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Teng Y, Niu J, Liu Y, Wang H, Chen J, Kong Y, Wang L, Lian B, Wang W, Sun H, Yue K. Ketamine alleviates fear memory and spatial cognition deficits in a PTSD rat model via the BDNF signaling pathway of the hippocampus and amygdala. Behav Brain Res 2024; 459:114792. [PMID: 38048914 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with traumatic stress experiences. This condition can be accompanied by learning and cognitive deficits. Studies have demonstrated that ketamine can rapidly and significantly alleviate symptoms in patients with chronic PTSD. Nonetheless, the effects of ketamine on neurocognitive impairment and its mechanism of action in PTSD remain unclear. METHODS In this study, different concentrations of ketamine (5, 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) were evaluated in rat models of single prolonged stress and electrophonic shock (SPS&S). Expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and post-synaptic density-95 (PSD-95) in the hippocampus (HIP) and amygdala (AMG) were determined by Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The data showed that rats subjected to SPS&S exhibited significant PTSD-like cognitive impairment. The effect of ketamine on SPS&S-induced neurocognitive function showed a U-shaped dose effect in rats. A single administration of ketamine at a dosage of 10-15 mg/kg resulted in significant changes in behavioral outcomes. These manifestations of improvement in cognitive function and molecular changes were reversed at high doses (15-20 mg/kg). CONCLUSION Overall, ketamine reversed SPS&S-induced fear and spatial memory impairment and the down-regulation of BDNF and BDNF-related PSD-95 signaling in the HIP and AMG. A dose equal to 15 mg/kg rapidly reversed the behavioral and molecular changes and promoted the amelioration of cognitive dysfunction. The enhanced association of BDNF signaling with PSD-95 effects could be involved in the therapeutic efficiency of ketamine for PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Teng
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China
| | - JiaYao Niu
- School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China
| | - Yang Liu
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China
| | - Han Wang
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China
| | - JinHong Chen
- School of Continuing Education, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China
| | - YuJia Kong
- School of Public Health, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China
| | - Ling Wang
- Clinical Competency Training Center, Medical experiment and training center, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China
| | - Bo Lian
- Department of Bioscience and Technology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China
| | - WeiWen Wang
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100864, PR China
| | - HongWei Sun
- School of Psychology, Weifang Medical University, 7166# Baotong West Street, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China.
| | - KuiTao Yue
- The Medical imaging Center, Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, 2428# Yuhe Road, Weifang, Shandong 261053, PR China.
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2
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Antolasic EJ, Jaehne EJ, van den Buuse M. Interaction of Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor, Exercise, and Fear Extinction: Implications for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Curr Neuropharmacol 2024; 22:543-556. [PMID: 37491857 PMCID: PMC10845100 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x21666230724101321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) plays an important role in brain development, neural plasticity, and learning and memory. The Val66Met single-nucleotide polymorphism is a common genetic variant that results in deficient activity-dependent release of BDNF. This polymorphism and its impact on fear conditioning and extinction, as well as on symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), have been of increasing research interest over the last two decades. More recently, it has been demonstrated that regular physical activity may ameliorate impairments in fear extinction and alleviate symptoms in individuals with PTSD via an action on BDNF levels and that there are differential responses to exercise between the Val66Met genotypes. This narrative literature review first describes the theoretical underpinnings of the development and persistence of intrusive and hypervigilance symptoms commonly seen in PTSD and their treatment. It then discusses recent literature on the involvement of BDNF and the Val66Met polymorphism in fear conditioning and extinction and its involvement in PTSD diagnosis and severity. Finally, it investigates research on the impact of physical activity on BDNF secretion, the differences between the Val66Met genotypes, and the effect on fear extinction learning and memory and symptoms of PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J. Antolasic
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emily J. Jaehne
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
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3
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Lau KA, Yang X, Rioult-Pedotti MS, Tang S, Appleman M, Zhang J, Tian Y, Marino C, Yao M, Jiang Q, Tsuda AC, Huang YWA, Cao C, Marshall J. A PSD-95 peptidomimetic mitigates neurological deficits in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome. Prog Neurobiol 2023; 230:102513. [PMID: 37536482 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2023.102513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a severe cognitive disorder caused by loss of neuronal expression of the E3 ubiquitin ligase UBE3A. In an AS mouse model, we previously reported a deficit in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling, and set out to develop a therapeutic that would restore normal signaling. We demonstrate that CN2097, a peptidomimetic compound that binds postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95), a TrkB associated scaffolding protein, mitigates deficits in PLC-CaMKII and PI3K/mTOR pathways to restore synaptic plasticity and learning. Administration of CN2097 facilitated long-term potentiation (LTP) and corrected paired-pulse ratio. As the BDNF-mTORC1 pathway is critical for inhibition of autophagy, we investigated whether autophagy was disrupted in AS mice. We found aberrantly high autophagic activity attributable to a concomitant decrease in mTORC1 signaling, resulting in decreased levels of synaptic proteins, including Synapsin-1 and Shank3. CN2097 increased mTORC1 activity to normalize autophagy and restore hippocampal synaptic protein levels. Importantly, treatment mitigated cognitive and motor dysfunction. These findings support the use of neurotrophic therapeutics as a valuable approach for treating AS pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara A Lau
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Xin Yang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Mengia S Rioult-Pedotti
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Stephen Tang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Mark Appleman
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Jianan Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China.
