An optimal early life environment is crucial for ensuring ideal neurodevelopmental outcomes. Brain development consists of a finely tuned series of spatially and temporally constrained events, which may be affected by exposure to a sub-optimal intra-uterine environment. Evidence suggests brain development may be particularly vulnerable to factors such as maternal nutrition, infection and stress during pregnancy. In this review, we discuss how maternal factors such as these can affect brain development and outcome in offspring, and we also identify evidence which suggests that the outcome can, in many cases, be stratified by socio-economic status (SES), with individuals in lower brackets typically having a worse outcome. We consider the relevant epidemiological evidence and draw parallels to mechanisms suggested by preclinical work where appropriate. We also discuss possible transgenerational effects of these maternal factors and the potential mechanisms involved. We conclude that modifiable factors such as maternal nutrition, infection and stress are important contributors to atypical brain development and that SES also likely has a key role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eamon Fitzgerald
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Kahyee Hor
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Amanda J Drake
- University/British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, The Queen's Medical Research Institute, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK.
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Chen HJ, Antonson AM, Rajasekera TA, Patterson JM, Bailey MT, Gur TL. Prenatal stress causes intrauterine inflammation and serotonergic dysfunction, and long-term behavioral deficits through microbe- and CCL2-dependent mechanisms. Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:191. [PMID: 32546752 PMCID: PMC7297973 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-00876-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal stress (PNS) is associated with neuropsychiatric disorders in offspring, including anxiety, depression, and autism spectrum disorders. There is mounting evidence that these behavioral phenotypes have origins in utero. Maternal microbes, inflammation, and serotonergic dysfunction have been implicated as potential mediators of the behavioral consequences of PNS; whether and how these systems interact is unclear. Here, we examine the effects of PNS in utero using late-gestation maternal restraint stress in wild-type (WT), germ-free (GF), and CCL2-/- genetic knock-out (KO) mice. In WT mice, PNS leads to placental and fetal brain inflammation, including an elevation in the chemokine CCL2. This inflammation is largely absent in GF mice, indicating the critical role of maternal microbes in mediating immune processes in utero. Furthermore, PNS in the absence of CCL2 failed to increase pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 in the fetal brain. PNS offspring also exhibited deficits in sociability and anxiety-like behavior that were absent in CCL2-/- PNS offspring. Tryptophan and serotonin (5-HT) were elevated in the WT PNS placenta, but not in CCL2-/- and GF animals. Altogether, these findings suggest that a complex interaction between maternal microbes, inflammation, and serotonin metabolism regulates the emergence of behavioral abnormalities following PNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen J. Chen
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Adrienne M. Antonson
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.261331.40000 0001 2285 7943Biosciences Division, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Therese A. Rajasekera
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.261331.40000 0001 2285 7943Environmental Health Sciences Division, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Jenna M. Patterson
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Michael T. Bailey
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.261331.40000 0001 2285 7943Biosciences Division, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.240344.50000 0004 0392 3476Center for Microbial Pathogenesis, The Research Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Tamar L. Gur
- grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Department of Neuroscience, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA ,grid.412332.50000 0001 1545 0811Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH USA
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Tyul’kova EI, Vataeva LA, Stratilov VA, Barysheva VS, Vetrovoy OV. Peculiarities of DNA and Histone H3 Methylation in the Hippocampus and Neocortex of Rats Subjected to Pathological Treatments during the Prenatal Period. NEUROCHEM J+ 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712420010195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Bagley JR, Adams J, Bozadjian RV, Bubalo L, Kippin TE. Strain differences in maternal neuroendocrine and behavioral responses to stress and the relation to offspring cocaine responsiveness. Int J Dev Neurosci 2019; 78:130-138. [PMID: 31238105 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life stress exposure, including prenatal stress (PNS), influences subsequent risk for many disorders, including substance abuse, and these effects interact with genetic factors to determine risk for disease. We previously demonstrated gene X environmental interactions across the BXD recombinant inbred mouse strain panel and their progenitor strains in PNS modulation of cocaine-induced reward and locomotion. Critical to dissecting genetic interactions with PNS is consideration of the modes of stress transmission to the offspring. Both maternal neuroendocrine responses during stress and subsequent maternal-offspring interactions following stress may serve as transmission modes for PNS-induced changes in cocaine responsiveness. Therefore, we characterized the maternal stress response by measuring restraint stress-induced plasma corticosterone (CORT) during gestation as well as effects of restraint stress on dam-pup contact in the first 10 postnatal days in BXD and progenitor mouse strains. Restraint stress interacted with strain to affect plasma CORT levels and dam-pup contact, indicating heritable variation of the maternal stress response. Furthermore, strain-level variance in maternal stress response correlated to the impact on cocaine response exhibited by adult offspring. These findings implicate multiple modes of maternal stress response in alterations of offspring drug responsiveness and indicate that assessment of maternal endocrine and behavioral responses during early life can be utilized to dissect the complex intersection of maternal factors, the response of the offspring and genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared R Bagley
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
| | - Julia Adams
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
| | - Rachel V Bozadjian
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
| | - Lana Bubalo
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
| | - Tod E Kippin
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
- Neuroscience Research Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
- Department of Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
- Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, United States
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Mahmoudi E, Sahraei H, Bahari Z, Afarinesh MR, Jahromi GP, Hatef B, Meftahi GH. Prenatal Immobilization Stress-Induced Spatial Memory, Depression and Anxiety-Like Behavior Deficit on the F1 Generation in the Female Mice: Possible Involvement of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor. NEUROCHEM J+ 2019. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712419020065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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15
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Developmental outcomes after gestational antidepressant treatment with sertraline and its discontinuation in an animal model of maternal depression. Behav Brain Res 2019; 366:1-12. [PMID: 30836156 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to women before or during pregnancy to manage their depressive symptoms. However, there is still little knowledge regarding the long-term development effects of SSRI exposure for the fetus or the effects of discontinuing SSRI treatment during pregnancy. This study utilized a translational animal model of maternal depression (based on giving high levels of corticosterone (CORT, 40 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle (Oil) for 21 days prior to conception) to investigate the effects of sertraline (a frequently prescribed SSRI; 20 mg/kg p.o., treatment started ∼7 days prior to conception) and its discontinuation during pregnancy (on gestational day 16) compared to vehicle (water) treatment on the development of the offspring. Our results revealed that both corticosterone exposure prior to pregnancy and sertraline administration and its discontinuation during gestation had sex-specific effects on behavior in the adult offspring. In particular, pre-conceptional maternal corticosterone treatment impacted the stress response, anxiety-like behavior and cognitive performance in adult female offspring, while gestational SSRI exposure and its discontinuation compared to full-term exposure affected impulsivity in females, and exploratory behavior in males. More research is needed on the effects of exposure to antidepressant medication and its discontinuation compared to depression during pregnancy and how each impacts development to better help women make informed decisions about their medication use during pregnancy.
