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Lv S, Yao K, Zhang Y, Zhu S. NMDA receptors as therapeutic targets for depression treatment: Evidence from clinical to basic research. Neuropharmacology 2023; 225:109378. [PMID: 36539011 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ketamine, functioning as a channel blocker of the excitatory glutamate-gated N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, displays compelling fast-acting and sustained antidepressant effects for treatment-resistant depression. Over the past decades, clinical and preclinical studies have implied that the pathology of depression is associated with dysfunction of glutamatergic transmission. In particular, the discovery of antidepressant agents modulating NMDA receptor function has prompted breakthroughs for depression treatment compared with conventional antidepressants targeting the monoaminergic system. In this review, we first summarized the signalling pathway of the ketamine-mediated antidepressant effects, based on the glutamate hypothesis of depression. Second, we reviewed the hypotheses of the synaptic mechanism and network of ketamine antidepressant effects within different brain areas and distinct subcellular localizations, including NMDA receptor antagonism on GABAergic interneurons, extrasynaptic and synaptic NMDA receptor-mediated antagonism, and ketamine blocking bursting activities in the lateral habenula. Third, we reviewed the different roles of NMDA receptor subunits in ketamine-mediated cognitive and psychiatric behaviours in genetically-manipulated rodent models. Finally, we summarized the structural basis of NMDA receptor channel blockers and discussed NMDA receptor modulators that have been reported to exert potential antidepressant effects in animal models or in clinical trials. Integrating the cutting-edge technologies of cryo-EM and artificial intelligence-based drug design (AIDD), we expect that the next generation of first-in-class rapid antidepressants targeting NMDA receptors would be an emerging direction for depression therapeutics. This article is part of the Special Issue on 'Ketamine and its Metabolites'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyun Lv
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kejie Yao
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Youyi Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Shujia Zhu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200031, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Identification of rare missense mutations in the glutamate ionotropic receptor AMPA type subunit genes in schizophrenia. Psychiatr Genet 2023; 33:20-25. [PMID: 36617743 DOI: 10.1097/ypg.0000000000000328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) receptors significantly regulate the synaptic transmission and functions of various synaptic receptors. This study aimed to identify single nucleotide mutations in the glutamate receptor, ionotropic, AMPA type (GRIA) gene family, which is associated with schizophrenia. METHODS The exon regions of four genes (GRIA1, GRIA2, GRIA3, and GRIA4) encoding glutamate ionotropic receptor AMPA type proteins were resequenced in 516 patients with schizophrenia. We analyzed the protein function of the identified rare mutants via immunoblotting. RESULTS A total of 24 coding variants were detected in the GRIA gene family, including six missense mutations, 17 synonymous mutations, and one frameshift insertion. Notably, three ultra-rare missense mutations (GRIA1p.V182A, GRIA2p.P123Q, and GRIA4p.Y491H) were not documented in the single nucleotide polymorphism database, gnomAD genomes, and 1517 healthy controls available from Taiwan BioBank. Immunoblotting revealed GRIA4p.Y491H mutant with altered protein expressions in cultured cells compared with the wild type. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that, in some patients affected by schizophrenia, the GRIA gene family harbors rare functional mutations, which support rare coding variants that could contribute to the genetic architecture of this illness. The in-vitro impacts of these rare pathological mutations on the pathophysiology of schizophrenia are worthy of future investigation.
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Hu TM, Wu CL, Hsu SH, Tsai HY, Cheng FY, Cheng MC. Ultrarare Loss-of-Function Mutations in the Genes Encoding the Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors of Kainate Subtypes Associated with Schizophrenia Disrupt the Interaction with PSD95. J Pers Med 2022; 12:783. [PMID: 35629206 PMCID: PMC9144110 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12050783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder with a genetic component. The GRIK gene family encodes ionotropic glutamate receptors of the kainate subtype, which are considered candidate genes for schizophrenia. We screened for rare and pathogenic mutations in the protein-coding sequences of the GRIK gene family in 516 unrelated patients with schizophrenia using the ion semiconductor sequencing method. We identified 44 protein-altered variants, and in silico analysis indicated that 36 of these mutations were rare and damaging or pathological based on putative protein function. Notably, we identified four truncating mutations, including two frameshift deletion mutations (GRIK1p.Phe24fs and GRIK1p.Thr882fs) and two nonsense mutations (GRIK2p.Arg300Ter and GRIK4p.Gln342Ter) in four unrelated patients with schizophrenia. They exhibited minor allele frequencies of less than 0.01% and were absent in 1517 healthy controls from Taiwan Biobank. Functional analysis identified these four truncating mutants as loss-of-function (LoF) mutants in HEK-293 cells. We also showed that three mutations (GRIK1p.Phe24fs, GRIK1p.Thr882fs, and GRIK2p.Arg300Ter) weakened the interaction with the PSD95 protein. The results suggest that the GRIK gene family harbors ultrarare LoF mutations in some patients with schizophrenia. The identification of proteins that interact with the kainate receptors will be essential to determine kainate receptor-mediated signaling in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Ming Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Branch, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Hualien 98142, Taiwan; (T.-M.H.); (C.-L.W.); (S.-H.H.); (H.-Y.T.); (F.-Y.C.)
- Department of Future Studies and LOHAS Industry, Fo Guang University, Jiaosi, Yilan County 26247, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Liang Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Branch, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Hualien 98142, Taiwan; (T.-M.H.); (C.-L.W.); (S.-H.H.); (H.-Y.T.); (F.-Y.C.)
| | - Shih-Hsin Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Branch, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Hualien 98142, Taiwan; (T.-M.H.); (C.-L.W.); (S.-H.H.); (H.-Y.T.); (F.-Y.C.)
| | - Hsin-Yao Tsai
- Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Branch, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Hualien 98142, Taiwan; (T.-M.H.); (C.-L.W.); (S.-H.H.); (H.-Y.T.); (F.-Y.C.)
| | - Fu-Yu Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Branch, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Hualien 98142, Taiwan; (T.-M.H.); (C.-L.W.); (S.-H.H.); (H.-Y.T.); (F.-Y.C.)
| | - Min-Chih Cheng
- Department of Psychiatry, Yuli Branch, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Hualien 98142, Taiwan; (T.-M.H.); (C.-L.W.); (S.-H.H.); (H.-Y.T.); (F.-Y.C.)
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AMPA receptors in schizophrenia: A systematic review of postmortem studies on receptor subunit expression and binding. Schizophr Res 2022; 243:98-109. [PMID: 35247795 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2022.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While altered expression of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) type receptor has been reported in postmortem studies of schizophrenia, these findings are inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review postmortem studies that investigated AMPA receptor expressions in schizophrenia. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted for postmortem studies that measured AMPA receptor subunit expressions or receptor bindings in schizophrenia compared to healthy individuals on February 3, 2021, using Medline and Embase. RESULTS A total of 39 relevant articles were identified from 1360 initial reports. The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was the most investigated region (15 studies), followed by the medial temporal lobe (8 studies). For the DLPFC, 4/15 studies (26.7%) showed increased AMPA receptor binding or subunit expression in patients with schizophrenia compared to that in controls, especially in GRIA1 and GRIA4, 2/15 studies (13.3%) reported a decrease, particularly in GRIA2, and 8/15 studies (56.7%) found no significant differences. A decreased expression or receptor binding was observed in 6/8 studies (75.0%) in the subregions of the hippocampus in patients with schizophrenia compared to that in controls, whereas the other two studies found no significant differences. CONCLUSION Published data have reported decreased subunit expression or receptor binding in the hippocampus in schizophrenia. These findings were inconsistent in other brain regions, which might be due to the heterogeneity of this population, various study design, physiological changes after death, and limited number of studies. Future in vivo studies are warranted to examine AMPA receptor expressions in human brains, together with their comprehensive clinical characterization.
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Waldman L, Richardson B, Hamilton J, Thanos P. Chronic Oral Olanzapine Treatment but not Haloperidol Decreases [ 3H] MK-801 Binding in the Rat Brain Independent of Dietary Conditions. Neurosci Lett 2022; 781:136657. [PMID: 35483503 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136657] [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: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Haloperidol and olanzapine are first and second-generation antipsychotic (neuroleptic) medications approved to treat schizophrenia. Glutamate signaling is known to play an important role in the manifestation of schizophrenia symptoms, as phencyclidine, a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, replicates and exasperates these symptoms. While initial reports show that neuroleptic treatments can impact aspects of NMDAR expression, there is little attention on the interaction between neuroleptics and dietary conditions. Thus, we examined the impact of chronic haloperidol and olanzapine treatment under both normal and high-fat dietary conditions on NMDAR expression. Adult male rats were treated for 28-days with either oral vehicle, haloperidol (1.5mg/kg), or olanzapine (10mg/kg), and fed either a standard control diet or a high-fat diet. In-vitro receptor autoradiography binding was performed using [3H] MK-801 as a measure of NMDAR expression. Results showed that olanzapine, irrespective of the diet, significantly decreased [3H] MK-801 binding within the cingulate cortex, substantia nigra, insular cortex, piriform cortex, ectorhinal cortex and perirhinal cortex, the forelimb region of the somatosensory cortex, and all quadrants of the caudate-putamen. In contrast, haloperidol treatment did not impact [3H] MK-801 binding, and we also report no effect of diet on [3H] MK-801 binding. These data suggest that the effects seen in olanzapine treatment are not mediated by diet, nor does a 28-day chronic high-fat diet alter [3H] MK-801 binding. Furthermore, these data also importantly support that combined consumption of a high-fat diet and pharmacological treatments are not immediately detrimental to NMDARs and contribute to the expansive literature of precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah Waldman
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Brittany Richardson
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - John Hamilton
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Panayotis Thanos
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biosciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA; Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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Schizophrenia-associated LRRTM1 regulates cognitive behavior through controlling synaptic function in the mediodorsal thalamus. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:6912-6925. [PMID: 33981006 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01146-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Reduced activity of the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) and abnormal functional connectivity of the MD with the prefrontal cortex (PFC) cause cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. However, the molecular basis of MD hypofunction in schizophrenia is not known. Here, we identified leucine-rich-repeat transmembrane neuronal protein 1 (LRRTM1), a postsynaptic cell-adhesion molecule, as a key regulator of excitatory synaptic function and excitation-inhibition balance in the MD. LRRTM1 is strongly associated with schizophrenia and is highly expressed in the thalamus. Conditional deletion of Lrrtm1 in the MD in adult mice reduced excitatory synaptic function and caused a parallel reduction in the afferent synaptic activity of the PFC, which was reversed by the reintroduction of LRRTM1 in the MD. Our results indicate that chronic reduction of synaptic strength in the MD by targeted deletion of Lrrtm1 functionally disengages the MD from the PFC and may account for cognitive, social, and sensorimotor gating deficits, reminiscent of schizophrenia.