| | - Yuyang Tian
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Caitlin Marino
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Mudi Yao
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Qin Jiang
- The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, The Affiliated Eye Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
| | - Ayumi C Tsuda
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Yu-Wen Alvin Huang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
| | - Cong Cao
- Institute of Neuroscience, Soochow University, Suzhou 215000, China.
| | - John Marshall
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, United States.
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4
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Jaehne EJ, Antolasic EJ, Creutzberg KC, Begni V, Riva MA, van den Buuse M. Impaired fear memory in a rat model of the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Val66Met polymorphism is reversed by chronic exercise. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 203:107779. [PMID: 37269900 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107779] [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: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism is associated with reduced activity-dependent BDNF release in the brain and has been implicated in fear and anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Exercise has been shown to have benefits in affective disorders but the role of BDNF Val66Met remains unclear. Male and female BDNF Val66Met rats were housed in automated running-wheel cages from weaning while controls were housed in standard cages. During adulthood, all rats underwent standard three-day fear conditioning testing, with three tone/shock pairings on day 1 (acquisition), and extinction learning and memory (40 tones/session) on day 2 and day 3. Expression of BDNF and stress-related genes were measured in the frontal cortex. Extinction testing on day 2 revealed significantly lower freezing in response to initial cue exposure in control Met/Met rats, reflecting impaired fear memory. This deficit was reversed in both male and female Met/Met rats exposed to exercise. There were no genotype effects on acquisition or extinction of fear, however chronic exercise increased freezing in all groups at every stage of testing. Exercise furthermore led to increased expression of Bdnf in the prefrontal cortex of females and its isoforms in both sexes, as well as increased expression of FK506 binding protein 51 (Fkpb5) in females and decreased expression of Serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase (Sgk1) in males independent of genotype. These results show that the Met/Met genotype of the Val66Met polymorphism affects fear memory, and that chronic exercise selectively reverses this genotype effect. Chronic exercise also led to an overall increase in freezing in all genotypes which may contribute to results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Jaehne
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Emily J Antolasic
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Kerstin C Creutzberg
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Veronica Begni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Maarten van den Buuse
- Department of Psychology, Counselling and Therapy, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
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5
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Islas-Preciado D, Splinter TFL, Ibrahim M, Black N, Wong S, Lieblich SE, Liu-Ambrose T, Barha CK, Galea LAM. Sex and BDNF Val66Met polymorphism matter for exercise-induced increase in neurogenesis and cognition in middle-aged mice. Horm Behav 2023; 148:105297. [PMID: 36623432 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Females show greater benefits of exercise on cognition in both humans and rodents, which may be related to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), the Val66Met polymorphism, within the human BDNF gene, causes impaired activity-dependent secretion of neuronal BDNF and impairments to some forms of memory. We evaluated whether sex and BDNF genotype (Val66Met polymorphism (Met/Met) versus wild-type (Val/Val)) influenced the ability of voluntary running to enhance cognition and hippocampal neurogenesis in mice. Middle-aged C57BL/6J (13 months) mice were randomly assigned to either a control or an aerobic training (AT) group (running disk access). Mice were trained on the visual discrimination and reversal paradigm in a touchscreen-based technology to evaluate cognitive flexibility. BDNF Met/Met mice had fewer correct responses compared to BDNF Val/Val mice on both cognitive tasks. Female BDNF Val/Val mice showed greater cognitive flexibility compared to male mice regardless of AT. Despite running less than BDNF Val/Val mice, AT improved performance in both cognitive tasks in BDNF Met/Met mice. AT increased neurogenesis in the ventral hippocampus of BDNF Val/Val mice of both sexes and increased the proportion of mature type 3 doublecortin-expressing cells in the dorsal hippocampus of female mice only. Our results indicate AT improved cognitive performance in BDNF Met/Met mice and increased hippocampal neurogenesis in BDNF Val/Val mice in middle age. Furthermore, middle-aged female mice may benefit more from AT than males in terms of neuroplasticity, an effect that was influenced by the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dannia Islas-Preciado
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada; Dajavad Mowifaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada; Lab de Neuropsicofarmacología, Dirección de Neurociencias, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Ciudad de México 14370, México
| | | | - Muna Ibrahim
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Natasha Black
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah Wong
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Teresa Liu-Ambrose
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Canada; Dajavad Mowifaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Cindy K Barha
- Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia, Canada; Dajavad Mowifaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Liisa A M Galea
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Canada; Dajavad Mowifaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Canada.