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Liao L, Wang X, Yao X, Zhang B, Zhou L, Huang J. Gestational stress induced differential expression of HDAC2 in male rat offspring hippocampus during development. Neurosci Res 2018; 147:9-16. [PMID: 30452948 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2018.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2018] [Revised: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/15/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Accumulating evidence from preclinical and clinical studies indicates prenatal exposure to stress or excess glucocorticoids can affect offspring brain. HDAC2 is an important target of glucocorticoid. Here we detected HDAC2 expression in male offspring hippocampus from gestational restraint stressed rat during development and the relationship between HDAC2 expression and behaviors and neurogenesis in male offspring. Pregnant rats received restrained stress during the last week of pregnancy. Expressions of HDAC2 in offspring hippocampus were detected on postnatal 0 day (P0) and 60 days (P60). Neurogenesis was evaluated by Doublecortin (DCX) staining on P60. Anxiety-like behavior and cognition were detected in open field, elevated plus maze, novel object recognition test, and Barnes maze. We found that HDAC2 expression in the hippocampus of male prenatally stressed offspring (MPSO) was similar to the male control offspring on P0, but significantly lower on P60. Corresponding to the decreased expression of HDAC2 in MPSO hippocampus at P60, neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of MPSO was significantly lower than the control male offspring. And MPSO also showed greater anxiety and poorer learning and memories abilities than control male offspring. These showed that HDAC2 could partly explain the effects of gestational stress on male offspring behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libin Liao
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Changsha, Hunan, PR China; Department of Histology and Embryology, Basic Medical College of Xinjiang Medical University, Ürümqi, Xinjiang, PR China
| | - Xueqin Wang
- Center for Experimental Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Xueping Yao
- Department of Mechanism Lab Centre, Basic Medical College of Xinjiang Medical University, Ürümqi, Xinjiang, PR China
| | - Bin Zhang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Changsha, Hunan, PR China
| | - Lihong Zhou
- Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, PR China.
| | - Jufang Huang
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Central South University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Changsha, Hunan, PR China.
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17
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Vassoler FM, Oranges ML, Toorie AM, Byrnes EM. Oxycodone self-administration during pregnancy disrupts the maternal-infant dyad and decreases midbrain OPRM1 expression during early postnatal development in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2018; 173:74-83. [PMID: 30055180 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2018.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Opioid use and abuse has reached epidemic levels in the United States. As these drugs are frequently used by women of reproductive age, there has been a significant increase in the number of infants born to opioid dependent women. Few preclinical studies have examined voluntary opioid intake during pregnancy, and none have used intravenous self-administration. Thus, the purpose of the current set of studies was to utilize a translational model of oxycodone self-administration in rats to determine the effects of oxycodone intake during pregnancy on early postnatal outcomes. Females were trained to intravenously self-administer oxycodone several weeks prior to mating and then continuously throughout pregnancy followed by withdrawal around the time of parturition. Offspring were monitored for weight gain and separation-induced ultrasonic vocalizations (i.e. number of calls) while dams were examined for motivated maternal responding. Neural expression of the mu opioid receptor gene OPRM1 was examined in offspring on postnatal day 1 (PND1). Results indicate that females self-administer oxycodone during pregnancy at levels similar to those observed in cycling females. Postpartum, oxycodone withdrawn females demonstrate impaired maternal responding. In offspring, while no significant group effects were observed on body weight or call number, age-dependent alterations in weight gain and call number correlated with the dams cumulative oxycodone dose during pregnancy. In addition, offspring demonstrated region specific effects of oxycodone exposure on OPRM1 on PND1. Overall, these findings demonstrate that pregnant females will voluntarily self-administer oxycodone at levels similar to cycling females when using a short access model. Further, maternal oxycodone self-administration alters the maternal-offspring dyad in a manner that is dose-dependent and results in sex- and region-specific effects on OPRM1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fair M Vassoler
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tuft University, North Grafton, MA 02536, United States of America
| | - Michelle L Oranges
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tuft University, North Grafton, MA 02536, United States of America
| | - Anika M Toorie
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tuft University, North Grafton, MA 02536, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth M Byrnes
- Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tuft University, North Grafton, MA 02536, United States of America.
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18
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Neuroepigenetics of Prenatal Psychological Stress. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2018; 158:83-104. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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19
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Abstract
Neurogenesis is currently an area of great interest in neuroscience. It is closely linked to brain diseases, including mental disorders and neurodevelopmental disease. Both embryonic and adult neurogeneses are influenced by glucocorticoids secreted from the adrenal glands in response to a variety of stressors. Moreover, proliferation/differentiation of the neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) is affected by glucocorticoids through intracellular signaling pathways such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, hedgehog, and Wnt. Our review presents recent evidence of the impact of glucocorticoids on NSPC behaviors and the underlying molecular mechanisms; this provides important information for understanding the pathological role of glucocorticoids on neurogenesis-associated brain diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruki Odaka
- Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Cell Modulation, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Naoki Adachi
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, School of Science and Technology, Kwansei Gakuin University, Hyogo, Japan
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tadahiro Numakawa
- Department of Cell Modulation, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo, Japan
- Correspondence to: Tadahiro Numakawa, .