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Abstract
Sleep disturbances are commonly observed in schizophrenia, including in chronic, early-course, and first-episode patients. This has generated considerable interest, both in clinical and research endeavors, in characterizing the relationship between disturbed sleep and schizophrenia. Sleep features can be objectively assessed with EEG recordings. Traditionally, EEG studies have focused on sleep architecture, which includes non-REM and REM sleep stages. More recently, numerous studies have investigated alterations in sleep-specific rhythms, including EEG oscillations, such as sleep spindles and slow waves, in individuals with schizophrenia compared with control subjects. In this article, the author reviews state-of-the-art evidence of disturbed sleep in schizophrenia, starting from the relationship between sleep disturbances and clinical symptoms. First, the author presents studies demonstrating abnormalities in sleep architecture and sleep-oscillatory rhythms in schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, with an emphasis on recent work demonstrating sleep spindles and slow-wave deficits in early-course and first-episode schizophrenia. Next, the author shows how these sleep abnormalities relate to the cognitive impairments in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and point to dysfunctions in underlying thalamocortical circuits, Ca+ channel activity, and GABA-glutamate neurotransmission. Finally, the author discusses some of the next steps needed to further establish the role of altered sleep in schizophrenia, including the need to investigate sleep abnormalities across the psychotic spectrum and to establish their relationship with circadian disturbances, which in turn will contribute to the development of novel sleep-informed treatment interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Ferrarelli
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh, PA, 15213
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Beck K, Arumuham A, Veronese M, Santangelo B, McGinnity CJ, Dunn J, McCutcheon RA, Kaar SJ, Singh N, Pillinger T, Borgan F, Stone J, Jauhar S, Sementa T, Turkheimer F, Hammers A, Howes OD. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor availability in first-episode psychosis: a PET-MR brain imaging study. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:425. [PMID: 34385418 PMCID: PMC8361127 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01540-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction is hypothesised to underlie psychosis but this has not been tested early in illness. To address this, we studied 40 volunteers (21 patients with first-episode psychosis and 19 matched healthy controls) using PET imaging with an NMDAR selective ligand, [18F]GE-179, that binds to the ketamine binding site to index its distribution volume ratio (DVR) and volume of distribution (VT). Hippocampal DVR, but not VT, was significantly lower in patients relative to controls (p = 0.02, Cohen's d = 0.81; p = 0.15, Cohen's d = 0.49), and negatively associated with total (rho = -0.47, p = 0.04), depressive (rho = -0.67, p = 0.002), and general symptom severity (rho = -0.74, p < 0.001). Exploratory analyses found no significant differences in other brain regions (anterior cingulate cortex, thalamus, striatum and temporal cortex). These findings are consistent with the NMDAR hypofunction hypothesis and identify the hippocampus as a key locus for relative NMDAR hypofunction, although further studies should test specificity and causality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Beck
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK.
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Atheeshaan Arumuham
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Barbara Santangelo
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Colm J McGinnity
- King's College London & Guy's and St Thomas' PET Centre, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Joel Dunn
- King's College London & Guy's and St Thomas' PET Centre, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Stephen J Kaar
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Nisha Singh
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Toby Pillinger
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Faith Borgan
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- COMPASS Pathways plc, London, UK
| | - James Stone
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, UK
| | - Sameer Jauhar
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Teresa Sementa
- King's College London & Guy's and St Thomas' PET Centre, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Federico Turkheimer
- Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Alexander Hammers
- King's College London & Guy's and St Thomas' PET Centre, School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, King's College London, St Thomas' Hospital, London, SE1 7EH, UK
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Kings College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
- Psychiatric Imaging Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Hammersmith Hospital, London, W12 0NN, UK.
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
- Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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Xu M, Guo Y, Cheng J, Xue K, Yang M, Song X, Feng Y, Cheng J. Brain iron assessment in patients with First-episode schizophrenia using quantitative susceptibility mapping. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2021; 31:102736. [PMID: 34186296 PMCID: PMC8254125 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Patients with first-episode schizophrenia had significantly decreased QSM values in the bilateral substantia nigra, left red nucleus and left thalamus. Patients with first-episode schizophrenia had significantly increased regional volumes in the bilateral putamen and bilateral substantia nigra. QSM provides superior sensitivity over R2* mapping in the evaluation of schizophrenia-related iron alterations. QSM values in regions that showed intergroup differences did not exhibited significant correlations with PANSS scores.
Purpose Decreased serum ferritin level was recently found in schizophrenia. Whether the brain iron concentration in schizophrenia exists abnormality is of research significance. Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) was used in this study to assess brain iron changes in the grey matter nuclei of patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Methods The local ethics committee approved the study, and all subjects gave written informed consent. Thirty patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 30 age and gender-matched healthy controls were included in this study. QSM and effective transverse relaxation rate (R2*) maps were reconstructed from a three-dimensional multi-echo gradient-echo sequence. The inter-group differences of regional QSM values, R2* values and volumes were calculated in the grey matter nuclei, including bilateral caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, substantia nigra, red nucleus, and thalamus. The diagnostic performance of QSM and R2* was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve. The correlations between regional iron variations and clinical PANSS (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale) scores were assessed using partial correlation analysis. Results Compared to healthy controls, patients with first-episode schizophrenia had significantly decreased QSM values (less paramagnetic) in the bilateral substantia nigra, left red nucleus and left thalamus (p < 0.05, FDR correction). QSM proved more sensitive than R2* regarding inter-group differences. The highest diagnostic performance for first-episode schizophrenia was observed in QSM value of the left substantia nigra (area under the curve, AUC = 0.718, p = 0.004). Regional volumes of bilateral putamen and bilateral substantia nigra were increased (p < 0.05, FDR correction) in first-episode schizophrenia. However, both QSM and R2* values did not show significant correlations with PANSS scores (p > 0.05). Conclusion This study reveals decreased iron concentration in grey matter nuclei of patients with first-episode schizophrenia. QSM provides superior sensitivity over R2* in the evaluation of schizophrenia-related brain iron changes. It demonstrated that QSM may be a potential biomarker for further understanding the pathophysiological mechanism of first-episode schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Xu
- Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yihao Guo
- MR Collaboration, Siemens Healthcare Ltd, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junying Cheng
- Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Kangkang Xue
- Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Meng Yang
- Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xueqin Song
- Department of Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yanqiu Feng
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Image Processing, Key Laboratory of Mental Health of the Ministry of Education & Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jingliang Cheng
- Department of MRI, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
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Jacob MS, Roach BJ, Hamilton HK, Carrión RE, Belger A, Duncan E, Johannesen J, Keshavan M, Loo S, Niznikiewicz M, Addington J, Bearden CE, Cadenhead KS, Cannon TD, Cornblatt BA, McGlashan TH, Perkins DO, Stone W, Tsuang M, Walker EF, Woods SW, Mathalon DH. Visual cortical plasticity and the risk for psychosis: An interim analysis of the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study. Schizophr Res 2021; 230:26-37. [PMID: 33667856 PMCID: PMC8328744 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2021.01.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescence/early adulthood coincides with accelerated pruning of cortical synapses and the onset of schizophrenia. Cortical gray matter reduction and dysconnectivity in schizophrenia are hypothesized to result from impaired synaptic plasticity mechanisms, including long-term potentiation (LTP), since deficient LTP may result in too many weak synapses that are then subject to over-pruning. Deficient plasticity has already been observed in schizophrenia. Here, we assessed whether such deficits are present in the psychosis risk syndrome (PRS), particularly those who subsequently convert to full psychosis. METHODS An interim analysis was performed on a sub-sample from the NAPLS-3 study, including 46 healthy controls (HC) and 246 PRS participants. All participants performed an LTP-like visual cortical plasticity paradigm involving assessment of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) elicited by vertical and horizontal line gratings before and after high frequency ("tetanizing") visual stimulation with one of the gratings to induce "input-specific" neuroplasticity (i.e., VEP changes specific to the tetanized stimulus). Non-parametric, cluster-based permutation testing was used to identify electrodes and timepoints that demonstrated input-specific plasticity effects. RESULTS Input-specific pre-post VEP changes (i.e., increased negative voltage) were found in a single spatio-temporal cluster covering multiple occipital electrodes in a 126-223 ms time window. This plasticity effect was deficient in PRS individuals who subsequently converted to psychosis, relative to PRS non-converters and HC. CONCLUSIONS Input-specific LTP-like visual plasticity can be measured from VEPs in adolescents and young adults. Interim analyses suggest that deficient visual cortical plasticity is evident in those PRS individuals at greatest risk for transition to psychosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. Jacob
- VA San Francisco Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brian J. Roach
- VA San Francisco Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Holly K. Hamilton
- VA San Francisco Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ricardo E. Carrión
- Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY, USA,Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Manhasset, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York, USA
| | - Aysenil Belger
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Erica Duncan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA,Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Jason Johannesen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sandra Loo
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Margaret Niznikiewicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jean Addington
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Carrie E. Bearden
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristin S. Cadenhead
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tyrone D. Cannon
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA,Department of Psychology, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Barbara A. Cornblatt
- Division of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY, USA,Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System, Manhasset, NY, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, New York, USA,Department of Molecular Medicine, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Thomas H. McGlashan
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Diana O. Perkins
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - William Stone
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ming Tsuang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Scott W. Woods
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Daniel H. Mathalon
- VA San Francisco Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry and Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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11