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6
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Behavioral phenotyping of a rat model of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism reveals selective impairment of fear memory. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:93. [PMID: 35256586 PMCID: PMC8901920 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-01858-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The common brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) Val66Met polymorphism is associated with reduced activity-dependent BDNF release and increased risk for anxiety disorders and PTSD. Here we behaviorally phenotyped a novel Val66Met rat model with an equivalent valine to methionine substitution in the rat Bdnf gene (Val68Met). In a three-day fear conditioning protocol of fear learning and extinction, adult rats with the Met/Met genotype demonstrated impaired fear memory compared to Val/Met rats and Val/Val controls, with no genotype differences in fear learning or extinction. This deficit in fear memory occurred irrespective of the sex of the animals and was not seen in adolescence (4 weeks of age). There were no changes in open-field locomotor activity or anxiety measured in the elevated plus maze (EPM) nor in other types of memory measured using the novel-object recognition test or Y-maze. BDNF exon VI expression in the dorsal hippocampus was higher and BDNF protein level in the ventral hippocampus was lower in female Val/Met rats than female Val/Val rats, with no other genotype differences, including in total BDNF, BDNF long, or BDNF IV mRNA. These data suggest a specific role for the BDNF Met/Met genotype in fear memory in rats. Further studies are required to investigate gene-environment interactions in this novel animal model.
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7
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Bisby MA, Stylianakis AA, Baker KD, Richardson R. Fear extinction learning and retention during adolescence in rats and mice: A systematic review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:1264-1274. [PMID: 34740753 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.10.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite exposure-based treatments being recommended for anxiety disorders, these treatments are ineffective for over half of all adolescents who receive them. The limited efficacy of exposure during adolescence may be driven by a deficit in extinction. Although indications of diminished extinction learning during adolescence were first reported over 10 years ago, these findings have yet to be reviewed and compared. This review (k = 34) found a stark inter-species difference in extinction performance: studies of adolescent mice reported deficits in extinction learning and retention of both cued and context fear. In contrast, studies of adolescent rats only reported poor extinction retention specific to cued fear. Adolescent mice and rats appeared to have only one behavioral outcome in common, being poor extinction retention of cued fear. These findings suggest that different behavioral phenotypes are present across rodent species in adolescence and highlight that preclinical work in rats and mice is not interchangeable. Further investigation of these differences offers the opportunity to better understand the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of fear-based disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelyne A Bisby
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, 2052, NSW, Australia; eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, 2109, NSW, Australia.
| | | | - Kathryn D Baker
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, 2052, NSW, Australia
| | - Rick Richardson
- School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, 2052, NSW, Australia
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8
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Wheeler AL, Felsky D, Viviano JD, Stojanovski S, Ameis SH, Szatmari P, Lerch JP, Chakravarty MM, Voineskos AN. BDNF-Dependent Effects on Amygdala-Cortical Circuitry and Depression Risk in Children and Youth. Cereb Cortex 2019; 28:1760-1770. [PMID: 28387866 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is critical for brain development, and the functional BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is implicated in risk for mood disorders. The objective of this study was to determine how the Val66Met polymorphism influences amygdala-cortical connectivity during neurodevelopment and assess the relevance for mood disorders. Age- and sex-specific effects of the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism on amygdala-cortical connectivity were assessed by examining covariance of amygdala volumes with thickness throughout the cortex in a sample of Caucasian youths ages 8-22 that were part of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (n = 339). Follow-up analyses assessed corresponding BDNF genotype effects on resting-state functional connectivity (n = 186) and the association between BDNF genotype and major depressive disorder (MDD) (n = 2749). In adolescents, amygdala-cortical covariance was significantly stronger in Met allele carriers compared with Val/Val homozygotes in amygdala-cortical networks implicated in depression; these differences were driven by females. In follow-up analyses, the Met allele was also associated with stronger resting-state functional connectivity in adolescents and increased likelihood of MDD in adolescent females. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism may confer risk for mood disorders in females through effects on amygdala-cortical connectivity during adolescence, coinciding with a period in the lifespan when onset of depression often occurs, more commonly in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne L Wheeler
- Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8.,Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 0A4
| | - Daniel Felsky
- Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8
| | - Joseph D Viviano
- Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8
| | - Sonja Stojanovski
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 0A4
| | - Stephanie H Ameis
- Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8.,Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 0A4.,Child Youth and Emerging Adult Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8
| | - Peter Szatmari
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8.,Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 0A4.,Child Youth and Emerging Adult Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8
| | - Jason P Lerch
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 0A4.,Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5G 1L7
| | - M Mallar Chakravarty
- Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H4H 1R3.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, 3775 rue University Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4