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20
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Bath KG, Nitenson AS, Lichtman E, Lopez C, Chen W, Gallo M, Goodwill H, Manzano-Nieves G. Early life stress leads to developmental and sex selective effects on performance in a novel object placement task. Neurobiol Stress 2017; 7:57-67. [PMID: 28462362 PMCID: PMC5408156 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2016] [Revised: 04/18/2017] [Accepted: 04/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruptions in early life care, including neglect, extreme poverty, and trauma, influence neural development and increase the risk for and severity of pathology. Significant sex disparities have been identified for affective pathology, with females having an increased risk of developing anxiety and depressive disorder. However, the effects of early life stress (ELS) on cognitive development have not been as well characterized, especially in reference to sex specific impacts of ELS on cognitive abilities over development. In mice, fragmented maternal care resulting from maternal bedding restriction, was used to induce ELS. The development of spatial abilities were tracked using a novel object placement (NOP) task at several different ages across early development (P21, P28, P38, P50, and P75). Male mice exposed to ELS showed significant impairments in the NOP task compared with control reared mice at all ages tested. In female mice, ELS led to impaired NOP performance immediately following weaning (P21) and during peri-adolescence (P38), but these effects did not persist into early adulthood. Prior work has implicated impaired hippocampus neurogenesis as a possible mediator of negative outcomes in ELS males. In the hippocampus of behaviorally naïve animals there was a significant decrease in expression of Ki-67 (proliferative marker) and doublecortin (DCX-immature cell marker) as mice aged, and a more rapid developmental decline in these markers in ELS reared mice. However, the effect of ELS dissipated by P28 and no main effect of sex were observed. Together these results indicate that ELS impacts the development of spatial abilities in both male and female mice and that these effects are more profound and lasting in males. ELS leads to sex differences in spatial memory abilities in mice. Female mice show impaired performance that resolve prior to adolescence. Male mice show persistent impairments across early life. Effects are restricted to spatial abilities and not other task dimensions. Effects are not related to markers of proliferation and differentiation in hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin G Bath
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence RI 02912, United States
| | | | - Ezra Lichtman
- Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Chelsea Lopez
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence RI 02912, United States
| | - Whitney Chen
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States
| | - Meghan Gallo
- Department of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences, Brown University, Providence RI 02912, United States
| | - Haley Goodwill
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States
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21
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Prenatal Stress Impairs Spatial Learning and Memory Associated with Lower mRNA Level of the CAMKII and CREB in the Adult Female Rat Hippocampus. Neurochem Res 2017; 42:1496-1503. [DOI: 10.1007/s11064-017-2206-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2016] [Revised: 12/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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22
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Chronic glucocorticoid exposure suppressed the differentiation and survival of embryonic neural stem/progenitor cells: Possible involvement of ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling in the neuronal differentiation. Neurosci Res 2016; 113:28-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2016.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Revised: 06/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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23
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Guan SZ, Ning L, Tao N, Lian YL, Liu JW, Ng TB. Effects of maternal stress during pregnancy on learning and memory via hippocampal BDNF, Arc (Arg3.1) expression in offspring. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2016; 46:158-167. [PMID: 27474832 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2016.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2015] [Revised: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 04/23/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The intrauterine environment has a significant long-term impact on individual's life, this study was designed to investigate the effect of stress during pregnancy on offspring's learning and memory abilities and analyze its mechanisms from the expression of BDNF and Arc in the hippocampus of the offspring. A rat model of maternal chronic stress during pregnancy was mating from 3rd day during been subjecting to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). The body weights and behavioral changes were recorded, and plasma corticosterone levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. The learning and memory abilities of the offspring were measured by Morris water maze testing from PND 42. The expression of hippocampal BDNF and Arc mRNA and protein were respectively measured using RT-PCR and Western blotting. Results indicated that an elevation was observed in the plasma corticosterone level of rat model of maternal chronic stress during pregnancy, a reduction in the crossing and rearing movement times and the preference for sucrose. The body weight of maternal stress's offspring was lower than the control group, and the plasma corticosterone level was increased. Chronic stress during pregnancy had a significant impact on the spatial learning and memory of the offspring. The expression of BDNF mRNA and protein, Arc protein in offspring of maternal stress during pregnancy was attenuated and some relationships existed between these parameters. Collectively, these findings disclose that long-time maternal stress during pregnancy could destroy spatial learning and memory abilities of the offspring, the mechanism of which is related to been improving maternal plasma corticosterone and reduced hippocampal BDNF, Arc of offspring rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Zhen Guan
- Department of Social Medicine, College of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Li Ning
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Ning Tao
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Yu-Long Lian
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, College of Medical, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226000, China
| | - Ji-Wen Liu
- Department of Occupational Health and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi 830011, China.
| | - Tzi Bun Ng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
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Prenatal stressors in rodents: Effects on behavior. Neurobiol Stress 2016; 6:3-13. [PMID: 28229104 PMCID: PMC5314420 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2016.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 08/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The current review focuses on studies in rodents published since 2008 and explores possible reasons for any differences they report in the effects of gestational stress on various types of behavior in the offspring. An abundance of experimental data shows that different maternal stressors in rodents can replicate some of the abnormalities in offspring behavior observed in humans. These include, anxiety, in juvenile and adult rats and mice, assessed in the elevated plus maze and open field tests and depression, detected in the forced swim and sucrose-preference tests. Deficits were reported in social interaction that is suggestive of pathology associated with schizophrenia, and in spatial learning and memory in adult rats in the Morris water maze test, but in most studies only males were tested. There were too few studies on the novel object recognition test at different inter-trial intervals to enable a conclusion about the effect of prenatal stress and whether any deficits are more prevalent in males. Among hippocampal glutamate receptors, NR2B was the only subtype consistently reduced in association with learning deficits. However, like in humans with schizophrenia and depression, prenatal stress lowered hippocampal levels of BDNF, which were closely correlated with decreases in hippocampal long-term potentiation. In mice, down-regulation of BDNF appeared to occur through the action of gene-methylating enzymes that are already increased above controls in prenatally-stressed neonates. In conclusion, the data obtained so far from experiments in rodents lend support to a physiological basis for the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia and depression.
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25
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Barbie-Shoshani Y, Shoham S, Bejar C, Weinstock M. Sex-Specific Effects of Prenatal Stress on Memory and Markers of Neuronal Activity in Juvenile Rats. Dev Neurosci 2016; 38:206-219. [DOI: 10.1159/000446981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress during pregnancy can increase the incidence of emotional problems, learning and language difficulties in human infants and pre-adolescents. Most preclinical studies in rats that attempted to find experimental support for these observations were performed in adult male offspring, but the results are inconsistent. The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of prenatal stress on novel object recognition (NOR) and spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze (MWM) of juvenile rats of both sexes. By the use of fluorescence immunohistochemistry and protein measurements by Western blot, we measured the expression of markers of neurogenesis (doublecortin, DCX) and neuronal activity that are important for synaptic plasticity and learning (c-fos, GluR1, nNOS). Since neuronal activity in the developing and adult brain can be regulated by astrocytes, we also measured the number of astrocytes and the expression of two astroglial proteins (GFAP and S100B) in the stress-responsive hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). Experiments were performed on littermates of rats in which its effects on behavior were measured. We found for the first time that juvenile females performed better than males in the NOR and MWM tests. They also had higher densities of DCX and c-fos in the DG, together with the expression of nNOS and GluR1 in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the DG. There were no sex differences in the expression of GFAP and S100B in astrocytes. Prenatal stress did not affect NOR in females, but improved it in males, together with an increase in DCX+ and c-fos, the number of GFAP-expressing astrocytes and the intensity of GFAP and S100B immunofluorescence in the DG. Staining intensity of GluR1 and nNOS in the hilus and SGZ of the DG, and protein expression in the whole DG, was unchanged in prenatally stressed males. Thus, prenatal stress changed the behavior and expression of key proteins in the DG to resemble that in females. A reduction in plasma testosterone, which although not attaining statistical significance was associated with that in anogenital distance, may contribute to the effect of prenatal stress in males. In females, prenatal stress had no effect on c-fos, DCX or the number of astrocytes but reduced the staining intensity of GluR1 and nNOS. Protein expression of nNOS was also significantly lower than that in prenatally stressed males. The differential effects of prenatal stress on hippocampal neuronal and glial markers may help to explain the sex-dependent effect on spatial learning in prepubertal rats.
