1
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Ramsteijn AS, Verkaik-Schakel RN, Houwing DJ, Plösch T, Olivier JDA. Perinatal exposure to fluoxetine and maternal adversity affect myelin-related gene expression and epigenetic regulation in the corticolimbic circuit of juvenile rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1620-1632. [PMID: 35102259 PMCID: PMC9283398 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01270-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Many pregnant women experience symptoms of depression, and are often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, such as fluoxetine. In utero exposure to SSRIs and maternal depressive symptoms is associated with sex-specific effects on the brain and behavior. However, knowledge about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these sex differences is limited. In addition, most animal research into developmental SSRI exposure neglects the influence of maternal adversity. Therefore, we used a rat model relevant to depression to investigate the molecular effects of perinatal fluoxetine exposure in male and female juvenile offspring. We performed RNA sequencing and targeted DNA methylation analyses on the prefrontal cortex and basolateral amygdala; key regions of the corticolimbic circuit. Perinatal fluoxetine enhanced myelin-related gene expression in the prefrontal cortex, while inhibiting it in the basolateral amygdala. SSRI exposure and maternal adversity interacted to affect expression of genes such as myelin-associated glycoprotein (Mag) and myelin basic protein (Mbp). We speculate that altered myelination reflects altered brain maturation. In addition, these effects are stronger in males than in females, resembling known behavioral outcomes. Finally, Mag and Mbp expression correlated with DNA methylation, highlighting epigenetic regulation as a potential mechanism for developmental fluoxetine-induced changes in myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouschka S. Ramsteijn
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands ,grid.7107.10000 0004 1936 7291Present Address: Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Rikst Nynke Verkaik-Schakel
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Danielle J. Houwing
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands ,grid.10417.330000 0004 0444 9382Present Address: Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Medical Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Torsten Plösch
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jocelien D. A. Olivier
- grid.4830.f0000 0004 0407 1981Department of Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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2
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Abraham M, Mundorf A, Brodmann K, Freund N. Unraveling the mystery of white matter in depression: A translational perspective on recent advances. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2629. [PMID: 35652161 PMCID: PMC9304855 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous cortical and subcortical structures have been studied extensively concerning alterations of their integrity as well as their neurotransmitters in depression. However, connections between these structures have received considerably less attention. OBJECTIVE This systematic review presents results from recent neuroimaging as well as neuropathologic studies conducted on humans and other mammals. It aims to provide evidence for impaired white matter integrity in individuals expressing a depressive phenotype. METHODS A systematic database search in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines was conducted to identify imaging and postmortem studies conducted on humans with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder, as well as on rodents and primates subjected to an animal model of depression. RESULTS Alterations are especially apparent in frontal gyri, as well as in structures establishing interhemispheric connectivity between frontal regions. Translational neuropathological findings point to alterations in oligodendrocyte density and morphology, as well as to alterations in the expression of genes related to myelin synthesis. An important role of early life adversities in the development of depressive symptoms and white matter alterations across species is thereby revealed. Data indicating that stress can interfere with physiological myelination patterns is presented. Altered myelination is most notably present in regions that are subject to maturation during the developmental stage of exposure to adversities. CONCLUSION Translational studies point to replicable alterations in white matter integrity in subjects suffering from depression across multiple species. Impaired white matter integrity is apparent in imaging as well as neuropathological studies. Future studies should focus on determining to what extent influencing white matter integrity is able to improve symptoms of depression in animals as well as humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mate Abraham
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Annakarina Mundorf
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.,Institute for Systems Medicine and Department of Human Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katja Brodmann
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nadja Freund
- Division of Experimental and Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Preventive Medicine, LWL University Hospital, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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3
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Mandino F, Cerri DH, Garin CM, Straathof M, van Tilborg GAF, Chakravarty MM, Dhenain M, Dijkhuizen RM, Gozzi A, Hess A, Keilholz SD, Lerch JP, Shih YYI, Grandjean J. Animal Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Trends and Path Toward Standardization. Front Neuroinform 2020; 13:78. [PMID: 32038217 PMCID: PMC6987455 DOI: 10.3389/fninf.2019.00078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) provides a non-invasive window into brain activity. A collection of associated methods aims to replicate observations made in humans and to identify the mechanisms underlying the distributed neuronal activity in the healthy and disordered brain. Animal fMRI studies have developed rapidly over the past years, fueled by the development of resting-state fMRI connectivity and genetically encoded neuromodulatory tools. Yet, comparisons between sites remain hampered by lack of standardization. Recently, we highlighted that mouse resting-state functional connectivity converges across centers, although large discrepancies in sensitivity and specificity remained. Here, we explore past and present trends within the animal fMRI community and highlight critical aspects in study design, data acquisition, and post-processing operations, that may affect the results and influence the comparability between studies. We also suggest practices aimed to promote the adoption of standards within the community and improve between-lab reproducibility. The implementation of standardized animal neuroimaging protocols will facilitate animal population imaging efforts as well as meta-analysis and replication studies, the gold standards in evidence-based science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Mandino
- Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Domenic H. Cerri
- Center for Animal MRI, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Clement M. Garin
- Direction de la Recherche Fondamentale, MIRCen, Institut de Biologie François Jacob, Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 9199, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Milou Straathof
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Geralda A. F. van Tilborg
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - M. Mallar Chakravarty
- Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Marc Dhenain
- Direction de la Recherche Fondamentale, MIRCen, Institut de Biologie François Jacob, Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Laboratory, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR 9199, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Fontenay-aux-Roses, France
| | - Rick M. Dijkhuizen
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image Sciences, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Gozzi
- Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Centre for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems @ UNITN, Rovereto, Italy
| | - Andreas Hess
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich–Alexander University Erlangen–Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Shella D. Keilholz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Jason P. Lerch
- Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative NeuroImaging, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yen-Yu Ian Shih
- Center for Animal MRI, Department of Neurology, Biomedical Research Imaging Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Joanes Grandjean
- Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Donders Institute, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
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4
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Karel P, Van der Toorn A, Vanderschuren L, Guo C, Sadighi Alvandi M, Reneman L, Dijkhuizen R, Verheij MMM, Homberg JR. Ultrahigh-resolution MRI reveals structural brain differences in serotonin transporter knockout rats after sucrose and cocaine self-administration. Addict Biol 2020; 25:e12722. [PMID: 30748070 PMCID: PMC6916608 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Excessive use of cocaine is known to induce changes in brain white and gray matter. It is unknown whether the extent of these changes is related to individual differences in vulnerability to cocaine addiction. One factor increasing vulnerability involves reduced expression of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT). Human studies have shown that inherited 5-HTT downregulation is associated with structural changes in the brain. These genotype-related structural changes may contribute to risk for cocaine addiction. Here, we tested this idea by using ultrahigh-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on postmortem tissue of 5-HTT-/- and wild-type (5-HTT+/+ ) rats with a history of long access to cocaine or sucrose (control) self-administration. We found that 5-HTT-/- rats, compared with wild-type control animals, self-administered more cocaine, but not sucrose, under long-access conditions. Ultrahigh-resolution structural MRI subsequently revealed that, independent of sucrose or cocaine self-administration, 5-HTT-/- rats had a smaller amygdala. Moreover, we found an interaction between genotype and type of reward for dorsal raphe nucleus volume. The data point to an important but differential role of the amygdala and dorsal raphe nucleus in 5-HTT genotype-dependent vulnerability to cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Karel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Centre for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboudumcNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Annette Van der Toorn
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image SciencesUniversity Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Louk Vanderschuren
- Department of Animals in Science and Society, Division of Behavioural Neuroscience, Faculty of Veterinary MedicineUtrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Chao Guo
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Centre for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboudumcNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Mina Sadighi Alvandi
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Centre for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboudumcNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth Reneman
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Academic Medical CenterUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam Brain and CognitionUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Rick Dijkhuizen
- Biomedical MR Imaging and Spectroscopy Group, Center for Image SciencesUniversity Medical Center Utrecht and Utrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Michel M. M. Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Centre for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboudumcNijmegenThe Netherlands
| | - Judith R. Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Centre for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and BehaviourRadboudumcNijmegenThe Netherlands
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5
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Greven CU, Lionetti F, Booth C, Aron EN, Fox E, Schendan HE, Pluess M, Bruining H, Acevedo B, Bijttebier P, Homberg J. Sensory Processing Sensitivity in the context of Environmental Sensitivity: A critical review and development of research agenda. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 98:287-305. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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6
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Bajic D, Craig MM, Mongerson CRL, Borsook D, Becerra L. Identifying Rodent Resting-State Brain Networks with Independent Component Analysis. Front Neurosci 2017; 11:685. [PMID: 29311770 PMCID: PMC5733053 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2017.00685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Rodent models have opened the door to a better understanding of the neurobiology of brain disorders and increased our ability to evaluate novel treatments. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) allows for in vivo exploration of large-scale brain networks with high spatial resolution. Its application in rodents affords researchers a powerful translational tool to directly assess/explore the effects of various pharmacological, lesion, and/or disease states on known neural circuits within highly controlled settings. Integration of animal and human research at the molecular-, systems-, and behavioral-levels using diverse neuroimaging techniques empowers more robust interrogations of abnormal/ pathological processes, critical for evolving our understanding of neuroscience. We present a comprehensive protocol to evaluate resting-state brain networks using Independent Component Analysis (ICA) in rodent model. Specifically, we begin with a brief review of the physiological basis for rs-fMRI technique and overview of rs-fMRI studies in rodents to date, following which we provide a robust step-by-step approach for rs-fMRI investigation including data collection, computational preprocessing, and brain network analysis. Pipelines are interwoven with underlying theory behind each step and summarized methodological considerations, such as alternative methods available and current consensus in the literature for optimal results. The presented protocol is designed in such a way that investigators without previous knowledge in the field can implement the analysis and obtain viable results that reliably detect significant differences in functional connectivity between experimental groups. Our goal is to empower researchers to implement rs-fMRI in their respective fields by incorporating technical considerations to date into a workable methodological framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dusica Bajic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Michael M Craig
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Chandler R L Mongerson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - David Borsook
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lino Becerra
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Center for Pain and the Brain, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Anaesthesia, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, United States
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7
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Functional networks and network perturbations in rodents. Neuroimage 2017; 163:419-436. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.09.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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8
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Gozzi A, Schwarz AJ. Large-scale functional connectivity networks in the rodent brain. Neuroimage 2015; 127:496-509. [PMID: 26706448 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 139] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 12/04/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Resting-state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rsfMRI) of the human brain has revealed multiple large-scale neural networks within a hierarchical and complex structure of coordinated functional activity. These distributed neuroanatomical systems provide a sensitive window on brain function and its disruption in a variety of neuropathological conditions. The study of macroscale intrinsic connectivity networks in preclinical species, where genetic and environmental conditions can be controlled and manipulated with high specificity, offers the opportunity to elucidate the biological determinants of these alterations. While rsfMRI methods are now widely used in human connectivity research, these approaches have only relatively recently been back-translated into laboratory animals. Here we review recent progress in the study of functional connectivity in rodent species, emphasising the ability of this approach to resolve large-scale brain networks that recapitulate neuroanatomical features of known functional systems in the human brain. These include, but are not limited to, a distributed set of regions identified in rats and mice that may represent a putative evolutionary precursor of the human default mode network (DMN). The impact and control of potential experimental and methodological confounds are also critically discussed. Finally, we highlight the enormous potential and some initial application of connectivity mapping in transgenic models as a tool to investigate the neuropathological underpinnings of the large-scale connectional alterations associated with human neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions. We conclude by discussing the translational potential of these methods in basic and applied neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gozzi
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Center for Neuroscience and Cognitive Systems at UniTn, Rovereto, Italy.
| | - Adam J Schwarz
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA; Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
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9
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Sierakowiak A, Monnot C, Aski SN, Uppman M, Li TQ, Damberg P, Brené S. Default mode network, motor network, dorsal and ventral basal ganglia networks in the rat brain: comparison to human networks using resting state-fMRI. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0120345. [PMID: 25789862 PMCID: PMC4366046 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0120345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Rodent models are developed to enhance understanding of the underlying biology of different brain disorders. However, before interpreting findings from animal models in a translational aspect to understand human disease, a fundamental step is to first have knowledge of similarities and differences of the biological systems studied. In this study, we analyzed and verified four known networks termed: default mode network, motor network, dorsal basal ganglia network, and ventral basal ganglia network using resting state functional MRI (rsfMRI) in humans and rats. Our work supports the notion that humans and rats have common robust resting state brain networks and that rsfMRI can be used as a translational tool when validating animal models of brain disorders. In the future, rsfMRI may be used, in addition to short-term interventions, to characterize longitudinal effects on functional brain networks after long-term intervention in humans and rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Sierakowiak
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Cyril Monnot
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sahar Nikkhou Aski
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Uppman
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tie-Qiang Li
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Damberg
- Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stefan Brené