| | - Aristotle N Voineskos
- Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8.,Child Youth and Emerging Adult Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 1R8
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Jones RM, Pattwell SS. Future considerations for pediatric cancer survivorship: Translational perspectives from developmental neuroscience. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2019; 38:100657. [PMID: 31158802 PMCID: PMC6697051 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2019.100657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Breakthroughs in modern medicine have increased pediatric cancer survival rates throughout the last several decades. Despite enhanced cure rates, a subset of pediatric cancer survivors exhibit life-long psychological side effects. A large body of work has addressed potential mechanisms for secondary symptoms of anxiety, post-traumatic stress, impaired emotion regulation and cognitive deficits in adults. Yet, absent from many studies are the ways in which cancer treatment can impact the developing brain. Additionally, it remains less known whether typical neurobiological changes during adolescence and early adulthood may potentially buffer or exacerbate some of the known negative cancer survivorship outcomes. This review highlights genetic, animal, and human neuroimaging research across development. We focus on the neural circuitry associated with aversive learning, which matures throughout childhood, adolescence and early adulthood. We argue that along with other individual differences, the precise timing of oncological treatment insults on such neural circuitry may expose particular vulnerabilities for pediatric cancer patients. We also explore other moderators of treatment outcomes, including genetic polymorphisms and neural mechanisms underlying memory and cognitive control. We discuss how neural maturation extending into young adulthood may also provide a sensitive period for intervention to improve psychological and cognitive outcomes in pediatric cancer survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca M Jones
- The Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Siobhan S Pattwell
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Mailstop C3-168, Seattle, WA 98109, United States.
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Richter-Levin G, Stork O, Schmidt MV. Animal models of PTSD: a challenge to be met. Mol Psychiatry 2019; 24:1135-1156. [PMID: 30816289 PMCID: PMC6756084 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0272-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2017] [Revised: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have seen increased interest in psychopathologies related to trauma exposure. Specifically, there has been a growing awareness to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in part due to terrorism, climate change-associated natural disasters, the global refugee crisis, and increased violence in overpopulated urban areas. However, notwithstanding the increased awareness to the disorder, the increasing number of patients, and the devastating impact on the lives of patients and their families, the efficacy of available treatments remains limited and highly unsatisfactory. A major scientific effort is therefore devoted to unravel the neural mechanisms underlying PTSD with the aim of paving the way to developing novel or improved treatment approaches and drugs to treat PTSD. One of the major scientific tools used to gain insight into understanding physiological and neuronal mechanisms underlying diseases and for treatment development is the use of animal models of human diseases. While much progress has been made using these models in understanding mechanisms of conditioned fear and fear memory, the gained knowledge has not yet led to better treatment options for PTSD patients. This poor translational outcome has already led some scientists and pharmaceutical companies, who do not in general hold opinions against animal models, to propose that those models should be abandoned. Here, we critically examine aspects of animal models of PTSD that may have contributed to the relative lack of translatability, including the focus on the exposure to trauma, overlooking individual and sex differences, and the contribution of risk factors. Based on findings from recent years, we propose research-based modifications that we believe are required in order to overcome some of the shortcomings of previous practice. These modifications include the usage of animal models of PTSD which incorporate risk factors and of the behavioral profiling analysis of individuals in a sample. These modifications are aimed to address factors such as individual predisposition and resilience, thus taking into consideration the fact that only a fraction of individuals exposed to trauma develop PTSD. We suggest that with an appropriate shift of practice, animal models are not only a valuable tool to enhance our understanding of fear and memory processes, but could serve as effective platforms for understanding PTSD, for PTSD drug development and drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gal Richter-Levin
- Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. .,The Integrated Brain and Behavior Research Center (IBBR), University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel. .,Psychology Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
| | - Oliver Stork
- 0000 0001 1018 4307grid.5807.aDepartment of Genetics & Molecular Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Leipziger Str. 44, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany ,grid.452320.2Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Universitätsplatz 2, 39106 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Mathias V. Schmidt
- 0000 0000 9497 5095grid.419548.5Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
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McAllan L, Maynard KR, Kardian AS, Stayton AS, Fox SL, Stephenson EJ, Kinney CE, Alshibli NK, Gomes CK, Pierre JF, Puchowicz MA, Bridges D, Martinowich K, Han JC. Disruption of brain-derived neurotrophic factor production from individual promoters generates distinct body composition phenotypes in mice. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2018; 315:E1168-E1184. [PMID: 30253111 PMCID: PMC6336959 DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00205.