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26
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de Los Angeles GAM, Del Carmen ROM, Wendy PM, Socorro RM. Tactile stimulation effects on hippocampal neurogenesis and spatial learning and memory in prenatally stressed rats. Brain Res Bull 2016; 124:1-11. [PMID: 26993794 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2016.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus is increased by spatial learning and postnatal stimulation. Conversely, prenatal stress (PS) produces a decrease in the proliferation of hippocampal granular cells. This work evaluated the effect of postnatal tactile stimulation (PTS), when applied from birth to adulthood, on cognitive performance and hippocampal neurogenesis (survival and differentiation) in PS female and male rats. The response of the adrenal axis to training in the Morris water maze (MWM) was also analyzed. PS was provided during gestational days 15 through 21. Hippocampal neurogenesis and cognitive performance in the MWM were assessed at an age of three months. Results showed that escape latencies of both female and male PS rats were longer compared to those of their controls (CON). DG cell survival increased in the PS female rats. Corticosterone concentrations were significantly higher in the male and female PS rats after MWM training. PTS improved escape latencies and increased the number of new neurons in the DG of PS animals, and their corticosterone concentrations were similar to those in CON. In CON, PTS diminished DG cell survival but increased differentiation and reduces latency in the MWM. These results show that long-term PTS in PS animals might prevent learning deficits in adults through increase in the number of DG new cells and decrease of the reactivity of the adrenal axis to MWM training.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Retana-Márquez Socorro
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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27
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Reis-Silva TM, Cohn DW, Sandini TM, Udo MS, Teodorov E, Bernardi MM. Prenatal lipopolysaccharide exposure affects sexual dimorphism in different germlines of mice with a depressive phenotype. Life Sci 2016; 149:129-37. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2016.02.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2015] [Revised: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 02/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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28
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Darcet F, Gardier AM, Gaillard R, David DJ, Guilloux JP. Cognitive Dysfunction in Major Depressive Disorder. A Translational Review in Animal Models of the Disease. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2016; 9:ph9010009. [PMID: 26901205 PMCID: PMC4812373 DOI: 10.3390/ph9010009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the most common psychiatric disease, affecting millions of people worldwide. In addition to the well-defined depressive symptoms, patients suffering from MDD consistently complain about cognitive disturbances, significantly exacerbating the burden of this illness. Among cognitive symptoms, impairments in attention, working memory, learning and memory or executive functions are often reported. However, available data about the heterogeneity of MDD patients and magnitude of cognitive symptoms through the different phases of MDD remain difficult to summarize. Thus, the first part of this review briefly overviewed clinical studies, focusing on the cognitive dysfunctions depending on the MDD type. As animal models are essential translational tools for underpinning the mechanisms of cognitive deficits in MDD, the second part of this review synthetized preclinical studies observing cognitive deficits in different rodent models of anxiety/depression. For each cognitive domain, we determined whether deficits could be shared across models. Particularly, we established whether specific stress-related procedures or unspecific criteria (such as species, sex or age) could segregate common cognitive alteration across models. Finally, the role of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in rodents in cognitive dysfunctions during MDD state was also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavie Darcet
- Université Paris-Saclay, University Paris-Sud, Faculté de Pharmacie, CESP, INSERM UMRS1178, Chatenay-Malabry 92296, France.
| | - Alain M Gardier
- Université Paris-Saclay, University Paris-Sud, Faculté de Pharmacie, CESP, INSERM UMRS1178, Chatenay-Malabry 92296, France.
| | - Raphael Gaillard
- Laboratoire de "Physiopathologie des maladies Psychiatriques", Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences U894, INSERM, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris 75014, France.
- Service de Psychiatrie, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Faculté de Médecine Paris Descartes, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris 75014, France.
- Human Histopathology and Animal Models, Infection and Epidemiology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris 75015, France.
| | - Denis J David
- Université Paris-Saclay, University Paris-Sud, Faculté de Pharmacie, CESP, INSERM UMRS1178, Chatenay-Malabry 92296, France.
| | - Jean-Philippe Guilloux
- Université Paris-Saclay, University Paris-Sud, Faculté de Pharmacie, CESP, INSERM UMRS1178, Chatenay-Malabry 92296, France.
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29
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Zohar I, Shoham S, Weinstock M. Perinatal citalopram does not prevent the effect of prenatal stress on anxiety, depressive-like behaviour and serotonergic transmission in adult rat offspring. Eur J Neurosci 2016; 43:590-600. [PMID: 26669896 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.13150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Revised: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
It is still not clear whether the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors frequently prescribed to depressed pregnant women improve the behavioural outcome in their children. The current study investigated whether administration of citalopram to pregnant rats could prevent anxiety and depressive-like behaviour induced by gestational stress in their offspring, and restore the expression of serotonin 1A autoreceptors in GABAergic interneurons in the medial prefrontal cortex and dorsal raphe nuclei in males, and of corticotropin-releasing factor type 2 receptors in GABAergic interneurons in the dorsal raphe nuclei in females. Activation of these receptors modulates serotonergic transmission to target areas and is reduced in a sex-dependent manner by prenatal stress. Citalopram (10 mg/kg/day), administered orally from day 7 of gestation until 21 days postpartum, prevented the increase in anxiety in stressed mothers but did not reduce anxiety and depressive-like behaviour in their offspring and even induced depressive-like behaviour in the offspring of control mothers. Citalopram failed to restore the reduction in the expression of serotonin 1A autoreceptors in the prefrontal cortex of males and in corticotropin-releasing factor type 2 receptors in the dorsal raphe nuclei of females induced by prenatal stress. Prenatal citalopram did not prevent the behavioural changes or reduction in serotonergic transmission to target areas induced by prenatal stress. It had adverse behavioural effects in the offspring of control rats, which, together with the lack of any change in prenatally-stressed rats, may be due to inhibition of the foetal serotonin transporter thereby preventing normal development of the serotonin system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inbar Zohar
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Drug Research, Hebrew University Medical Centre, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Shai Shoham
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Drug Research, Hebrew University Medical Centre, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Marta Weinstock
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Drug Research, Hebrew University Medical Centre, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, Israel
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Lasting Differential Effects on Plasticity Induced by Prenatal Stress in Dorsal and Ventral Hippocampus. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:2540462. [PMID: 26881096 PMCID: PMC4736977 DOI: 10.1155/2016/2540462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life adversaries have a profound impact on the developing brain structure and functions that persist long after the original traumatic experience has vanished. One of the extensively studied brain structures in relation to early life stress has been the hippocampus because of its unique association with cognitive processes of the brain. While the entire hippocampus shares the same intrinsic organization, it assumes different functions in its dorsal and ventral sectors (DH and VH, resp.), based on different connectivity with other brain structures. In the present review, we summarize the differences between DH and VH and discuss functional and structural effects of prenatal stress in the two sectors, with the realization that much is yet to be explored in understanding the opposite reactivity of the DH and VH to stressful stimulation.