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Hoang D, Lizano P, Lutz O, Zeng V, Raymond N, Miewald J, Montrose D, Keshavan M. Thalamic, Amygdalar, and hippocampal nuclei morphology and their trajectories in first episode psychosis: A preliminary longitudinal study ✰. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2021; 309:111249. [PMID: 33484937 PMCID: PMC7904670 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2021.111249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The thalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus play important pathophysiologic roles in psychosis. Few studies have prospectively examined subcortical nuclei in relation to predicting clinical outcomes after a first-episode of psychosis (FEP). Here, we examined volumetric differences and trajectories among subcortical nuclei in FEP patients and their associations with illness severity. Clinical and brain volume measures were collected using a 1.5T MRI scanner and processed using FreeSurfer 6.0 from a prospective study of antipsychotic-naïve FEP patients of FEP-schizophrenia (FEP-SZ) (baseline, n = 38; follow-up, n = 17), FEP non-schizophrenia (FEP-NSZ) (baseline, n = 23; follow-up, n = 13), and healthy controls (HCs) (baseline, n = 47; follow-up, n = 29). Compared to FEP-NSZ and HCs, FEP-SZ had significantly smaller thalamic anterior nuclei volume at baseline. Longitudinally, FEP-SZ showed a positive rate of change in the amygdala compared to controls or FEP-NSZ, as well as in the basal, central and accessory basal nuclei compared to FEP-NSZ. Enlargement in the thalamic anterior nuclei predicted a worsening in overall psychosis symptoms. Baseline thalamic anterior nuclei alterations further specify key subcortical regions associated with FEP-SZ pathophysiology. Longitudinally, anterior nuclei volume enlargement may signal symptomatic worsening. The amygdala and thalamus structures may show diagnostic differences between schizophrenia and non-schizophrenia psychoses, while the thalamus changes may reflect disease or treatment related changes in clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dung Hoang
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Paulo Lizano
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
| | - Olivia Lutz
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Victor Zeng
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicolas Raymond
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jean Miewald
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Deborah Montrose
- Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Matcheri Keshavan
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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12
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Pálfi E, Lévay G, Czurkó A, Lendvai B, Kiss T. Acute blockade of NR2C/D subunit-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors modifies sleep and neural oscillations in mice. J Sleep Res 2020; 30:e13257. [PMID: 33314505 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13257] [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: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) play an important role in excitatory neurotransmission and have been associated with psychiatric conditions including schizophrenia and major depressive disorder. NMDARs are composed of two NR1 and two NR2 subunits. The type of NR2 subunit determines electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of the receptor. As the precise role of NR2C/D subunit-containing NMDARs is poorly understood in vivo, we have performed behavioural, quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) and polysomnographic analysis following acute pharmacological blockade of these receptor subtypes in adult male CD1 mice. We found that NR2C/D blockade impaired motor coordination and decreased the amount of gross movement. Moreover, EEG power in multiple frequency bands including theta and sigma were found to decrease significantly together with a decrease of theta oscillation frequency. Changes of these qEEG measures were accompanied by a decrease in time spent in slow-wave and rapid eye movement sleep, but an increase of time spent in quiet wakefulness. Furthermore, there was a significant decrease of sleep spindle oscillation density. These findings highlight the importance of NR2C/D-containing NMDARs and take a step towards establishing a link between electrophysiological correlates of psychiatric disorders and underlying synaptic dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emese Pálfi
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Lévay
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - András Czurkó
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Lendvai
- Pharmacology and Drug Safety Research, Gedeon Richter Plc., Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás Kiss
- Department of Computational Sciences, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Budapest, Hungary
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13
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Zhang Y, Quiñones GM, Ferrarelli F. Sleep spindle and slow wave abnormalities in schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders: Recent findings and future directions. Schizophr Res 2020; 221:29-36. [PMID: 31753592 PMCID: PMC7231641 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Sleep spindles and slow waves are the two main oscillatory activities occurring during NREM sleep. Slow waves are ∼1 Hz, high amplitude, negative-positive deflections that are primarily generated and coordinated within the cortex, whereas sleep spindles are 12-16 Hz, waxing and waning oscillations that are initiated within the thalamus and regulated by thalamo-cortical circuits. In healthy subjects, these oscillations are thought to be responsible for the restorative aspects of sleep and have been increasingly shown to be involved in learning, memory and plasticity. Furthermore, deficits in sleep spindles and, to lesser extent, slow waves have been reported in both chronic schizophrenia (SCZ) and early course psychosis patients. In this article, we will first describe sleep spindle and slow wave characteristics, including their putative functional roles in the healthy brain. We will then review electrophysiological, genetic, and cognitive studies demonstrating spindle and slow wave impairments in SCZ and other psychotic disorders, with particularly emphasis on recent findings in early course patients. Finally, we will discuss how future work, including sleep studies in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis, may help position spindles and slow waves as candidate biomarkers, as well as novel treatment targets, for SCZ and related psychotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyi Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, USA
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14
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Chang CH, Lin CH, Liu CY, Chen SJ, Lane HY. Efficacy and cognitive effect of sarcosine (N-methylglycine) in patients with schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:495-505. [PMID: 32122256 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120908016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sarcosine (N-methylglycine), a type 1 glycine transporter inhibitor (GlyT1), has shown therapeutic potential for treating schizophrenia; however, studies have reported conflicting results. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the efficacy and cognitive effect of sarcosine for schizophrenia. METHODS In this study, PubMed, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Collaboration Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials were searched electronically for double-blinded randomised controlled trials that used sarcosine for treating schizophrenia. We used the published trials up to November 2019 to investigate the efficacy of sarcosine in schizophrenia. We pooled studies by using a random-effect model for comparing sarcosine treatment effects. Patients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition were recruited. Clinical improvement and cognitive function scores between baseline and after sarcosine use were compared using the standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The heterogeneity of the included trials was evaluated through visual inspection of funnel plots and through the I2 statistic. RESULTS We identified seven trials with 326 participants with schizophrenia meeting the inclusion criteria. All these studies evaluated the overall clinical symptoms, and four of them evaluated overall cognitive functions. Sarcosine use achieved more significant effects than the use of its comparators in relieving overall clinical symptoms (SMD = 0.51, CI = 0.26-0.76, p < 0.01). Moreover, studies with the low Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale range of 70-79 showed significant effect size (ES)s of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.03-1.31, p = 0.04). In addition, trials enrolling patients with stable clinical symptoms had significant ESs: 0.53 (95% CI: 0.21-0.85, p < 0.01). Add-on sarcosine combined with first- and second-generation antipsychotics, except clozapine, had a positive effect. For overall cognitive functions, sarcosine showed a positive but insignificant effect compared with its comparators (SMD = 0.27, CI = -0.06 to 0.60, p = 0.10). The effects were correlated with increased female proportions and decreased illness duration, albeit nonsignificantly. CONCLUSIONS The meta-analysis suggests that sarcosine may be associated with treatment effect on overall clinical symptoms in patients with schizophrenia but not cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hung Chang
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung.,Department of Psychiatry & Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung.,An Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan
| | - Chieh-Hsin Lin
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung.,Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung
| | - Chieh-Yu Liu
- Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Biostatistical Consulting Lab, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei
| | - Shaw-Ji Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Mackay Memorial Hospital Taitung Branch, Taitung.,Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei
| | - Hsien-Yuan Lane
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung.,Department of Psychiatry & Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung.,Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taichung
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15
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Zhang B, Yuan Y, Jia Y, Yu X, Xu Q, Shen Y, Shen Y. An association study between polymorphisms in five genes in glutamate and GABA pathway and paranoid schizophrenia. Eur Psychiatry 2020; 20:45-9. [PMID: 15642443 DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2004.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2004] [Accepted: 09/09/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractDysfunctions of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission are two important hypotheses for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Thus, genes in the pathway are candidates for schizophrenia susceptibility. Phosphate-activated glutaminase (GLS), glutamine synthetase (GLUL), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), GABA transaminase (ABAT) and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH5A1) are five primary enzymes in glutamate and GABA synthetic and degradative pathway. In order to investigate the possible involvement of these genes in the development of paranoid schizophrenia, we genotyped 80 paranoid schizophrenics from northern China and 108 matched controls by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) methods or directly sequencing of PCR product. Seven SNPs were found to be polymorphic in the population investigated. No significant differences in the genotype distributions or allele frequencies between patients and controls were found. Therefore, we conclude the polymorphisms studied in the five genes do not play major roles in pathogenesis of paranoid schizophrenia in the population investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyu Zhang
- National Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 5, Dong Dan San Tiao, Beijing 100005, China
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16
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Liu YP, Wu X, Meng JH, Yao J, Wang BJ. Functional Analysis of the 3' Untranslated Region of the Human GRIN1 Gene in Regulating Gene Expression in vitro. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2020; 16:2361-2370. [PMID: 33116535 PMCID: PMC7567549 DOI: 10.2147/ndt.s268753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Abnormal expression of the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor may potentially increase the susceptibility to neuropsychiatric diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional sequence of the 3'UTR of the human GRIN1 gene, which encodes the GluN1 receptor to determine the effect on the expression of GluN1 receptor. METHODS We transferred seven recombinant pmirGLO recombinant vectors containing the 3'UTR truncated fragment of the GRIN1 gene into HEK-293, SK-N-SH, and U87 cell lines and compared the relative fluorescence intensity of adjacent length fragments. The TargetScan database was used to predict miRNAs. Then, miRNA mimics/inhibitors were co-transfected into the three cell lines with the 3'UTR of GRIN1 (pmirGLO - GRIN1), to investigate their influence on GRIN1 gene expression. RESULTS Compared with the pmirGLo-Basic vector, the relative fluorescence intensity of the complete GRIN1 gene 3'UTR recombinant sequence -27 bp - +1284 bp (the next base of the stop codon is +1) was significantly decreased in all three cell lines. The relative fluorescence intensities were significantly different between -27 bp - +294 bp and -27 bp - +497 bp regions, and between -27 bp - +708 bp and -27 bp - +907 bp regions. According to the prediction of the TargetScan database and analysis, miR-212-5p, miR-324-3p and miR-326 may bind to +295 bp - +497 bp, while miR-491-5p may bind to +798 bp - +907 bp. After co-transfection of miRNA mimic/inhibitor or mimic/inhibitor NC with a recombinant vector in the 3'UTR region of GRIN1 gene, we found that has-miR-491-5p inhibited GRIN1 expression significantly in all three cell lines, while has-miR-326 inhibitor upregulated GRIN1 expression in HEK-293 and U87 cells. CONCLUSION miR-491-5p may bind to the 3'UTR of the GRIN1 gene (+799 bp - +805 bp, the next base of the stop codon is +1) and down-regulate gene expression in HEK-293, SK-N-SH, and U87 cell lines, which implicates a potential role of miR-491-5p in central nervous system diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Ping Liu
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue Wu
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Hua Meng
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Yao
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
| | - Bao-Jie Wang
- School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang 110122, People's Republic of China
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17