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key neuropeptide in the central regulation of energy balance. The Bdnf gene contains nine promoters, each producing specific mRNA transcripts that encode a common protein. We sought to assess the phenotypic outcomes of disrupting BDNF production from individual Bdnf promoters. Mice with an intact coding region but selective disruption of BDNF production from Bdnf promoters I, II, IV, or VI (Bdnf-e1-/-, -e2-/-, -e4-/-, and -e6-/-) were created by inserting an enhanced green fluorescent protein-STOP cassette upstream of the targeted promoter splice donor site. Body composition was measured by MRI weekly from age 4 to 22 wk. Energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry at 18 wk. Food intake was measured in Bdnf-e1-/- and Bdnf-e2-/- mice, and pair feeding was conducted. Weight gain, lean mass, fat mass, and percent fat of Bdnf-e1-/- and Bdnf-e2-/- mice (both sexes) were significantly increased compared with wild-type littermates. For Bdnf-e4-/- and Bdnf-e6-/- mice, obesity was not observed with either chow or high-fat diet. Food intake was increased in Bdnf-e1-/- and Bdnf-e2-/- mice, and pair feeding prevented obesity. Mutant and wild-type littermates for each strain (both sexes) had similar total energy expenditure after adjustment for body composition. These findings suggest that the obesity phenotype observed in Bdnf-e1-/- and Bdnf-e2-/- mice is attributable to hyperphagia and not altered energy expenditure. Our findings show that disruption of BDNF from specific promoters leads to distinct body composition effects, with disruption from promoters I or II, but not IV or VI, inducing obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam McAllan
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Kristen R Maynard
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alisha S Kardian
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Amanda S Stayton
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Shelby L Fox
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Erin J Stephenson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Clint E Kinney
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Noor K Alshibli
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Charles K Gomes
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Joseph F Pierre
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Michelle A Puchowicz
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Dave Bridges
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
- Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Keri Martinowich
- Lieber Institute for Brain Development, Johns Hopkins Medical Campus, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine , Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Joan C Han
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
- Children's Foundation Research Institute, Le Bonheur Children's Hospital , Memphis, Tennessee
- Department of Physiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center , Memphis, Tennessee
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12
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Chen CV, Chaby LE, Nazeer S, Liberzon I. Effects of Trauma in Adulthood and Adolescence on Fear Extinction and Extinction Retention: Advancing Animal Models of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Front Behav Neurosci 2018; 12:247. [PMID: 30429779 PMCID: PMC6220349 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence for and against adolescent vulnerability to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is mounting, but this evidence is largely qualitative, retrospective, or complicated by variation in prior stress exposure and trauma context. Here, we examine the effects of development on trauma vulnerability using adult post-natal (PN) day 61, early adolescent (PN23) and mid adolescence (PN34) rats and two types of trauma: an established animal model of PTSD, single prolonged stress (SPS), and a novel composite model—SPS predation (SPSp) version. We demonstrate that early and mid adolescent rats are capable of fear conditioning and fear extinction, as well as extinction retention. Our results also demonstrate that both types of trauma induced a deficit in the retention of fear extinction in adulthood, a hallmark of PTSD, but not after early or mid adolescence trauma, suggesting that adolescence might convey resilience to SPS and SPSp traumas. Across all three life stages, the effects of SPS exposure and a novel predation trauma model, SPSp, had similar effects on behavior suggesting that trauma type did not affect the likelihood of developing PTSD-like symptoms, and that SPSp is a predation-based trauma model worth exploring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chieh V Chen
- Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Lauren E Chaby
- Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Sahana Nazeer
- Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI, United States
| | - Israel Liberzon
- Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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13
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Bird CW, Baculis BC, Mayfield JJ, Chavez GJ, Ontiveros T, Paine DJ, Marks AJ, Gonzales AL, Ron D, Valenzuela CF. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor VAL68MET polymorphism modulates how developmental ethanol exposure impacts the hippocampus. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2018; 18:e12484. [PMID: 29691979 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Prenatal exposure to alcohol causes a wide range of deficits known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Many factors determine vulnerability to developmental alcohol exposure including timing and pattern of exposure, nutrition and genetics. Here, we characterized how a prevalent single nucleotide polymorphism in the human brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene (val66met) modulates FASDs severity. This polymorphism disrupts BDNF's intracellular trafficking and activity-dependent secretion, and has been linked to increased incidence of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. We hypothesized that developmental ethanol (EtOH) exposure more severely affects mice carrying this polymorphism. We used transgenic mice homozygous for either valine (BDNFval/val ) or methionine (BDNFmet/met ) in residue 68, equivalent to residue 66 in humans. To model EtOH exposure during the second and third trimesters of human pregnancy, we exposed mice to EtOH in vapor chambers during gestational days 12 to 19 and postnatal days 2 to 9. We found that EtOH exposure reduces cell layer volume in the dentate gyrus and the CA1 hippocampal regions of BDNFmet/met but not BDNFval/val mice during the juvenile period (postnatal day 15). During adulthood, EtOH exposure reduced anxiety-like behavior and disrupted trace fear conditioning in BDNFmet/met mice, with most effects observed in males. EtOH exposure reduced adult neurogenesis only in the ventral hippocampus of BDNFval/val male mice. These studies show that the BDNF val66met polymorphism modulates, in a complex manner, the effects of developmental EtOH exposure, and identify a novel genetic risk factor that may regulate FASDs severity in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- C W Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - B C Baculis
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - J J Mayfield
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - G J Chavez