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Vey LT, Rosa HZ, Barcelos RCS, Segat HJ, Metz VG, Dias VT, Duarte T, Duarte MMMF, Burger ME. Stress during the gestational period modifies pups' emotionality parameters and favors preference for morphine in adolescent rats. Behav Brain Res 2015; 296:408-417. [PMID: 26300452 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Experimental animal studies have shown that early life periods are highly vulnerable to environmental factors, which may exert prolonged impact on HPA axis function and on subsequent neurochemical and behavioral responses in adulthood. Here we evaluated the influence of environmental stressful situations in two different early life stages on stress-related behaviors, and morphine-conditioned place preference (CPP), which is indicative of addiction. While in the gestational stress (Gest-S) dams were exposed to daily sessions of chronic mild stress (CMS) for 2 weeks, in the postnatal stress (post-NS) the offspring were exposed daily to neonatal isolation from postnatal day (PND) 2 to PND 9 for 60 min. Animals exposed to post-NS showed lesser anxiety in different behavioral paradigms (elevated plus maze-EPM and defensive burying test-DBT) as well as increased exploratory behavior (open-field task-OFT), and no preference for morphine in CPP. In contrast, animals exposed to Gest-S showed increased corticosterone plasma levels together with anxiety symptoms and greater preference for morphine following three days of drug withdrawal. Our findings indicate that the gestational period is critical for stress, whose effects may be manifest throughout life. On the other hand, post-NS can trigger neuroadaptations able to overcome emotional consequences of early life. We hypothesized that Gest-S is able to modify responses to opioids along adulthood, which may facilitate development of addiction to these drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana Taschetto Vey
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 18, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Higor Zuquetto Rosa
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, UFSM, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 21, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Raquel Cristine Silva Barcelos
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Farmacologia UFSM, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 21, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Hecson Jesser Segat
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 18, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Vinícia Garzella Metz
- Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, UFSM, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 21, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Verônica Tironi Dias
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Farmacologia UFSM, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 21, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Thiago Duarte
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Farmacologia UFSM, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 21, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Marta M M F Duarte
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Farmacologia UFSM, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 21, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Lutheran University of Brazil (ULBRA), Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Marilise Escobar Burger
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 18, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós Graduação em Farmacologia UFSM, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 21, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, UFSM, Av. Roraima, 1000, Prédio 21, Cidade Universitária, CEP 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
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Zohar I, Dosoretz-Abittan L, Shoham S, Weinstock M. Sex dependent reduction by prenatal stress of the expression of 5HT1A receptors in the prefrontal cortex and CRF type 2 receptors in the raphe nucleus in rats: reversal by citalopram. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:1643-53. [PMID: 25420605 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3803-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Accepted: 10/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Alterations in the serotonergic transmission and activity of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family may underlie anxiety and depressive disorders. These could be corrected by treatment with SSRIs. OBJECTIVES The objective of the current study is to determine whether the increased anxiety of prenatally stressed (PS) rats of both sexes is associated with changes in 5HT1A and CRF type 2 receptors (5HT1AR and CRFR2) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC)-dorsal raphe nuclei (DRN) axis, and how these are affected by chronic treatment with citalopram (10 mg/kg/day). We focussed on GABAergic cells that co-express parvalbumin and/or neuropeptide Y, and 5HT1AR in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and on cells that express 5HT, parvalbumin, 5HT1AR or CRFR2 in the DRN. RESULTS Immunohistochemistry with fluorescent antibodies demonstrated sex differences in the expression of 5HT1AR and CRFR2 protein. Prenatal stress selectively reduced the expression of 5HT1AR on GABAergic cells in the mPFC in males and that of CRFR2 in the DRN of females. Citalopram treatment for 5 weeks abolished the increase in anxiety in both sexes, restored the intensity of expression of 5HT1AR in the mPFC in males and increased their expression in the mPFC and DRN in females. Citalopram reduced CRFR2 expression in control and PS males but increased it in PS females. CONCLUSIONS Male and female rats show differences in the expression of 5HT1AR and CRFR2 protein that are selectively reduced by prenatal stress. Reversal by citalopram of the changes in the expression of these receptors induced by prenatal stress support their role in the aetiology of anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inbar Zohar
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Drug Research, Hebrew University Medical Centre, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, 91120, Israel
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Korgan AC, Vonkeman J, Esser MJ, Perrot TS. An enhanced home cage modulates hypothalamic CRH-ir Labeling in juvenile rats, with and without sub-threshold febrile convulsions. Dev Psychobiol 2015; 57:374-81. [DOI: 10.1002/dev.21300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Austin C. Korgan
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - Janeske Vonkeman
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - Michael J. Esser
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
- Departments of Pediatrics and Pharmacology; IWK Health Care Center; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
| | - Tara S. Perrot
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience; Dalhousie University; Halifax Nova Scotia Canada
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Wang Y, Ma Y, Cheng W, Jiang H, Zhang X, Li M, Ren J, Zhang X, Li X. Sexual differences in long‐term effects of prenatal chronic mild stress on anxiety‐like behavior and stress‐induced regional glutamate receptor expression in rat offspring. Int J Dev Neurosci 2015; 41:80-91. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2015.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied psychologyChina Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
| | - Yuchao Ma
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied psychologyChina Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
| | - Wenwen Cheng
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied psychologyChina Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
| | - Han Jiang
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
| | - Xinxin Zhang
- The Research Center for Medical GenomicsKey Laboratory of Cell Biology, Ministry of Public Health, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of EducationChina Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
| | - Min Li
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied psychologyChina Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
| | - Jintao Ren
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied psychologyChina Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
| | - Xiaosong Zhang
- College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Applied psychologyChina Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
| | - Xiaobai Li
- Department of PsychiatryThe First Hospital of China Medical UniversityShenyang110001China
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Changes induced by prenatal stress in behavior and brain morphology: can they be prevented or reversed? ADVANCES IN NEUROBIOLOGY 2015; 10:3-25. [PMID: 25287533 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1372-5_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
This chapter presents a critical analysis of the behavioral alterations reported in the offspring of women exposed to stress and/or depression during pregnancy and the neurochemical and structural changes underlying them. Among the alterations attributed to prenatal stress in humans and experimental rats of both sexes is impaired regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, anxiety and exaggerated fear of novelty, and decreased social interaction. Learning and attention deficits are more prevalent in boys and male rats. Fear of novelty and anxiety are associated with enlargement of the amygdala and its corticotropin-releasing factor content, and decreased socialization, with lower oxytocin activity in the amygdala. Learning deficits are associated with a decrease in neurogenesis, dendritic complexity, and spine number in the dorsal hippocampus. Fostering prenatally stressed (PS) pups onto control mothers prevents the dysregulation of the HPA axis and heightened anxiety, indicating a role for postnatal factors in their etiology. By contrast, learning impairment and decreased socialization are not affected by this fostering procedure and are therefore prenatally mediated.In spite of their widespread use in depressed pregnant women, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants do not normalize the behavior of their children. When administered during gestation to stressed rats, SSRIs do not reduce anxiety or learning deficits in their offspring. Moreover, when given to unstressed mothers, SSRIs induce anxiety in the offspring. The detrimental effect of SSRIs may result from inhibition of the serotonin transporter exposing the brain to excess amounts of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) at a critical time during fetal development.