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Woodward TJ, Tesic V, Stamenic TT, Jevtovic-Todorovic V, Todorovic SM. Pharmacological Antagonism of T-Type Calcium Channels Constrains Rebound Burst Firing in Two Distinct Subpopulations of GABA Neurons in the Rat Ventral Tegmental Area: Implications for α-Lipoic Acid. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:1402. [PMID: 31849661 PMCID: PMC6889856 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.01402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is a midbrain region highly involved in motivation and reward. A large body of work has investigated synaptic plasticity and ion channel excitability in this area, which has strong implication in drug abuse. We recently provided electrophysiological and pharmacological evidence that the CaV3.1 isoform of T-type voltage-gated calcium channels contributes to the excitability of VTA dopamine (DA) neurons. However, the role of T-channels in excitability of VTA gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA) neurons remained unaddressed. Here, with a population study of rat VTA GABA neurons, we provide evidence that T-channels contribute to rebound spiking activity in two phenotypically distinct subpopulations of GABAergic neurons, each with differing electrophysiological characteristics. Additionally, we provide the first study to investigate the effect of α-lipoic acid (ALA) on ion channels in mesolimbic reward circuitry. Taken together, our population study and pharmacology experiments implicate T-channels as a target for therapies aimed at tempering VTA and mesolimbic circuit excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Joel Woodward
- Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Vesna Tesic
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
| | | | | | - Slobodan M Todorovic
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States.,Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States
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18
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Ding Y, Wang L, Huo Y, Sun Y, Wang L, Gao Z, Sun Y. Roles of GluN2C in cerebral ischemia: GluN2C expressed in different cell types plays different role in ischemic damage. J Neurosci Res 2019; 98:1188-1197. [DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Ding
- Shijiazhuang Vocational College of Technology and Information Shijiazhuang PR China
| | - Le Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering Hebei Chemical & Pharmaceutical College Shijiazhuang China
| | - Yuexiang Huo
- Department of Pharmacy Hebei University of Science and Technology Shijiazhuang China
| | - Yanping Sun
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base—Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry for Drug Shijiazhuang China
| | - Long Wang
- Department of Family and Consumer Sciences California State University Long Beach CA USA
| | - Zibin Gao
- Department of Pharmacy Hebei University of Science and Technology Shijiazhuang China
- State Key Laboratory Breeding Base—Hebei Province Key Laboratory of Molecular Chemistry for Drug Shijiazhuang China
| | - Yongjun Sun
- Department of Pharmacy Hebei University of Science and Technology Shijiazhuang China
- Hebei Research Center of Pharmaceutical and Chemical Engineering Hebei University of Science and Technology Shijiazhuang China
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19
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Abstract
Sleep spindles are burstlike signals in the electroencephalogram (EEG) of the sleeping mammalian brain and electrical surface correlates of neuronal oscillations in thalamus. As one of the most inheritable sleep EEG signatures, sleep spindles probably reflect the strength and malleability of thalamocortical circuits that underlie individual cognitive profiles. We review the characteristics, organization, regulation, and origins of sleep spindles and their implication in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS) and its functions, focusing on human and rodent. Spatially, sleep spindle-related neuronal activity appears on scales ranging from small thalamic circuits to functional cortical areas, and generates a cortical state favoring intracortical plasticity while limiting cortical output. Temporally, sleep spindles are discrete events, part of a continuous power band, and elements grouped on an infraslow time scale over which NREMS alternates between continuity and fragility. We synthesize diverse and seemingly unlinked functions of sleep spindles for sleep architecture, sensory processing, synaptic plasticity, memory formation, and cognitive abilities into a unifying sleep spindle concept, according to which sleep spindles 1) generate neural conditions of large-scale functional connectivity and plasticity that outlast their appearance as discrete EEG events, 2) appear preferentially in thalamic circuits engaged in learning and attention-based experience during wakefulness, and 3) enable a selective reactivation and routing of wake-instated neuronal traces between brain areas such as hippocampus and cortex. Their fine spatiotemporal organization reflects NREMS as a physiological state coordinated over brain and body and may indicate, if not anticipate and ultimately differentiate, pathologies in sleep and neurodevelopmental, -degenerative, and -psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M J Fernandez
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anita Lüthi
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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20
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Cho KIK, Kim M, Yoon YB, Lee J, Lee TY, Kwon JS. Disturbed thalamocortical connectivity in unaffected relatives of schizophrenia patients with a high genetic loading. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 2019; 53:889-895. [PMID: 30722672 DOI: 10.1177/0004867418824020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Alterations in thalamocortical anatomical connectivity, specifically the connection between the orbitofrontal cortex and thalamus, have been frequently reported in schizophrenia and are suggested to contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The connectivity of the thalamocortical white matter in unaffected relatives of schizophrenia patients was compared to that of healthy controls. METHODS The unaffected relative group was defined as asymptomatic family members who had at least one first-degree relative with schizophrenia and one or more other affected first- to third-degree relatives. A total of 35 unaffected relatives and 34 healthy controls underwent diffusion-weighted and T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging to examine the white matter connectivity between the thalamus and orbitofrontal cortex using probabilistic tractography. RESULTS After controlling for age and sex, the unaffected relatives exhibited significantly reduced fractional anisotropy values for the left thalamo-orbitofrontal tract compared to that of healthy controls, F(1, 65) = 6.93, p = 0.011, effect size partial η2 = 0.10. However, there was no association between the Genetic Liability Score and fractional anisotropy in the left thalamo-orbitofrontal tracts. CONCLUSION Our findings in the unaffected relatives of schizophrenia patients, which are in line with the alterations reported in schizophrenia, first-episode psychosis and clinical high risk for psychosis, highlight a possible genetic contribution to the proposed biomarker of altered thalamocortical connectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Ik K Cho
- 1 Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 2 Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Minah Kim
- 3 Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Youngwoo Bryan Yoon
- 2 Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Junhee Lee
- 3 Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae Young Lee
- 1 Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 3 Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun Soo Kwon
- 1 Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 2 Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- 3 Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Kaskie RE, Graziano B, Ferrarelli F. Topographic deficits in sleep spindle density and duration point to frontal thalamo-cortical dysfunctions in first-episode psychosis. J Psychiatr Res 2019; 113:39-44. [PMID: 30878791 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2019.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Sleep spindles are NREM sleep EEG oscillations, which are initiated within the thalamus and are regulated by thalamo-cortical circuits. Previous work from our and other research groups has shown marked spindle deficits in patients with schizophrenia (SCZ). However, the presence of spindle impairments at illness onset, including which parameters are most affected, their topographic characteristics, and their relationships with clinical symptoms have yet to be characterized. In this study we performed sleep high density (hd)-EEG recordings in twenty-seven first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients and twenty-three healthy controls (HC). Several spindle parameters-amplitude, duration, and density-were calculated and compared across groups. FEP patients showed reduced spindle duration and density, but not in spindle amplitude relative to HC. These spindles reductions were localized in a frontal area and predicted the severity of FEP patients' negative symptoms. Altogether, these findings indicate that spindle deficits are present at the beginning of psychosis, contribute to clinical symptomatology, and point to frontal thalamo-cortical dysfunctions, thus providing a potential treatment target for early interventions in SCZ and related psychotic disorders.
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Chang CH, Lane HY, Tseng PT, Chen SJ, Liu CY, Lin CH. Effect of N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor-enhancing agents on cognition in patients with schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials. J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:436-448. [PMID: 30730250 DOI: 10.1177/0269881118822157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor-enhancing agents have demonstrated promising effects for cognition in schizophrenia. However, the results of studies have been conflicting. This updated meta-analysis explored the effect of NMDA-receptor-enhancing agents on cognitive function. METHODS We searched PubMed, the Cochrane Collaboration Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials and Cochrane Systematic Reviews for studies on the effect of NMDA-receptor-enhancing agents on cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia up to September 2018. Double-blind randomised placebo trials with cognition rating scales were included. We pooled studies by using a random-effect model for comparisons with add-on NMDA-receptor-enhancing agents. Cognitive function scores were compared between baseline and subsequent levels, and NMDA-receptor-positive modulators were assessed using the standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We evaluated statistical heterogeneity through visual inspection of funnel plots and by using the I2 statistic. RESULTS We identified 25 trials with 1951 participants meeting the inclusion criteria. NMDA-receptor-enhancing agents had a small but nonsignificant effect compared with the placebo on overall cognitive function (SMD = 0.068, CI = -0.056 to 0.193, P = 0.283). We identified trials enrolling patients aged between 30 and 39 years old, which reported significant positive effects (SMD: 0.163, 95% CI: 0.016-0.310, P = 0.030). Men were associated with a smaller effect of NMDA-receptor-positive modulators on overall cognitive function. Moreover, subgroup meta-analysis of cognitive domains revealed that N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) had a significant effect on working memory ( P-value for interaction = 0.038; SMD = 0.679, CI = 0.397-0.961, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Our meta-analysis revealed no significant effect of NMDA-enhancing agents on overall cognition. However, subgroup analysis suggested that NMDAR-enhancing agents may benefit young patients with schizophrenia, and NAC may have an effect on working memory. Additional trials with larger samples are suggested to evaluate these cognitive domains and ascertain the possible mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hung Chang
- 1 Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,2 Department of Psychiatry & Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Hsien-Yuan Lane
- 1 Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,2 Department of Psychiatry & Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.,3 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,4 Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Tao Tseng
- 5 Department of Psychiatry, Tsyr-Huey Mental Hospital, Kaohsiung Jen-Ai's Home, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.,6 WinShine Clinics in Specialty of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Shaw-Ji Chen
- 7 Department of Psychiatry, Mackay Memorial Hospital Taitung Branch, Taitung, Taiwan.,8 Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Yu Liu
- 9 Biostatistical Consulting Lab, Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Hsin Lin
- 1 Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,3 Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.,10 Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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Multi-Target Approach for Drug Discovery against Schizophrenia. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19103105. [PMID: 30309037 PMCID: PMC6213273 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19103105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Polypharmacology is nowadays considered an increasingly crucial aspect in discovering new drugs as a number of original single-target drugs have been performing far behind expectations during the last ten years. In this scenario, multi-target drugs are a promising approach against polygenic diseases with complex pathomechanisms such as schizophrenia. Indeed, second generation or atypical antipsychotics target a number of aminergic G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) simultaneously. Novel strategies in drug design and discovery against schizophrenia focus on targets beyond the dopaminergic hypothesis of the disease and even beyond the monoamine GPCRs. In particular these approaches concern proteins involved in glutamatergic and cholinergic neurotransmission, challenging the concept of antipsychotic activity without dopamine D₂ receptor involvement. Potentially interesting compounds include ligands interacting with glycine modulatory binding pocket on N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, positive allosteric modulators of α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, positive allosteric modulators of metabotropic glutamatergic receptors, agonists and positive allosteric modulators of α7 nicotinic receptors, as well as muscarinic receptor agonists. In this review we discuss classical and novel drug targets for schizophrenia, cover benefits and limitations of current strategies to design multi-target drugs and show examples of multi-target ligands as antipsychotics, including marketed drugs, substances in clinical trials, and other investigational compounds.