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - T Ontiveros
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - D J Paine
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - A J Marks
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - A L Gonzales
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - D Ron
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - C F Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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14
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Colon L, Odynocki N, Santarelli A, Poulos AM. Sexual differentiation of contextual fear responses. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 25:230-240. [PMID: 29661835 PMCID: PMC5903402 DOI: 10.1101/lm.047159.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Development and sex differentiation impart an organizational influence on the neuroanatomy and behavior of mammalian species. Prior studies suggest that brain regions associated with fear motivated defensive behavior undergo a protracted and sex-dependent development. Outside of adult animals, evidence for developmental sex differences in conditioned fear is sparse. Here, we examined in male and female Long-Evans rats how developmental age and sex affect the long-term retention and generalization of Pavlovian fear responses. Experiments 1 and 2 describe under increasing levels of aversive learning (three and five trials) the long-term retrieval of cued and context fear in preadolescent (P24 and P33), periadolescent (P37), and adult (P60 and P90) rats. Experiments 3 and 4 examined contextual processing under minimal aversive learning (1 trial) procedures in infant (P19, P21), preadolescent (P24), and adult (P60) rats. Here, we found that male and female rats display a divergent developmental trajectory in the expression of context-mediated freezing, such that context fear expression in males tends to increase toward adulthood, while females displayed an opposite pattern of decreasing context fear expression toward adulthood. Longer (14 d) retention intervals produced an overall heightened context fear expression relative to shorter (1 d) retention intervals an observation consistent with fear incubation. Male, but not Female rats showed increasing generalization of context fear across development. Collectively, these findings provide an initial demonstration that sexual differentiation of contextual fear conditioning emerges prior to puberty and follows a distinct developmental trajectory toward adulthood that strikingly parallels sex differences in the etiology and epidemiology of anxiety and trauma- and stressor-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorianna Colon
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Natalie Odynocki
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Anthony Santarelli
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Andrew M Poulos
- Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, New York, USA
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15
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Liu Z, Liu F, Liu X, Ma C, Zhao J. Surgical incision induces learning impairment in mice partially through inhibition of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling pathway in the hippocampus and amygdala. Mol Pain 2018; 14:1744806918805902. [PMID: 30232930 PMCID: PMC6194924 DOI: 10.1177/1744806918805902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Surgical incision-induced nociception contributes to the occurrence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction. However, the exact mechanisms involved remain unclear. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been demonstrated to improve fear learning ability. In addition, BDNF expression is influenced by the peripheral nociceptive stimulation. Therefore, we hypothesized that surgical incision-induced nociception may cause learning impairment by inhibiting the BDNF/tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) signaling pathway. The fear conditioning test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and Western blot analyses were used to confirm our hypothesis and determine the effect of a plantar incision on the fear learning and the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway in the hippocampus and amygdala. The freezing times in the context test and the tone test were decreased after the plantar incision. A eutectic mixture of local anesthetics attenuated plantar incision-induced postoperative pain and fear learning impairment. ANA-12, a selective TrkB antagonist, abolished the improvement in fear learning and the activation of the BDNF signaling pathway induced by eutectic mixture of local anesthetics. Based on these results, surgical incision-induced postoperative pain, which was attenuated by postoperative analgesia, caused learning impairment in mice partially by inhibiting the BDNF signaling pathway. These findings provide insights into the mechanism underlying surgical incision-induced postoperative cognitive function impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fan Liu
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Neuroscience Center, School of Basic Medicine, Joint Laboratory of Anesthesia and Pain, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaowen Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Ma
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Neuroscience Center, School of Basic Medicine, Joint Laboratory of Anesthesia and Pain, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
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16
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Buhusi M, Etheredge C, Granholm AC, Buhusi CV. Increased Hippocampal ProBDNF Contributes to Memory Impairments in Aged Mice. Front Aging Neurosci 2017; 9:284. [PMID: 28912711 PMCID: PMC5583170 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Memory decline during aging or accompanying neurodegenerative diseases, represents a major health problem. Neurotrophins have long been considered relevant to the mechanisms of aging-associated cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Mature Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and its precursor (proBDNF) can both be secreted in response to neuronal activity and exert opposing effects on neuronal physiology and plasticity. In this study, biochemical analyses revealed that increased levels of proBDNF are present in the aged mouse hippocampus relative to young and that the level of hippocampal proBDNF inversely correlates with the ability to perform in a spatial memory task, the water radial arm maze (WRAM). To ascertain the role of increased proBDNF levels on hippocampal function and memory we performed infusions of proBDNF into the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus in male mice trained in the WRAM paradigm: In well-performing aged mice, intra-hippocampal proBDNF infusions resulted in a progressive and significant impairment of memory performance. This impairment was associated with increased p-cofilin levels, an important regulator of dendritic spines and synapse physiology. On the other hand, in poor performers, intra-hippocampal infusions of TAT-Pep5, a peptide which blocks the interaction between the p75 Neurotrophin Receptor (p75NTR) and RhoGDI, significantly improved learning and memory, while saline infusions had no effect. Our results support a role for proBDNF and its receptor p75NTR in aging-related memory impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Buhusi