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Prenatal stress induces spatial memory deficits and epigenetic changes in the hippocampus indicative of heterochromatin formation and reduced gene expression. Behav Brain Res 2014; 281:1-8. [PMID: 25496779 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2014] [Revised: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Stress during pregnancy has a wide variety of negative effects in both human [1] and animal offspring [2]. These effects are especially apparent in various forms of learning and memory such as object recognition [3] and spatial memory [4]. The cognitive effects of prenatal stress (PNS) may be mediated through epigenetic changes such as histone acetylation and DNA methylation [5]. As such, the present study investigated the effects of chronic unpredictable PNS on memory and epigenetic measures in adult offspring. Mice that underwent PNS exhibited impaired spatial memory in the Morris water maze, as well as sex-specific changes in levels of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 1 protein, and acetylated histone H3 (AcH3) in the hippocampus, and serum corticosterone. Male mice exposed to PNS exhibited decreased hippocampal AcH3, whereas female PNS mice displayed a further reduction in AcH3, as well as heightened hippocampal DNMT1 protein levels and corticosterone levels. These data suggest that PNS may epigenetically reduce transcription in the hippocampus, particularly in females in whom this effect may be related to increased baseline stress hormone levels, and which may underlie the sexual dimorphism in rates of mental illness in humans.
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Govic A, Bell V, Samuel A, Penman J, Paolini AG. Calorie restriction and corticosterone elevation during lactation can each modulate adult male fear and anxiety-like behaviour. Horm Behav 2014; 66:591-601. [PMID: 25205316 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2014] [Revised: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 08/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Early life events, such as calorie restriction (CR) and elevated glucocorticoids, can calibrate the lifelong behavioural and physiological profile of an individual. Stress reactivity in adulthood is particularly sensitive to early life events; however, the consequence to fear and anxiety-like behaviour is less clear. Consequently, the current study sought to examine the effects of post-natal CR and glucocorticoid elevation, long considered powerful programming stimuli, on the subsequent fear and anxiety behaviour of the adult offspring. Rat dams received either corticosterone (200 μg/ml) supplementation in drinking water (CORT) or a 25% CR from post-natal day (PND) 1 to 11. Responses to the elevated plus maze (EPM), open field and a predator odour (TMT; 2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline) were characterised in the adult male offspring. Both treatment conditions resulted in enhanced fear responses to TMT, characterised by heightened risk assessment and increased avoidance of TMT. CORT nursed offspring further demonstrated an anxiogenic profile in the open field. Basal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function was unchanged in CORT adult offspring, whilst corticosterone concentration was elevated by post-natal CR. CR and CORT treated dams both exhibited greater anxiety-like behaviour in the EPM. A modest and temporary enhancement of maternal care was observed in CR and CORT treated dams, with CR dams further exhibiting rapid pup retrieval latencies. The results indicate enhanced emotionality in the adult male progeny of dams exposed to CR and corticosterone supplementation during the post-natal period. The modest enhancement of maternal care observed by both treatments is unlikely to have influenced the behavioural profile of the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonina Govic
- School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering & Health, RMIT University, Australia.
| | - Veronica Bell
- School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Anil Samuel
- School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering & Health, RMIT University, Australia
| | - Jim Penman
- School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering & Health, RMIT University, Australia
| | - Antonio G Paolini
- School of Health Sciences, College of Science Engineering & Health, RMIT University, Australia; School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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Abstract
Fetal development is a critical period for shaping the lifelong health of an individual. However, the fetus is susceptible to internal and external stimuli that can lead to adverse long-term health consequences. Glucocorticoids are an important developmental switch, driving changes in gene regulation that are necessary for normal growth and maturation. The fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is particularly susceptible to long-term programming by glucocorticoids; these effects can persist throughout the life of an organism. Dysfunction of the HPA axis as a result of fetal programming has been associated with impaired brain growth, altered behaviour and increased susceptibility to chronic disease (such as metabolic and cardiovascular disease). Moreover, the effects of glucocorticoid-mediated programming are evident in subsequent generations, and transmission of these changes can occur through both maternal and paternal lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasilis G Moisiadis
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Stephen G Matthews
- Departments of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine and Physiology, University of Toronto, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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Determination of motor activity and anxiety-related behaviour in rodents: methodological aspects and role of nitric oxide. Interdiscip Toxicol 2014; 6:126-35. [PMID: 24678249 PMCID: PMC3967438 DOI: 10.2478/intox-2013-0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2013] [Revised: 09/02/2013] [Accepted: 09/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In various areas of the bio-medical, pharmacological and psychological research a multitude of behavioural tests have been used to investigate the effects of environmental, genetic and epi-genetic factors as well as pharmacological substances or diseased states on behaviour and thus on the physiological and psycho-social status of experimental subjects. This article is reviewing the most frequently used behavioural tests in animal research (open field, elevated plus maze, zero maze, and black and white box). It provides a summary of common characteristics as well as differences in the methods used in various studies to determine motor activity, anxiety and emotionality. Additionally to methodological aspects, strain, sex and stress-related differences as well as the involvement of nitric oxide in modulation of motor activity and anxiety of rodents were briefly reviewed.
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Goelman G, Ilinca R, Zohar I, Weinstock M. Functional connectivity in prenatally stressed rats with and without maternal treatment with ladostigil, a brain-selective monoamine oxidase inhibitor. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 40:2734-43. [PMID: 24862938 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2014] [Revised: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Stress during pregnancy in humans is known to be a risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders in the offspring. Prenatal stress in rats caused depressive-like behavior that was restored to that of controls by maternal treatment with ladostigil (8.5 mg/kg per day), a brain-selective monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor that prevented increased anxiety-like behavior in stressed mothers. Ladostigil inhibited maternal striatal MAO-A and -B by 45-50% at the time the pups were weaned. Using resting state-functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging on rat male offspring of control mothers, and mothers stressed during gestation with and without ladostigil treatment, we identified neuronal connections that differed between these groups. The percentage of significant connections within a predefined predominantly limbic network in control rats was 23.3 within the right and 22.0 within the left hemisphere. Prenatal stress disturbed hemispheric symmetry, resulting in 30.2 and 21.6%, significant connections in the right and left hemispheres, respectively, but this was fully restored in the maternal ladostigil group to 24.6% in both hemispheres. All connections that were modified in prenatally stressed rats and restored by maternal drug treatment were associated with the dopaminergic system. Specifically, we observed that restoration of the connections of the right nucleus accumbens shell with frontal areas, the cingulate, septum and motor and sensory cortices, and those of the right globus pallidus with the infra-limbic and the dentate gyrus, were most important for prevention of depressive-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Goelman
- MRI Lab, The Human Biology Research Center, Department of Medical Biophysics and Nuclear Medicine, Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Center, Ein Karem, PO Box 12000, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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Prenatal corticosterone and adolescent URB597 administration modulate emotionality and CB1 receptor expression in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:2131-44. [PMID: 24311359 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3367-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The central endocannabinoid system (eCB system) sustains the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in mediating individual emotional responses. Deviation in maturational trajectories of these two physiological systems, may persistently adjust individual behavioral phenotype. OBJECTIVE We investigated, in outbred CD1 male mice, whether exposure to prenatal stress may influence short- and long-term emotional and neurochemical responses to a pharmacological stimulation of the eCB system during adolescence. METHODS To mimic prenatal stress, pregnant mice were supplemented with corticosterone in the drinking water (33.3 mg/l); their adolescent male offspring received daily injections of the fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor, URB597 (0.4 mg/kg), in order to enhance eCB signaling. Mice were then tested for: locomotor activity during adolescence and locomotor activity, anxiogenic, and anhedonic profiles in adulthood. We analyzed the expression of CB1 receptors (CB1Rs) in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, striatum, and cerebellum in adulthood. RESULTS Corticosterone administration (PC group) resulted, in adolescence, in a reduction in body weight and locomotion, while in adulthood, in increased anxiety-related behavior and reduced CB1Rs expression in cerebellum. URB597 exposure reduced locomotor activity and increased anhedonia in adulthood. CB1Rs were up-regulated in striatum and hippocampus and down-regulated in the cerebellum. PC-URB597 mice failed to show reductions in locomotion; exhibited increased risk assessment behavior; and showed reduced CB1Rs expression within the prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSIONS Present results provide support to the hypothesis that precocious manipulations mapping onto the HPA axis and eCB system may persistently adjust individual emotional responses and eCB system plasticity.