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24
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Stępnicki P, Kondej M, Kaczor AA. Current Concepts and Treatments of Schizophrenia. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23082087. [PMID: 30127324 PMCID: PMC6222385 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23082087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 220] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/18/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a debilitating mental illness which involves three groups of symptoms, i.e., positive, negative and cognitive, and has major public health implications. According to various sources, it affects up to 1% of the population. The pathomechanism of schizophrenia is not fully understood and current antipsychotics are characterized by severe limitations. Firstly, these treatments are efficient for about half of patients only. Secondly, they ameliorate mainly positive symptoms (e.g., hallucinations and thought disorders which are the core of the disease) but negative (e.g., flat affect and social withdrawal) and cognitive (e.g., learning and attention disorders) symptoms remain untreated. Thirdly, they involve severe neurological and metabolic side effects and may lead to sexual dysfunction or agranulocytosis (clozapine). It is generally agreed that the interactions of antipsychotics with various neurotransmitter receptors are responsible for their effects to treat schizophrenia symptoms. In particular, several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), mainly dopamine, serotonin and adrenaline receptors, are traditional molecular targets for antipsychotics. Comprehensive research on GPCRs resulted in the exploration of novel important signaling mechanisms of GPCRs which are crucial for drug discovery: intentionally non-selective multi-target compounds, allosteric modulators, functionally selective compounds and receptor oligomerization. In this review, we cover current hypotheses of schizophrenia, involving different neurotransmitter systems, discuss available treatments and present novel concepts in schizophrenia and its treatment, involving mainly novel mechanisms of GPCRs signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Stępnicki
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances, Faculty of Pharmacy with Division of Medical Analytics, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki St., PL-20093 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Magda Kondej
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances, Faculty of Pharmacy with Division of Medical Analytics, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki St., PL-20093 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka A Kaczor
- Department of Synthesis and Chemical Technology of Pharmaceutical Substances, Faculty of Pharmacy with Division of Medical Analytics, Medical University of Lublin, 4A Chodzki St., PL-20093 Lublin, Poland.
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
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25
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Absent sleep EEG spindle activity in GluA1 (Gria1) knockout mice: relevance to neuropsychiatric disorders. Transl Psychiatry 2018; 8:154. [PMID: 30108203 PMCID: PMC6092338 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-018-0199-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2017] [Revised: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep EEG spindles have been implicated in attention, sensory processing, synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation. In humans, deficits in sleep spindles have been reported in a wide range of neurological and psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Genome-wide association studies have suggested a link between schizophrenia and genes associated with synaptic plasticity, including the Gria1 gene which codes for the GluA1 subunit of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor. Gria1-/- mice exhibit a phenotype relevant for neuropsychiatric disorders, including reduced synaptic plasticity and, at the behavioural level, attentional deficits leading to aberrant salience. In this study we report a striking reduction of EEG power density including the spindle-frequency range (10-15 Hz) during sleep in Gria1-/- mice. The reduction of spindle-activity in Gria1-/- mice was accompanied by longer REM sleep episodes, increased EEG slow-wave activity in the occipital derivation during baseline sleep, and a reduced rate of decline of EEG slow wave activity (0.5-4 Hz) during NREM sleep after sleep deprivation. These data provide a novel link between glutamatergic dysfunction and sleep abnormalities in a schizophrenia-relevant mouse model.
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26
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Farmer CA, Chilakamarri P, Thurm AE, Swedo SE, Holmes GL, Buckley AW. Spindle activity in young children with autism, developmental delay, or typical development. Neurology 2018; 91:e112-e122. [PMID: 29875224 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000005759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether spindle activity differs in young children with and without autism. METHODS We investigated differences in spindle density, duration, and oscillatory features in 135 young children with autism, developmental delay without autism (DD), or typical development (TD) and secondarily assessed the dimensional relationship between spindle density and both cognitive ability and social functioning. RESULTS Compared to TD, both spindle density (Cohen d 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49-1.37) and duration (Cohen d 0.58, 95% CI 0.15-1.01) were significantly decreased in autism. Spindle density was also significantly reduced in autism compared to DD (Cohen d 0.61, 95% CI 0.13-1.09). Decreased spindle frequency in autism compared to both TD (Cohen d 0.47, 95% CI 0.04-0.90) and DD (Cohen d 0.58, 95% CI 0.10-1.06) did not survive correction. The DD group did not differ significantly from the TD group on any spindle parameter. These results, suggesting a relationship between spindle density and autism but not DD, were further illustrated in exploratory analyses, wherein nonverbal ratio IQ (RIQ) and the Vineland Socialization domain standard score were strongly correlated with spindle density in the full sample (r = 0.33, p ≤ 001 and r = 0.41, p ≤ 001, respectively) but not within group. After nonverbal RIQ was accounted for, the relationship between spindle density and Vineland Socialization remained statistically significant (r = 0.23, p < 0.01). However, Vineland Socialization scores accounted for the relationship between spindle density and nonverbal RIQ (r = 0.04, p = 0.67). CONCLUSION In a large cohort of young children with autism, spindle density was reduced compared to groups of age-matched children with DD or TD. Alterations in the maturational trajectory of spindles may provide valuable insight into the neurophysiologic differences related to behavior in disorders of neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristan A Farmer
- From the National Institute of Mental Health (C.A.F., A.E.T., S.E.S., A.W.B.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Neurological Sciences (P.C., G.L.H.), University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Priyanka Chilakamarri
- From the National Institute of Mental Health (C.A.F., A.E.T., S.E.S., A.W.B.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Neurological Sciences (P.C., G.L.H.), University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Audrey E Thurm
- From the National Institute of Mental Health (C.A.F., A.E.T., S.E.S., A.W.B.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Neurological Sciences (P.C., G.L.H.), University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Susan E Swedo
- From the National Institute of Mental Health (C.A.F., A.E.T., S.E.S., A.W.B.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Neurological Sciences (P.C., G.L.H.), University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Gregory L Holmes
- From the National Institute of Mental Health (C.A.F., A.E.T., S.E.S., A.W.B.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Neurological Sciences (P.C., G.L.H.), University of Vermont, Burlington
| | - Ashura W Buckley
- From the National Institute of Mental Health (C.A.F., A.E.T., S.E.S., A.W.B.), NIH, Bethesda, MD; and Department of Neurological Sciences (P.C., G.L.H.), University of Vermont, Burlington.
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27
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Ravikrishnan A, Gandhi PJ, Shelkar GP, Liu J, Pavuluri R, Dravid SM. Region-specific Expression of NMDA Receptor GluN2C Subunit in Parvalbumin-Positive Neurons and Astrocytes: Analysis of GluN2C Expression using a Novel Reporter Model. Neuroscience 2018; 380:49-62. [PMID: 29559384 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2018.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 03/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hypofunction of NMDA receptors in parvalbumin (PV)-positive interneurons has been proposed as a potential mechanism for cortical abnormalities and symptoms in schizophrenia. GluN2C-containing receptors have been linked to this hypothesis due to the higher affinity of psychotomimetic doses of ketamine for GluN1/2C receptors. However, the precise cell-type expression of GluN2C subunit remains unknown. We describe the expression of the GluN2C subunit using a novel EGFP reporter model. We observed EGFP(GluN2C) localization in PV-positive neurons in the nucleus reticularis of the thalamus, globus pallidus externa and interna, ventral pallidum and substantia nigra. In contrast, EGFP(GluN2C)-expressing cells did not co-localize with PV-positive neurons in the cortex, striatum, hippocampus or amygdala. Instead, EGFP(GluN2C) expression in these regions co-localized with an astrocytic marker. We confirmed functional expression of GluN2C-containing receptors in the PV-neurons in substantia nigra and cortical astrocytes using electrophysiology. GluN2C was found to be enriched in several first-order and higher order thalamic nuclei. Interestingly, we found that a previous GluN2C β-gal reporter model excluded expression from PV-neurons and certain thalamic nuclei but exhibited expression in the retrosplenial cortex. GluN2C's unique distribution in neuronal and non-neuronal cells in a brain region-specific manner raises interesting questions regarding the role of GluN2C-containing receptors in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pauravi J Gandhi
- Department of Pharmacology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | - Gajanan P Shelkar
- Department of Pharmacology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | - Jinxu Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA
| | | | - Shashank M Dravid
- Department of Pharmacology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA.
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28
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Ding J, Zhou HH, Ma QR, He ZY, Ma JB, Liu YM, Zhang YW, He YQ, Liu J. Expression of NR1 and apoptosis levels in the hippocampal cells of mice treated with MK‑801. Mol Med Rep 2017; 16:8359-8364. [PMID: 28990059 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2017.7674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of N‑methyl‑D‑aspartate receptor R1 (NR1) expression and apoptosis in the nerve cells of the hippocampus in schizophrenia‑like mice. C57BL/6 mice were randomly allocated to the following groups: i) Blank group; ii) MK‑801 group; iii) MK‑801+NMDA group, according to body weight. The NMDAR antagonist, MK‑801 (0.6 mg/kg/d) was intraperitoneally injected daily for 14 days to induce a schizophrenia‑like phenotype mouse model, and the effect of the NMDA injection via the lateral ventricle was observed. The results demonstrated that the number of NR1 positive cells in the MK‑801 group increased in the CA1 and DG regions, indicating that NMDA may reverse this change. The level of damage decreased in the MK‑801 treated group when compared with the blank group in the CA3 region. The protein expression of NR1 increased however, at the mRNA expression level, NR1 was lower in the MK‑801 treated group when compared to the blank group; NMDA also reversed this change. In addition, early and total apoptosis detected in the hippocampal nerve cells was significantly increased in the MK‑801 group when compared with the blank group, which was reversible following treatment with NMDA. These results indicated that NMDA may regulate the expression of NR1 and suppress apoptosis in hippocampal nerve cells in schizophrenia‑like mice. Thus, NR1 may be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Ding
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Hui-Hui Zhou
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Quan-Rui Ma
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Zhong-Yi He
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Jiang-Bo Ma
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Yin-Ming Liu
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Yi-Wei Zhang
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Qing He
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
| | - Juan Liu
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia 750004, P.R. China
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29
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Fernandez LMJ, Pellegrini C, Vantomme G, Béard E, Lüthi A, Astori S. Cortical afferents onto the nucleus Reticularis thalami promote plasticity of low-threshold excitability through GluN2C-NMDARs. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12271. [PMID: 28947779 PMCID: PMC5612942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12552-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Thalamus and cortex represent a highly integrated processing unit that elaborates sensory representations. Interposed between cortex and thalamus, the nucleus Reticularis thalami (nRt) receives strong cortical glutamatergic input and mediates top-down inhibitory feedback to thalamus. Despite growing appreciation that the nRt is integral for thalamocortical functions from sleep to attentional wakefulness, we still face considerable gaps in the synaptic bases for cortico-nRt communication and plastic regulation. Here, we examined modulation of nRt excitability by cortical synaptic drive in Ntsr1-Cre x ChR2tg/+ mice expressing Channelrhodopsin2 in layer 6 corticothalamic cells. We found that cortico-nRt synapses express a major portion of NMDA receptors containing the GluN2C subunit (GluN2C-NMDARs). Upon repetitive photoactivation (10 Hz trains), GluN2C-NMDARs induced a long-term increase in nRt excitability involving a potentiated recruitment of T-type Ca2+ channels. In anaesthetized mice, analogous stimulation of cortical afferents onto nRt produced long-lasting changes in cortical local field potentials (LFPs), with delta oscillations being augmented at the expense of slow oscillations. This shift in LFP spectral composition was sensitive to NMDAR blockade in the nRt. Our data reveal a novel mechanism involving plastic modification of synaptically recruited T-type Ca2+ channels and nRt bursting and indicate a critical role for GluN2C-NMDARs in thalamocortical rhythmogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M J Fernandez
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Chiara Pellegrini
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gil Vantomme
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Elidie Béard
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anita Lüthi
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Simone Astori
- Department of Fundamental Neurosciences, University of Lausanne, 1005, Lausanne, Switzerland. .,Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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30
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Improving the detection of pathways in genome-wide association studies by combined effects of SNPs from Linkage Disequilibrium blocks. Sci Rep 2017; 7:3512. [PMID: 28615668 PMCID: PMC5471232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-03826-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified single variants associated with diseases. To increase the power of GWAS, gene-based and pathway-based tests are commonly employed to detect more risk factors. However, the gene- and pathway-based association tests may be biased towards genes or pathways containing a large number of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with small P-values caused by high linkage disequilibrium (LD) correlations. To address such bias, numerous pathway-based methods have been developed. Here we propose a novel method, DGAT-path, to divide all SNPs assigned to genes in each pathway into LD blocks, and to sum the chi-square statistics of LD blocks for assessing the significance of the pathway by permutation tests. The method was proven robust with the type I error rate >1.6 times lower than other methods. Meanwhile, the method displays a higher power and is not biased by the pathway size. The applications to the GWAS summary statistics for schizophrenia and breast cancer indicate that the detected top pathways contain more genes close to associated SNPs than other methods. As a result, the method identified 17 and 12 significant pathways containing 20 and 21 novel associated genes, respectively for two diseases. The method is available online by http://sparks-lab.org/server/DGAT-path.