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Utah State UniversityLogan, UT, United States
| | - Chris Etheredge
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South CarolinaCharleston, SC, United States
| | - Ann-Charlotte Granholm
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South CarolinaCharleston, SC, United States
| | - Catalin V Buhusi
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Utah State UniversityLogan, UT, United States
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17
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Dincheva I, Lynch NB, Lee FS. The Role of BDNF in the Development of Fear Learning. Depress Anxiety 2016; 33:907-916. [PMID: 27699937 PMCID: PMC5089164 DOI: 10.1002/da.22497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a growth factor that is dynamically expressed in the brain across postnatal development, regulating neuronal differentiation and synaptic plasticity. The neurotrophic hypothesis of psychiatric mood disorders postulates that in the adult brain, decreased BDNF levels leads to altered neural plasticity, contributing to disease. Although BDNF has been established as a key factor regulating the critical period plasticity in the developing visual system, it has recently been shown to also play a role in fear circuitry maturation, which has implications for the emergence of fear-related mood disorders. This review provides a detailed overview of developmental changes in expression of BDNF isoforms, as well as their receptors across postnatal life. In addition, recent developmental studies utilizing a genetic BDNF single nucleotide polymorphism (Val66Met) knock-in mouse highlight the impact of BDNF on fear learning during a sensitive period spanning the transition into adolescent time frame. We hypothesize that BDNF in the developing brain regulates fear circuit plasticity during a sensitive period in early adolescence, and alterations in BDNF expression (genetic or environmental) have a persistent impact on fear behavior and fear-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Dincheva
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York.
| | - Niccola B. Lynch
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
| | - Francis S. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York,Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York,Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York
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18
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Armbruster D, Müller-Alcazar A, Strobel A, Lesch KP, Kirschbaum C, Brocke B. BDNF val(66)met genotype shows distinct associations with the acoustic startle reflex and the cortisol stress response in young adults and children. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 66:39-46. [PMID: 26773399 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a crucial regulator of neuronal development, organization and function and the val(66)met polymorphism in the BDNF gene has been associated with several (endo-) phenotypes of cognitive and affective processing. The BDNF met allele is considered a risk factor for anxiety and fear related phenotypes although findings are not entirely consistent. Here, the impact of BDNF val(66)met on two parameters of anxiety and stress was investigated in a series of studies. Acoustic startle responses were assessed in three adult samples (N1=117, N2=104, N3=116) as well as a children sample (N4=123). Cortisol increase in response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was measured in one adult sample (N3) and in the children sample (N4). The BDNF met allele was associated with enhanced cortisol responses in young adults (p=0.039) and children (p=0.013). On the contrary, BDNF met allele carriers showed a reduced acoustic startle response which reached significance in most samples (N1: p=0.004; N2: p=0.045; N3: n.s., N4: p=0.043) pointing to differential effects of BDNF val(66)met on distinct endophenotypes of anxiety and stress-related responses. However, small effect sizes suggest substantial additional genetic as well as environmental contributors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Armbruster
- Institute of Psychology II, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Anett Müller-Alcazar
- MSH Medical School Hamburg, University of Applied Science and Medical University, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Strobel
- Institute of Psychology II, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Laboratory of Translational Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics, and Psychotherapy, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Institute of Psychology I, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Burkhard Brocke
- Institute of Psychology II, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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19
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Glatt CE, Lee FS. Common Polymorphisms in the Age of Research Domain Criteria (RDoC): Integration and Translation. Biol Psychiatry 2016; 79:25-31. [PMID: 25680673 PMCID: PMC4496317 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.12.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The value of common polymorphisms in guiding clinical psychiatry is limited by the complex polygenic architecture of psychiatric disorders. Common polymorphisms have too small an effect on risk for psychiatric disorders as defined by clinical phenomenology to guide clinical practice. To identify polymorphic effects that are large and reliable enough to serve as biomarkers requires detailed analysis of a polymorphism's biology across levels of complexity from molecule to cell to circuit and behavior. Emphasis on behavioral domains rather than clinical diagnosis, as proposed in the Research Domain Criteria framework, facilitates the use of mouse models that recapitulate human polymorphisms because effects on equivalent phenotypes can be translated across species and integrated across levels of analysis. A knockin mouse model of a common polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene (BDNF) provides examples of how such a vertically integrated translational approach can identify robust genotype-phenotype relationships that have relevance to psychiatric practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles E. Glatt