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Effects of prenatal chronic mild stress exposure on hippocampal cell proliferation, expression of GSK‐3α, β and NR2B in adult offspring during fear extinction in rats. Int J Dev Neurosci 2014; 35:16-24. [PMID: 24631206 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2014.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2013] [Revised: 02/23/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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Bock J, Rether K, Gröger N, Xie L, Braun K. Perinatal programming of emotional brain circuits: an integrative view from systems to molecules. Front Neurosci 2014; 8:11. [PMID: 24550772 PMCID: PMC3913903 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2014.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental influences such as perinatal stress have been shown to program the developing organism to adapt brain and behavioral functions to cope with daily life challenges. Evidence is now accumulating that the specific and individual effects of early life adversity on the functional development of brain and behavior emerge as a function of the type, intensity, timing and the duration of the adverse environment, and that early life stress (ELS) is a major risk factor for developing behavioral dysfunctions and mental disorders. Results from clinical as well as experimental studies in animal models support the hypothesis that ELS can induce functional “scars” in prefrontal and limbic brain areas, regions that are essential for emotional control, learning and memory functions. On the other hand, the concept of “stress inoculation” is emerging from more recent research, which revealed positive functional adaptations in response to ELS resulting in resilience against stress and other adversities later in life. Moreover, recent studies indicate that early life experiences and the resulting behavioral consequences can be transmitted to the next generation, leading to a transgenerational cycle of adverse or positive adaptations of brain function and behavior. In this review we propose a unifying view of stress vulnerability and resilience by connecting genetic predisposition and programming sensitivity to the context of experience-expectancy and transgenerational epigenetic traits. The adaptive maturation of stress responsive neural and endocrine systems requires environmental challenges to optimize their functions. Repeated environmental challenges can be viewed within the framework of the match/mismatch hypothesis, the outcome, psychopathology or resilience, depends on the respective predisposition and on the context later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Bock
- PG "Epigenetics and Structural Plasticity", Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany ; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Kathy Rether
- PG "Epigenetics and Structural Plasticity", Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany ; Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Nicole Gröger
- Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Lan Xie
- PG "Epigenetics and Structural Plasticity", Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany ; Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Braun
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences Magdeburg, Germany ; Department of Zoology/Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg Magdeburg, Germany
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de Vries GJ, Fields CT, Peters NV, Whylings J, Paul MJ. Sensitive periods for hormonal programming of the brain. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2014; 16:79-108. [PMID: 24549723 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2014_286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
During sensitive periods, information from the external and internal environment that occurs during particular phases of development is relayed to the brain to program neural development. Hormones play a central role in this process. In this review, we first discuss sexual differentiation of the brain as an example of hormonal programming. Using sexual differentiation, we define sensitive periods, review cellular and molecular processes that can explain their restricted temporal window, and discuss challenges in determining the precise timing of the temporal window. We then briefly review programming effects of other hormonal systems and discuss how programming of these systems interact with sexual differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geert J de Vries
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, PO Box 5030, Atlanta, GA, 30302-5030, USA,
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Sickmann HM, Li Y, Mørk A, Sanchez C, Gulinello M. Does stress elicit depression? Evidence from clinical and preclinical studies. Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2014; 18:123-159. [PMID: 24633891 DOI: 10.1007/7854_2014_292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to stressful situations may induce or deteriorate an already existing depression. Stress-related depression can be elicited at an adolescent/adult age but evidence also shows that early adverse experiences even at the fetal stage may predispose the offspring for later development of depression. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA-axis) plays a key role in regulating the stress response and dysregulation in the system has been linked to depression both in humans and in animal models. This chapter critically reviews clinical and preclinical findings that may explain how stress can cause depression, including HPA-axis changes and alterations beyond the HPA-axis. As stress does not elicit depression in the majority of the population, this motivated research to focus on understanding the biology underlying resilient versus sensitive subjects. Animal models of depression have contributed to a deeper understanding of these mechanisms. Findings from these models will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helle M Sickmann
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Bingham BC, Sheela Rani CS, Frazer A, Strong R, Morilak DA. Exogenous prenatal corticosterone exposure mimics the effects of prenatal stress on adult brain stress response systems and fear extinction behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2013; 38:2746-57. [PMID: 23937971 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2013] [Revised: 06/22/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to early-life stress is a risk factor for the development of cognitive and emotional disorders later in life. We previously demonstrated that prenatal stress (PNS) in rats results in long-term, stable changes in central stress-response systems and impairs the ability to extinguish conditioned fear responding, a component of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Maternal corticosterone (CORT), released during prenatal stress, is a possible mediator of these effects. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether fetal exposure to CORT at levels induced by PNS is sufficient to alter the development of adult stress neurobiology and fear extinction behavior. Pregnant dams were subject to either PNS (60 min immobilization/day from ED 14-21) or a daily injection of CORT (10mg/kg), which approximated both fetal and maternal plasma CORT levels elicited during PNS. Control dams were given injections of oil vehicle. Male offspring were allowed to grow to adulthood undisturbed, at which point they were sacrificed and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus, hypothalamus, and a section of the rostral pons containing the locus coeruleus (LC) were dissected. PNS and prenatal CORT treatment decreased glucocorticoid receptor protein levels in the mPFC, hippocampus, and hypothalamus when compared to control offspring. Both treatments also decreased tyrosine hydroxylase levels in the LC. Finally, the effect of prenatal CORT exposure on fear extinction behavior was examined following chronic stress. Prenatal CORT impaired both acquisition and recall of cue-conditioned fear extinction. This effect was additive to the impairment induced by previous chronic stress. Thus, these data suggest that fetal exposure to high levels of maternal CORT is responsible for many of the lasting neurobiological consequences of PNS as they relate to the processes underlying extinction of learned fear. The data further suggest that adverse prenatal environments constitute a risk factor for PTSD-like symptomatology, especially when combined with chronic stressors later in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Bingham
- Department of Pharmacology and Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, TX 78229, United States
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Prenatal stress inhibits hippocampal neurogenesis but spares olfactory bulb neurogenesis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e72972. [PMID: 24009723 PMCID: PMC3756947 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2013] [Accepted: 07/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The dentate gyrus (DG) and the olfactory bulb (OB) are two regions of the adult brain in which new neurons are integrated daily in the existing networks. It is clearly established that these newborn neurons are implicated in specific functions sustained by these regions and that different factors can influence neurogenesis in both structures. Among these, life events, particularly occurring during early life, were shown to profoundly affect adult hippocampal neurogenesis and its associated functions like spatial learning, but data regarding their impact on adult bulbar neurogenesis are lacking. We hypothesized that prenatal stress could interfere with the development of the olfactory system, which takes place during the prenatal period, leading to alterations in adult bulbar neurogenesis and in olfactory capacities. To test this hypothesis we exposed pregnant C57Bl/6J mice to gestational restraint stress and evaluated behavioral and anatomic consequences in adult male offspring. We report that prenatal stress has no impact on adult bulbar neurogenesis, and does not alter olfactory functions in adult male mice. However, it decreases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the DG of the hippocampus, thus confirming previous reports on rats. Altogether our data support a selective and cross-species long-term impact of prenatal stress on neurogenesis.