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31
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Barad Z, Grattan DR, Leitch B. NMDA Receptor Expression in the Thalamus of the Stargazer Model of Absence Epilepsy. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42926. [PMID: 28220891 PMCID: PMC5318904 DOI: 10.1038/srep42926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In the stargazer mouse model of absence epilepsy, altered corticothalamic excitation of reticular thalamic nucleus (RTN) neurons has been suggested to contribute to abnormal synchronicity in the corticothalamic-thalamocortical circuit, leading to spike-wave discharges, the hallmark of absence seizures. AMPA receptor expression and function are decreased in stargazer RTN, due to a mutation of AMPAR auxiliary subunit stargazin. It is unresolved and debated, however, if decreased excitation of RTN is compatible with epileptogenesis. We tested the hypothesis that relative NMDAR expression may be increased in RTN and/or thalamic synapses in stargazers using Western blot on dissected thalamic nuclei and biochemically isolated synapses, as well as immunogold cytochemistry in RTN. Expression of main NMDAR subunits was variable in stargazer RTN and relay thalamus; however, mean expression values were not statistically significantly different compared to controls. Furthermore, no systematic changes in synaptic NMDAR levels could be detected in stargazer thalamus. In contrast, AMPAR subunits were markedly decreased in both nucleus-specific and synaptic preparations. Thus, defective AMPAR trafficking in stargazer thalamus does not appear to lead to a ubiquitous compensatory increase in total and synaptic NMDAR expression, suggesting that elevated NMDAR function is not mediated by changes in protein expression in stargazer mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Barad
- Department of Anatomy, Otago School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.,Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - D R Grattan
- Department of Anatomy, Otago School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.,Centre for Neuroendocrinology, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - B Leitch
- Department of Anatomy, Otago School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.,Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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32
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Nakazawa K, Jeevakumar V, Nakao K. Spatial and temporal boundaries of NMDA receptor hypofunction leading to schizophrenia. NPJ SCHIZOPHRENIA 2017; 3:7. [PMID: 28560253 PMCID: PMC5441533 DOI: 10.1038/s41537-016-0003-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2016] [Revised: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 11/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor hypofunction is one of the most prevalent models of schizophrenia. For example, healthy subjects treated with uncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists elicit positive, negative, and cognitive-like symptoms of schizophrenia. Patients with anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis, which is likely caused by autoantibody-mediated down-regulation of cell surface N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, often experience psychiatric symptoms similar to schizophrenia initially. However, where and when N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor hypofunction occurs in the brain of schizophrenic patients is poorly understood. Here we review the findings from N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist and autoantibody models, postmortem studies on N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunits, as well as the global and cell-type-specific knockout mouse models of subunit GluN1. We compare various conditional GluN1 knockout mouse strains, focusing on the onset of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor deletion and on the cortical cell-types. Based on these results, we hypothesize that N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor hypofunction initially occurs in cortical GABAergic neurons during early postnatal development. The resulting GABA neuron maturation deficit may cause reduction of intrinsic excitability and GABA release, leading to disinhibition of pyramidal neurons. The cortical disinhibition in turn could elicit glutamate spillover and subsequent homeostatic down regulation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor function in pyramidal neurons in prodromal stage. These two temporally-distinct N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor hypofunctions may be complimentary, as neither alone may not be able to fully explain the entire schizophrenia pathophysiology. Potential underlying mechanisms for N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor hypofunction in cortical GABA neurons are also discussed, based on studies of naturally-occurring N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists, neuregulin/ErbB4 signaling pathway, and theoretical analysis of excitatory/inhibitory balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazu Nakazawa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - Vivek Jeevakumar
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
| | - Kazuhito Nakao
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL USA
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Yasuda K, Hayashi Y, Yoshida T, Kashiwagi M, Nakagawa N, Michikawa T, Tanaka M, Ando R, Huang A, Hosoya T, McHugh TJ, Kuwahara M, Itohara S. Schizophrenia-like phenotypes in mice with NMDA receptor ablation in intralaminar thalamic nucleus cells and gene therapy-based reversal in adults. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1047. [PMID: 28244984 PMCID: PMC5545645 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
In understanding the mechanism of schizophrenia pathogenesis, a significant finding is that drug abuse of phencyclidine or its analog ketamine causes symptoms similar to schizophrenia. Such drug effects are triggered even by administration at post-adolescent stages. Both drugs are N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists, leading to a major hypothesis that glutamate hypofunction underlies schizophrenia pathogenesis. The precise region that depends on NMDAR function, however, is unclear. Here, we developed a mouse strain in which NMDARs in the intralaminar thalamic nuclei (ILN) were selectively disrupted. The mutant mice exhibited various schizophrenia-like phenotypes, including deficits in working memory, long-term spatial memory, and attention, as well as impulsivity, impaired prepulse inhibition, hyperlocomotion and hyperarousal. The electroencephalography analysis revealed that the mutant mice had a significantly reduced power in a wide range of frequencies including the alpha, beta and gamma bands, both during wake and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and a modest decrease of gamma power during non-REM sleep. Notably, restoring NMDARs in the adult ILN rescued some of the behavioral abnormalities. These findings suggest that NMDAR dysfunction in the ILN contributes to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia-related disorders. Furthermore, the reversal of inherent schizophrenia-like phenotypes in the adult mutant mice supports that ILN is a potential target site for a therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Yasuda
- Laboratory for Behavioral Genetics, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan,Department of Veterinary Pathophysiology and Animal Health, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Y Hayashi
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - T Yoshida
- Laboratory for Behavioral Genetics, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - M Kashiwagi
- International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - N Nakagawa
- Laboratory for Local Neuronal Circuits, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - T Michikawa
- Biotechnological Optics Research Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, Saitama, Japan
| | - M Tanaka
- Laboratory for Neuron-Glia Circuitry, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - R Ando
- Laboratory for Behavioral Genetics, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - A Huang
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - T Hosoya
- Laboratory for Local Neuronal Circuits, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - T J McHugh
- Laboratory for Circuit and Behavioral Physiology, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan
| | - M Kuwahara
- Department of Veterinary Pathophysiology and Animal Health, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - S Itohara
- Laboratory for Behavioral Genetics, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Saitama, Japan,Laboratory for Behavioral Genetics, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Neural Circuit Genetics Research Building 102k, 2-1 Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan. E-mail;
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The NMDA receptor GluN2C subunit controls cortical excitatory-inhibitory balance, neuronal oscillations and cognitive function. Sci Rep 2016; 6:38321. [PMID: 27922130 PMCID: PMC5138829 DOI: 10.1038/srep38321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite strong evidence for NMDA receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction as an underlying factor for cognitive disorders, the precise roles of various NMDAR subtypes remains unknown. The GluN2C-containing NMDARs exhibit unique biophysical properties and expression pattern, and lower expression of GluN2C subunit has been reported in postmortem brains from schizophrenia patients. We found that loss of GluN2C subunit leads to a shift in cortical excitatory-inhibitory balance towards greater inhibition. Specifically, pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of GluN2C knockout mice have reduced mEPSC frequency and dendritic spine density and a contrasting higher frequency of mIPSCs. In addition a greater number of perisomatic GAD67 puncta was observed suggesting a potential increase in parvalbumin interneuron inputs. At a network level the GluN2C knockout mice were found to have a more robust increase in power of oscillations in response to NMDAR blocker MK-801. Furthermore, GluN2C heterozygous and knockout mice exhibited abnormalities in cognition and sensorimotor gating. Our results demonstrate that loss of GluN2C subunit leads to cortical excitatory-inhibitory imbalance and abnormal neuronal oscillations associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Møllerud S, Kastrup JS, Pickering DS. A pharmacological profile of the high-affinity GluK5 kainate receptor. Eur J Pharmacol 2016; 788:315-320. [PMID: 27373850 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2016.06.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Mouse GluK5 was expressed in Sf9 insect cells and radiolabelled with [(3)H]-kainate in receptor binding assays (Kd=6.9nM). Western immunoblotting indicated an Sf9 GluK5 band doublet corresponding to the glycosylated (128kDa) and deglycosylated (111kDa) protein, which was identical to the band pattern of native rat brain GluK5. A pharmacological profile of the high-affinity kainate receptor GluK5 is described which is distinct from the profiles of other kainate receptors (GluK1-3). The 27 tested ligands generally show a preferential affinity to GluK1 over GluK5, the exceptions being: dihydrokainate, (S)-5-fluorowillardiine, (S)-glutamate and quisqualate, where the affinity is similar at GluK1 and GluK5. In contrast, quisqualate shows 40-fold higher affinity at GluK5 over GluK3 whereas (S)-1-(2'-amino-2'-caboxyethyl)thienol[3,4-d]pyrimidin-2,4-dione (NF1231), (RS)-2-amino-3-(5-tert-butyl-3-hydroxyisoxazol-4-yl)propionate (ATPA), dihydrokainate and (2S,4R)-4-methyl-glutamate (SYM2081) have higher affinity at GluK3 compared to GluK5. Since some studies have indicated that GluK5 is associated with various diseases in the central nervous system (e.g. schizophrenia, temporal lobe epilepsy, bipolar disorder), selective GluK5 ligands could have therapeutic potential. The distinct pharmacological profile of GluK5 suggests that it would be possible to design ligands with selectivity towards GluK5.