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA,To whom correspondence should be addressed: Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.,
| | - Francis S. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA,Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA,Department of Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
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20
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Heller AS, Casey B. The neurodynamics of emotion: delineating typical and atypical emotional processes during adolescence. Dev Sci 2015; 19:3-18. [DOI: 10.1111/desc.12373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron S. Heller
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology; Weill Medical College of Cornell University; USA
- Department of Psychology; University of Miami; USA
| | - B.J. Casey
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology; Weill Medical College of Cornell University; USA
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21
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Casey BJ, Glatt CE, Lee FS. Treating the Developing versus Developed Brain: Translating Preclinical Mouse and Human Studies. Neuron 2015; 86:1358-68. [PMID: 26087163 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2015.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Behaviors and underlying brain circuits show characteristic changes across the lifespan that produce sensitive windows of vulnerability and resilience to psychopathology. Understanding the developmental course of these changes may inform which treatments are best at what ages. Focusing on behavioral domains and neurobiological substrates conserved from mouse to human supports reciprocal hypothesis generation and testing that leverages the strengths of each system in understanding their development. Introducing human genetic variants into mice can further define effects of individual variation on normative development, how they contribute to risk and resilience for mental illness, and inform personalized treatment opportunities. This article emphasizes the period of adolescence, when there is a peak in the emergence of mental illness, anxiety disorders in particular. We present cross-species studies relating fear learning to anxiety across development and discuss how clinical treatments can be optimized for individuals and targeted to the biological states of the developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- B J Casey
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Charles E Glatt
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Francis S Lee
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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22
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Cardiac over-expression of microRNA-1 induces impairment of cognition in mice. Neuroscience 2015; 299:66-78. [PMID: 25943483 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.04.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Revised: 04/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Large cohort studies have revealed a close relationship between cognitive impairment and cardiovascular diseases, although the mechanism underlying this relationship remains incompletely understood. In this study, using a transgenic (Tg) mouse model of cardiac-specific over-expression of microRNA-1-2 (miR-1-2), we observed that microRNA-1 (miR-1) levels were increased not only in the heart but also in the hippocampus and blood, whereas its levels did not change in the skeletal muscle of Tg mice compared with age-matched wild-type (WT) mice. Six-month-old Tg mice showed cognitive impairment compared with age-matched WT mice, as assessed using the Morris Water Maze test. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level and cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation were also significantly reduced in the hippocampi of the Tg mice, as evaluated by Western blot. Further examination showed that BDNF protein expression was down- or up-regulated by miR-1 over-expression or inhibition, respectively, and was unchanged by binding site mutations or miRNA-masks for the 3'UTR of Bdnf, indicating that this gene is a potential target of miR-1. Knockdown of miR-1 by hippocampal stereotaxic injection of an anti-miR-1 oligonucleotide fragment carried by a lentivirus vector (lenti-pre-AMO-miR-1) led to up-regulation of BDNF expression and prevented the reduction in cognitive performance in the Tg mice without affecting cardiac function. Our findings demonstrate that cardiac over-expression of miR-1 also induces behavioral abnormalities that may be associated, at least in part, with the down-regulation of BDNF expression in the hippocampus. This study definitely contributes to the understanding of the relationship between cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment.
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Singh-Taylor A, Korosi A, Molet J, Gunn BG, Baram TZ. Synaptic rewiring of stress-sensitive neurons by early-life experience: a mechanism for resilience? Neurobiol Stress 2015; 1:109-115. [PMID: 25530985 PMCID: PMC4267062 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2014.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes and environment interact to influence cognitive and emotional functions throughout life. Early-life experiences in particular contribute to vulnerability or resilience to a number of emotional and cognitive illnesses in humans. In rodents, early-life experiences directly lead to resilience or vulnerability to stress later in life, and influence the development of cognitive and emotional deficits. The mechanisms for the enduring effects of early-life experiences on cognitive and emotional outcomes are not completely understood. Here, we present emerging information supporting experience-dependent modulation of the number and efficacy of synaptic inputs onto stress-sensitive neurons. This synaptic 'rewiring', in turn, may influence the expression of crucial neuronal genes. The persistent changes in gene expression in resilient versus vulnerable rodent models are likely maintained via epigenetic mechanisms. Thus, early-life experience may generate resilience by altering synaptic input to neurons, which informs them to modulate their epigenetic machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Singh-Taylor
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4475, USA
| | - Aniko Korosi
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam. The Netherlands
| | - Jenny Molet
- Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4475, USA
| | - Benjamin G Gunn
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4475, USA
| | - Tallie Z Baram
- Departments of Pediatrics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4475, USA ; Department of Anatomy/Neurobiology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4475, USA ; Department of Neurology, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4475, USA
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