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Staples MC, Rosenberg MJ, Allen NA, Porch MW, Savage DD. Impact of combined prenatal ethanol and prenatal stress exposure on anxiety and hippocampal-sensitive learning in adult offspring. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2013; 37:2039-47. [PMID: 23915215 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12190] [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: 01/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) and prenatal stress have both been independently shown to induce learning deficits and anxiety behavior in adult offspring. However, the interactive effects of these 2 developmental teratogens on behavioral outcomes have not been systematically evaluated. METHODS We combined an established moderate prenatal EtOH consumption paradigm where Long-Evans rat dams voluntarily consume either a 0 or 5% EtOH solution in 0.066% saccharin water (resulting in a mean peak maternal serum EtOH concentration of 84 mg/dl) with a novel prenatal stress paradigm. Pregnant rats were exposed to 3% 2,3,5-trimethyl-3-thiazoline (TMT) for 20 minutes a day on gestational days 13, 15, 17, and 19. Adult female offspring were evaluated for anxiety-like behavior using an elevated plus-maze and hippocampal-sensitive learning using a 2-trial trace conditioning (TTTC) task. RESULTS TMT exposure produced a threefold increase in maternal serum corticosterone compared to nonexposed, unhandled controls. Neither prenatal exposure paradigm, either alone or in combination, altered maternal weight gain, EtOH consumption, maternal care of litters, litter size, pup birth weight, or pup weight gain up to weaning. Offspring exposed to prenatal stress displayed significant increases in anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus maze in terms of open arm entries and time spent on the open arms, with no significant effect of prenatal EtOH exposure and no interaction of the 2 prenatal exposures. Performance in a TTTC task revealed a significant effect of prenatal EtOH exposure on freezing behavior on the testing day, with no significant effect of prenatal stress exposure and no interaction of the 2 prenatal exposures. CONCLUSIONS While each prenatal exposure independently produced different behavioral outcomes, the results indicate that there is no significant interaction of prenatal EtOH and prenatal stress exposures on learning or anxiety at the exposure levels employed in this dual exposure paradigm. Subsequent studies will examine whether similar outcomes occur in male offspring and whether other measures of anxiety or learning are differentially impacted by these prenatal exposure paradigms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda C Staples
- Department of Neurosciences , University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Toumi ML, Merzoug S, Baudin B, Tahraoui A. Quercetin alleviates predator stress-induced anxiety-like and brain oxidative signs in pregnant rats and immune count disturbance in their offspring. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2013; 107:1-10. [PMID: 23541492 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2013.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2012] [Revised: 02/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/16/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
This study was performed in rats to investigate the effect of a psychogenic stress during late gestation on the immediate behavior and brain oxidative status in dams as well as on the immune cell counts in their offspring up to weaning. Besides, the ability of quercetin (a natural flavonoid) to prevent stress effects was evaluated. Quercetin was orally administered for 6 consecutive days before the pregnant rats were acutely exposed to predator stress on gestational day 19. Post-stress corticosterone level, brain oxidative stress parameters and anxiety-like behavior were assessed in dams, whereas immune cell counts were postnatally determined in both male and female pups. Predator stress caused an oxidative stress in the brain and elicited an elevation in plasma corticosterone with concomitant behavioral impairment in dams. Prenatally-stressed pups mainly showed a decrease in total leukocytes and lymphocytes along with monocytosis and granulocytosis, but these changes were sex-dependent throughout the postnatal period studied. Quercetin pretreatment blocked the stress-induced corticosterone release and alleviated the brain oxidative stress with the maternal anxiety measures being slightly attenuated, whereas its effects on the offspring immune cell counts were mostly revealed at birth. Our findings suggest that late gestational exposure to traumatic events may cause anxiety symptoms in dams, in which corticosterone and brain oxidative stress play a certain role, and trigger negative immune changes in the early postnatal life of progeny. Notably, quercetin intake before such adverse events seems to be beneficial against negative outcomes in both dams and offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Lamine Toumi
- Laboratoire de Neuro-endocrinologie Appliquée, Département de Biologie, Université Badji Mokhtar, BP 12, 23000 Annaba, Algeria.
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The effects of prenatal and postnatal environmental interaction: prenatal environmental adaptation hypothesis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 107:483-92. [PMID: 23624396 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphysparis.2013.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Revised: 04/13/2013] [Accepted: 04/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Adverse antenatal maternal environments during pregnancy influence fetal development that consequently increases risks of mental health problems including psychiatric disorders in offspring. Therefore, behavioral and brain alterations caused by adverse prenatal environmental conditions are generally considered as deficits. In this article, we propose a novel hypothesis, along with summarizing a body of literatures supporting it, that fetal neurodevelopmental alterations, particularly synaptic network changes occurring in the prefrontal cortex, associated with adverse prenatal environmental conditions may be adaptation to cope with expected severe postnatal environments, and therefore, psychiatric disorders may be able to be understood as adaptive strategies against severe environmental conditions through evolution. It is hoped that the hypothesis presented in this article stimulates and opens a new venue on research toward understanding of biological mechanisms and therapeutic treatments of psychiatric disorders.
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