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Key Words
- AMPA, PubChem CID: 1221
- ATPA, PubChem CID: 2253
- Affinity
- CNQX, PubChem CID: 3721046
- Domoic acid, PubChem CID: 5282253
- Glycosylation
- Ionotropic glutamate receptor
- Kainic acid, PubChem CID: 10255
- Kinetics
- L-Glutamic acid, PubChem CID: 33032
- Quisqualic acid, PubChem CID: 40539
- Radioligand binding
- SYM2081, PubChem CID: 21117106
- Sf9
- UBP310, PubChem CID: 6420160
- Willardiine, PubChem CID: 440053
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Møllerud
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 160, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jette Sandholm Kastrup
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 160, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Darryl S Pickering
- Dept. of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 160, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Gasparini CF, Smith RA, Griffiths LR. Genetic insights into migraine and glutamate: a protagonist driving the headache. J Neurol Sci 2016; 367:258-68. [PMID: 27423601 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2016.06.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Migraine is a complex polygenic disorder that continues to be a great source of morbidity in the developed world with a prevalence of 12% in the Caucasian population. Genetic and pharmacological studies have implicated the glutamate pathway in migraine pathophysiology. Glutamate profoundly impacts brain circuits that regulate core symptom domains in a range of neuropsychiatric conditions and thus remains a "hot" target for drug discovery. Glutamate has been implicated in cortical spreading depression (CSD), the phenomenon responsible for migraine with aura and in animal models carrying FHM mutations. Genotyping case-control studies have shown an association between glutamate receptor genes, namely, GRIA1 and GRIA3 with migraine with indirect supporting evidence from GWAS. New evidence localizes PRRT2 at glutamatergic synapses and shows it affects glutamate signalling and glutamate receptor activity via interactions with GRIA1. Glutamate-system defects have also been recently implicated in a novel FHM2 ATP1A2 disease-mutation mouse model. Adding to the growing evidence neurophysiological findings support a role for glutamate in cortical excitability. In addition to the existence of multiple genes to choreograph the functions of fast-signalling glutamatergic neurons, glutamate receptor diversity and regulation is further increased by the post-translational mechanisms of RNA editing and miRNAs. Ongoing genetic studies, GWAS and meta-analysis implicate neurogenic mechanisms in migraine pathology and the first genome-wide associated locus for migraine on chromosome X. Finally, in addition to glutamate modulating therapies, the kynurenine pathway has emerged as a candidate for involvement in migraine pathophysiology. In this review we discuss recent genetic evidence and glutamate modulating therapies that bear on the hypothesis that a glutamatergic mechanism may be involved in migraine susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia F Gasparini
- Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University Gold Coast, Parklands Drive, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Robert A Smith
- Genomics Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia
| | - Lyn R Griffiths
- Genomics Research Centre, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, QLD 4059, Australia.
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37
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Lessons from crystal structures of kainate receptors. Neuropharmacology 2016; 112:16-28. [PMID: 27236079 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Kainate receptors belong to the family of ionotropic glutamate receptors. These receptors assemble from five subunits (GluK1-5) into tetrameric ion channels. Kainate receptors are located at both pre- and postsynaptic membranes in the central nervous system where they contribute to excitatory synaptic transmission and modulate network excitability by regulating neurotransmitter release. Dysfunction of kainate receptors has been implicated in several neurological disorders such as epilepsy, schizophrenia and depression. Here we provide a review on the current understanding of kainate receptor structure and how they bind agonists, antagonists and ions. The first structure of the ligand-binding domain of the GluK1 subunit was reported in 2005, seven years after publication of the crystal structure of a soluble construct of the ligand-binding domain of the AMPA-type subunit GluA2. Today, a full-length structure has been determined of GluK2 by cryo electron microscopy to 7.6 Å resolution as well as 84 high-resolution crystal structures of N-terminal domains and ligand-binding domains, including agonist and antagonist bound structures, modulatory ions and mutations. However, there are still many unanswered questions and challenges in front of us. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Ionotropic glutamate receptors'.
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38
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Form and Function of Sleep Spindles across the Lifespan. Neural Plast 2016; 2016:6936381. [PMID: 27190654 PMCID: PMC4848449 DOI: 10.1155/2016/6936381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the advent of EEG recordings, sleep spindles have been identified as hallmarks of non-REM sleep. Despite a broad general understanding of mechanisms of spindle generation gleaned from animal studies, the mechanisms underlying certain features of spindles in the human brain, such as “global” versus “local” spindles, are largely unknown. Neither the topography nor the morphology of sleep spindles remains constant throughout the lifespan. It is likely that changes in spindle phenomenology during development and aging are the result of dramatic changes in brain structure and function. Across various developmental windows, spindle activity is correlated with general cognitive aptitude, learning, and memory; however, these correlations vary in strength, and even direction, depending on age and metrics used. Understanding these differences across the lifespan should further clarify how these oscillations are generated and their function under a variety of circumstances. We discuss these issues, and their translational implications for human cognitive function. Because sleep spindles are similarly affected in disorders of neurodevelopment (such as schizophrenia) and during aging (such as neurodegenerative conditions), both types of disorders may benefit from therapies based on a better understanding of spindle function.
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Ju P, Cui D. The involvement of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit NR1 in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Acta Biochim Biophys Sin (Shanghai) 2016; 48:209-19. [PMID: 26837414 DOI: 10.1093/abbs/gmv135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that afflicts nearly 1% of the world population. Although the exact pathophysiology of schizophrenia is unknown, the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), a major glutamate receptor subtype, has received great attention. The NR1 subunit is often considered indispensable for functional NMDAR assemblies, abnormal modulation of which is found in patients with schizophrenia. In this review, we discuss how disrupted function of NR1 subunits in NMDAR leads to the progression and development of symptoms of schizophrenia-like behaviors in a variety of genetically modified mouse models. We also discuss some of the susceptible genes and shared signaling pathways among the schizophrenia, and how their mutations lead to NR1 subunits hypofunction. Finally, we suggest that the subunit-selective modulators of NR1 subunits in NMDA receptors may be promising tools for the therapy of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peijun Ju
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201108, China
| | - Donghong Cui
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201108, China
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40
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Yamamoto H, Hagino Y, Kasai S, Ikeda K. Specific Roles of NMDA Receptor Subunits in Mental Disorders. Curr Mol Med 2016; 15:193-205. [PMID: 25817860 PMCID: PMC5384360 DOI: 10.2174/1566524015666150330142807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2014] [Revised: 02/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor plays important roles in learning and memory. NMDA receptors are a tetramer that consists of two glycine-binding subunits GluN1, two glutamate-binding subunits (i.e., GluN2A, GluN2B, GluN2C, and GluN2D), a combination of a GluN2 subunit and glycine-binding GluN3 subunit (i.e., GluN3A or GluN3B), or two GluN3 subunits. Recent studies revealed that the specific expression and distribution of each subunit are deeply involved in neural excitability, plasticity, and synaptic deficits. The present article summarizes reports on the dysfunction of NMDA receptors and responsible subunits in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autoimmune-induced glutamatergic receptor dysfunction, mood disorders, and autism. A key role for the GluN2D subunit in NMDA receptor antagonist-induced psychosis has been recently revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - K Ikeda
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6 Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan.
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Effects of glutamate positive modulators on cognitive deficits in schizophrenia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind randomized controlled trials. Mol Psychiatry 2015; 20:1151-60. [PMID: 26077694 PMCID: PMC5323255 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2015.68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Revised: 04/16/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Hypofunction of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors has been proposed to have an important role in the cognitive impairments observed in schizophrenia. Although glutamate modulators may be effective in reversing such difficult-to-treat conditions, the results of individual studies thus far have been inconsistent. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine whether glutamate positive modulators have beneficial effects on cognitive functions in patients with schizophrenia. A literature search was conducted to identify double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trials in schizophrenia or related disorders, using Embase, Medline, and PsycINFO (last search: February 2015). The effects of glutamate positive modulators on cognitive deficits were evaluated for overall cognitive function and eight cognitive domains by calculating standardized mean differences (SMDs) between active drugs and placebo added to antipsychotics. Seventeen studies (N=1391) were included. Glutamate positive modulators were not superior to placebo in terms of overall cognitive function (SMD=0.08, 95% confidence interval=-0.06 to 0.23) (11 studies, n=858) nor each of eight cognitive domains (SMDs=-0.03 to 0.11) (n=367-940) in this population. Subgroup analyses by diagnosis (schizophrenia only studies), concomitant antipsychotics, or pathway of drugs to enhance the glutamatergic neurotransmission (glycine allosteric site of NMDA receptors or α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptors) suggested no procognitive effect of glutamate positive modulators. Further, no effect was found in individual compounds on cognition. In conclusion, glutamate positive modulators may not be effective in reversing overall cognitive impairments in patients with schizophrenia as adjunctive therapies.