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Petrinovic MM, Künnecke B. Neuroimaging endophenotypes in animal models of autism spectrum disorders: lost or found in translation? Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1167-89. [PMID: 23852013 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3200-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2013] [Accepted: 06/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Autism spectrum disorder(s) (ASDs) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by stereotyped behaviours and impairments in communication and social interactions. This heterogeneity has been a major obstacle in uncovering the aetiology and biomarkers of ASDs. Rodent models with genetic modifications or environmental insults have been created to study particular endophenotypes and bridge the gap between genetics and behavioural phenotypes. Translational neuroimaging modalities with their ability to screen the brain noninvasively and yield structural, biochemical and functional information provide a unique platform for discovery and evaluation of such endophenotypes in preclinical and clinical research. OBJECTIVES We reviewed literature on translational neuroimaging in rodent models of ASDs. The most prominent models will be described and the respective neuroimaging endophenotypes will be discussed with reference to human data. A perspective on future directions of translational neuroimaging in animal models of ASDs will be given. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS To date, we experience a proliferation of rodent models which recapitulate specific liabilities identified in ASDs patients. Translational neuroimaging in these models is emerging but is skewed towards magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities. Volumetric and structural assessments of the brain are dominating and a host of endophenotypes have been reported that allude to findings in ASDs patients but with only few to converge among the models. Caveats of current studies are the diverging biological conditions related to genetic background and age of the animals. It is anticipated that longitudinal and functional assessments will gain much importance and will help elucidating mechanistic relationship between behavioural and structural endophenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija M Petrinovic
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, pRED, Pharma Research and Early Development, DTA Neuroscience, Building 68, Room 327A, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
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11
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Spinelli S, Müller T, Friedel M, Sigrist H, Lesch KP, Henkelman M, Rudin M, Seifritz E, Pryce CR. Effects of repeated adolescent stress and serotonin transporter gene partial knockout in mice on behaviors and brain structures relevant to major depression. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:215. [PMID: 24427124 PMCID: PMC3876674 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2013] [Accepted: 12/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans, exposure to stress during development is associated with structural and functional alterations of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala (AMY), and hippocampus (HC) and their circuits of connectivity, and with an increased risk for developing major depressive disorder particularly in carriers of the short (s) variant of the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR). Although changes in these regions are found in carriers of the s allele and/or in depressed patients, evidence for a specific genotype × developmental stress effect on brain structure and function is limited. Here, we investigated the effect of repeated stress exposure during adolescence in mice with partial knockout of the 5-HTT gene (HET) vs. wildtype (WT) on early-adulthood behavioral measures and brain structure [using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)] relevant to human major depression. Behaviorally, adolescent stress (AS) increased anxiety and decreased activity and did so to a similar degree in HET and WT. In a probabilistic reversal learning task, HET-AS mice achieved fewer reversals than did HET-No-AS mice. 5-HTT genotype and AS were without effect on corticosterone stress response. In terms of structural brain differences, AS reduced the volume of two long-range white matter tracts, the optic tract (OT) and the cerebral peduncle (CP), in WT mice specifically. In a region-of-interest analysis, AS was associated with increased HC volume and HET genotype with a decreased frontal lobe volume. In conclusion, we found that 5-HTT and AS genotype exerted long-term effects on behavior and development of brain regions relevant to human depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Spinelli
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tanja Müller
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miriam Friedel
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Canada
| | - Hannes Sigrist
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Klaus-Peter Lesch
- Division of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mark Henkelman
- Mouse Imaging Centre, Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Canada
| | - Markus Rudin
- Neuroscience Center, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Erich Seifritz
- Neuroscience Center, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christopher R Pryce
- Preclinical Laboratory for Translational Research into Affective Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Neuroscience Center, University and ETH Zurich Zurich, Switzerland ; Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zurich Zurich, Switzerland
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12
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Kinast K, Peeters D, Kolk SM, Schubert D, Homberg JR. Genetic and pharmacological manipulations of the serotonergic system in early life: neurodevelopmental underpinnings of autism-related behavior. Front Cell Neurosci 2013; 7:72. [PMID: 23781172 PMCID: PMC3679613 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Serotonin, in its function as neurotransmitter, is well-known for its role in depression, autism and other neuropsychiatric disorders, however, less known as a neurodevelopmental factor. The serotonergic system is one of the earliest to develop during embryogenesis and early changes in serotonin levels can have large consequences for the correct development of specific brain areas. The regulation and functioning of serotonin is influenced by genetic risk factors, such as the serotonin transporter polymorphism in humans. This polymorphism is associated with anxiety-related symptoms, changes in social behavior, and cortical gray and white matter changes also seen in patients suffering from autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The human polymorphism can be mimicked by the knockout of the serotonin transporter in rodents, which are as a model system therefore vital to explore the precise neurobiological mechanisms. Moreover, there are pharmacological challenges influencing serotonin in early life, like prenatal/neonatal exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) in depressed pregnant women. There is accumulating evidence that this dysregulation of serotonin during critical phases of brain development can lead to ASD-related symptoms in children, and reduced social behavior and increased anxiety in rodents. Furthermore, prenatal valproic acid (VPA) exposure, a mood stabilizing drug which is also thought to interfere with serotonin levels, has the potency to induce ASD-like symptoms and to affect the development of the serotonergic system. Here, we review and compare the neurodevelopmental and behavioral consequences of serotonin transporter gene variation, and prenatal SSRI and VPA exposure in the context of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karsten Kinast
- Behavioural Neurogenetics, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Centre for Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre Nijmegen, Netherlands
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