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The role of the thalamus in schizophrenia from a neuroimaging perspective. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2015; 54:57-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Revised: 12/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/12/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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MacDonald ML, Ding Y, Newman J, Hemby S, Penzes P, Lewis DA, Yates N, Sweet RA. Altered glutamate protein co-expression network topology linked to spine loss in the auditory cortex of schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 77:959-68. [PMID: 25433904 PMCID: PMC4428927 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Revised: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Impaired glutamatergic signaling is believed to underlie auditory cortex pyramidal neuron dendritic spine loss and auditory symptoms in schizophrenia. Many schizophrenia risk loci converge on the synaptic glutamate signaling network. We therefore hypothesized that alterations in glutamate signaling protein expression and co-expression network features are present in schizophrenia. METHODS Gray matter homogenates were prepared from auditory cortex gray matter of 22 schizophrenia and 23 matched control subjects, a subset of whom had been previously assessed for dendritic spine density. One hundred fifty-five selected synaptic proteins were quantified by targeted mass spectrometry. Protein co-expression networks were constructed using weighted gene co-expression network analysis. RESULTS Proteins with evidence for altered expression in schizophrenia were significantly enriched for glutamate signaling pathway proteins (GRIA4, GRIA3, ATP1A3, and GNAQ). Synaptic protein co-expression was significantly decreased in schizophrenia with the exception of a small group of postsynaptic density proteins, whose co-expression increased and inversely correlated with spine density in schizophrenia subjects. CONCLUSIONS We observed alterations in the expression of glutamate signaling pathway proteins. Among these, the novel observation of reduced ATP1A3 expression is supported by strong genetic evidence indicating it may contribute to psychosis and cognitive impairment phenotypes. The observations of altered protein network topology further highlight the complexity of glutamate signaling network pathology in schizophrenia and provide a framework for evaluating future experiments to model the contribution of genetic risk to disease pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ying Ding
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Jason Newman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Scott Hemby
- Neuroscience Program, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC,Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC
| | - Peter Penzes
- Department of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Il,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Il
| | - David A. Lewis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | | | - Robert A. Sweet
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA,VISN 4 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA,Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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Liu R, Dang W, Du Y, Zhou Q, Liu Z, Jiao K. Correlation of functional GRIN2A gene promoter polymorphisms with schizophrenia and serum D-serine levels. Gene 2015; 568:25-30. [PMID: 25958346 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2015.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2014] [Revised: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe, complex mental disorder. Abnormal glutamate neurotransmission mediated by decreased expression of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid receptors (NMDArs) and its endogenous co-agonist d-serine (d-Ser) has been proposed as one of the hypotheses of the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. GRIN2A gene promoter polymorphism causes changes in the regulation of the expression of NMDAr subunit genes. Our study is aimed at evaluating a possible association between GRIN2A promoter GT polymorphisms and schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population in Shaanxi and the relationship between serum d-Ser levels and GRIN2A (GT)n in schizophrenia. Four hundred and twenty patients with schizophrenia and 410 healthy individuals were recruited in this study and GRIN2A (GT)n repeats as well as serum d-Ser levels were measured in all of the subjects. Nineteen alleles were found in (GT)n locus. The allele frequency of (GT)21, (GT)22 and (GT)23 in schizophrenic subjects was significantly lower compared with the mentally healthy controls, while the allele (GT)26 was significantly more frequent than in normal persons. Transcriptional activity of GRIN2A promoter was gradually suppressed with the increase in the length of the (GT)n repeats. d-Ser levels in the serum of the GRIN2A (GT)21 schizophrenic patients were significantly lower than those of the GRIN2A (GT)21 healthy control. A significant correlation between serum d-Ser levels and GRIN2A (GT)21 in schizophrenia was detected. GRIN2A (GT)21 may play a significant role in the etiology of schizophrenia among the Chinese Han population of Shaanxi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Liu
- Department of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Wei Dang
- Department of Psychiatry, Xi'an Mental Health Center, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Ying Du
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Qiong Zhou
- Department of Neurology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Zhaohui Liu
- Department of Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, PR China.
| | - Kai Jiao
- Department of Endocrinology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi, PR China.
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Reversal of novelty-induced hippocampal c-Fos expression in GluA1 subunit-deficient mice by chronic treatment targeting glutamatergic transmission. Eur J Pharmacol 2014; 745:36-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 10/04/2014] [Accepted: 10/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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46
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Antipsychotic treatment modulates glutamate transport and NMDA receptor expression. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2014; 264 Suppl 1:S67-82. [PMID: 25214389 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-014-0534-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia patients often suffer from treatment-resistant cognitive and negative symptoms, both of which are influenced by glutamate neurotransmission. Innovative therapeutic strategies such as agonists at metabotropic glutamate receptors or glycin reuptake inhibitors try to modulate the brain's glutamate network. Interactions of amino acids with monoamines have been described on several levels, and first- and second-generation antipsychotic agents (FGAs, SGAs) are known to exert modulatory effects on the glutamatergic system. This review summarizes the current knowledge on effects of FGAs and SGAs on glutamate transport and receptor expression derived from pharmacological studies. Such studies serve as a control for molecular findings in schizophrenia brain tissue and are clinically relevant. Moreover, they may validate animal models for psychosis, foster basic research on antipsychotic substances and finally lead to a better understanding of how monoaminergic and amino acid neurotransmissions are intertwined. In the light of these results, important differences dependent on antipsychotic substances, dosage and duration of treatment became obvious. While some post-mortem findings might be confounded with multifold drug effects, others are unlikely to be influenced by antipsychotic treatment and could represent important markers of schizophrenia pathophysiology. In similarity to the convergence of toxic and psychotomimetic effects of dopaminergic, serotonergic and anti-glutamatergic substances, the therapeutic mechanisms of SGAs might merge on a yet to be defined molecular level. In particular, serotonergic effects of SGAs, such as an agonism at 5HT1A receptors, represent important targets for further clinical research.
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Hu W, MacDonald ML, Elswick DE, Sweet RA. The glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia: evidence from human brain tissue studies. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2014; 1338:38-57. [PMID: 25315318 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A number of studies have indicated that antagonists of the N-methyl-d-aspartate subtypes of glutamate receptors can cause schizophrenia-like symptoms in healthy individuals and exacerbate symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia. These findings have led to the glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia. Here we review the evidence for this hypothesis in postmortem studies of brain tissue from individuals affected by schizophrenia, summarizing studies of glutamate neuron morphology, of expression of glutamate receptors and transporters, and of the synthesizing and metabolizing enzymes for glutamate and its co-agonists. We found consistent evidence of morphological alterations of dendrites of glutamatergic neurons in the cerebral cortex of subjects with schizophrenia and of reduced levels of the axon bouton marker synaptophysin. There were no consistent alterations of mRNA expression of glutamate receptors, although there has been limited study of the corresponding proteins. Studies of the glutamate metabolic pathway have been limited, although there is some evidence that excitatory amino acid transporter-2, glutamine synthetase, and glutaminase have altered expression in schizophrenia. Future studies would benefit from additional direct examination of glutamatergic proteins. Further advances, such as selective testing of synaptic microdomains, cortical layers, and neuronal subtypes, may also be required to elucidate the nature of glutamate signaling impairments in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Hu
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, West Virginia University Health Sciences Center, Morgantown, West Virginia
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Gareeva AE, Khusnutdinova EK. Polymorphism of the glutamate receptor genes and risk of paranoid schizophrenia in Russians and Tatars from the Republic of Bashkortostan. Mol Biol 2014. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893314050033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Geddes AE, Huang XF, Newell KA. GluN2B protein deficits in the left, but not the right, hippocampus in schizophrenia. BMC Psychiatry 2014; 14:274. [PMID: 25292222 PMCID: PMC4195867 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-014-0274-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence indicates that alterations to the function and subunit composition of the glutamatergic NMDA receptor are associated with the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The GluN2B protein is a structural and functional subunit of the NMDA receptor, with a growing body of evidence indicating it plays a critical role in cognitive functions mediated by the NMDA receptor. The hippocampus plays a key role in cognitive function, with studies suggesting lateralised glutamatergic dysfunction in this region may contribute to the cognitive deficits observed in schizophrenia patients. The present study, for the first time, investigated GluN2B protein and binding density in the left and right hippocampus of 20 schizophrenia subjects compared to 20 matched controls. METHODS The dentate gyrus of 20 schizophrenia and 20 control subjects, matched for age, post-mortem interval, and pH, was obtained from the NSW Tissue Resource Centre, Australia. Each group consisted of dentate gyrus from the left hemisphere (n = 10) and right hemisphere (n = 10). GluN2B protein density was measured via immunoblotting. GluN2B binding density was measured using the GluN2B antagonist, [3H] Ifenprodil. Analyses of covariance, covarying for demographic variables that influenced the data, were used to test for statistical significance between schizophrenia and control groups. Pearson's correlations were used to determine the association of GluN2B protein and binding density with demographic and clinical variables, including lifetime antipsychotic drug exposure. RESULTS GluN2B protein levels were decreased by 43% in the left hemisphere of schizophrenia subjects compared to controls (p = 0.012). There was no difference in GluN2B protein levels in the right hemisphere of schizophrenia subjects compared to controls. There were no differences in [(3)H] Ifenprodil binding according to diagnosis or hemisphere. There were no associations between GluN2B measures and lifetime antipsychotic drug exposure. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide the first evidence of GluN2 protein abnormalities in the hippocampus in schizophrenia, highlighting the hippocampal lateralisation in this disorder. We suggest this deficit could contribute to the cognitive dysfunctions that arise in patients. These findings provide preliminary support for the development of therapeutics that target the GluN2B subunit, as a novel therapy for schizophrenia, especially the cognitive dysfunctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E Geddes
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia ,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia ,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 Australia
| | - Xu-Feng Huang
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia ,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW 2522 Australia ,Schizophrenia Research Institute, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010 Australia
| | - Kelly A Newell
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong NSW 2522, Australia.
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Manoach DS, Demanuele C, Wamsley EJ, Vangel M, Montrose DM, Miewald J, Kupfer D, Buysse D, Stickgold R, Keshavan MS. Sleep spindle deficits in antipsychotic-naïve early course schizophrenia and in non-psychotic first-degree relatives. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:762. [PMID: 25339881 PMCID: PMC4188028 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chronic medicated patients with schizophrenia have marked reductions in sleep spindle activity and a correlated deficit in sleep-dependent memory consolidation. Using archival data, we investigated whether antipsychotic-naïve early course patients with schizophrenia and young non-psychotic first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia also show reduced sleep spindle activity and whether spindle activity correlates with cognitive function and symptoms. METHOD Sleep spindles during Stage 2 sleep were compared in antipsychotic-naïve adults newly diagnosed with psychosis, young non-psychotic first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients and two samples of healthy controls matched to the patients and relatives. The relations of spindle parameters with cognitive measures and symptom ratings were examined. RESULTS Early course schizophrenia patients showed significantly reduced spindle activity relative to healthy controls and to early course patients with other psychotic disorders. Relatives of schizophrenia patients also showed reduced spindle activity compared with controls. Reduced spindle activity correlated with measures of executive function in early course patients, positive symptoms in schizophrenia and IQ estimates across groups. CONCLUSIONS Like chronic medicated schizophrenia patients, antipsychotic-naïve early course schizophrenia patients and young non-psychotic relatives of individuals with schizophrenia have reduced sleep spindle activity. These findings indicate that the spindle deficit is not an antipsychotic side-effect or a general feature of psychosis. Instead, the spindle deficit may predate the onset of schizophrenia, persist throughout its course and be an endophenotype that contributes to cognitive dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dara S. Manoach
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestown, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical ImagingCharlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
| | - Charmaine Demanuele
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General HospitalCharlestown, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical ImagingCharlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
| | - Erin J. Wamsley
- Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, USA
| | - Mark Vangel
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical ImagingCharlestown, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
| | - Debra M. Montrose
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jean Miewald
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - David Kupfer
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Buysse
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Robert Stickgold
- Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, USA
| | - Matcheri S. Keshavan
- Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterBoston, MA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh School of MedicinePittsburgh, PA, USA
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