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Achterberg EJM, Biemans B, Vanderschuren LJMJ. Neurexin1α knockout in rats causes aberrant social behaviour: relevance for autism and schizophrenia. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06559-z. [PMID: 38418646 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06559-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Genetic and environmental factors cause neuropsychiatric disorders through complex interactions that are far from understood. Loss-of-function mutations in synaptic proteins like neurexin1α have been linked to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia (SCZ), both characterised by problems in social behaviour. Childhood social play behaviour is thought to facilitate social development, and lack of social play may precipitate or exacerbate ASD and SCZ. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that an environmental insult acts on top of genetic vulnerability to precipitate psychiatric-like phenotypes. To that aim, social behaviour in neurexin1α knockout rats was assessed, with or without deprivation of juvenile social play. We also tested drugs prescribed in ASD or SCZ to assess the relevance of this dual-hit model for these disorders. RESULTS Neurexin1α knockout rats showed an aberrant social phenotype, with high amounts of social play, increased motivation to play, age-inappropriate sexual mounting, and an increase in general activity. Play deprivation subtly altered later social behaviour, but did not affect the phenotype of neurexin1α knockout rats. Risperidone and methylphenidate decreased play behaviour in both wild-type and knockout rats. Amphetamine-induced hyperactivity was exaggerated in neurexin1α knockout rats. CONCLUSION Deletion of the neurexin1α gene in rats causes exaggerated social play, which is not modified by social play deprivation. This phenotype therefore resembles disinhibited behaviour rather than the social withdrawal seen in ASD and SCZ. The neurexin1α knockout rat could be a model for inappropriate or disinhibited social behaviour seen in childhood mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Barbara Biemans
- Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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Achterberg EJM, Vanderschuren LJMJ. The neurobiology of social play behaviour: Past, present and future. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105319. [PMID: 37454882 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105319] [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: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Social play behaviour is a highly energetic and rewarding activity that is of great importance for the development of brain and behaviour. Social play is abundant during the juvenile and early adolescent phases of life, and it occurs in most mammalian species, as well as in certain birds and reptiles. To date, the majority of research into the neural mechanisms of social play behaviour has been performed in male rats. In the present review we summarize studies on the neurobiology of social play behaviour in rats, including work on pharmacological and genetic models for autism spectrum disorders, early life manipulations and environmental factors that influence play in rats. We describe several recent developments that expand the field, and highlight outstanding questions that may guide future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- E J Marijke Achterberg
- Dept. of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Louk J M J Vanderschuren
- Dept. of Population Health Sciences, Section Animals in Science and Society, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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Ferreira de Sá N, Camarini R, Suchecki D. One day away from mum has lifelong consequences on brain and behaviour. Neuroscience 2023:S0306-4522(23)00276-2. [PMID: 37352967 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2023.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
This chapter presents a brief overview of attachment theory and discusses the importance of the neonatal period in shaping an individual's physiological and behavioural responses to stress later in life, with a focus on the role of the parent-infant relationship, particularly in rodents. In rodents, the role of maternal behaviours goes far beyond nutrition, thermoregulation and excretion, acting as hidden regulators of the pup's physiology and development. In this review, we will discuss the inhibitory role of specific maternal behaviours on the ACTH and corticosterone (CORT) stress response. The interest of our group to explore the long-term consequences of maternal deprivation for 24 h (DEP) at different ages (3 days and 11 days) in rats was sparked by its opposite effects on ACTH and CORT levels. In early adulthood, DEP3 animals (males and females alike) show greater negative impact on affective behaviours and stress related parameters than DEP11, indicating that the latter is more resilient in tests of anxiety-like behaviour. These findings create an opportunity to explore the neurobiological underpinnings of vulnerability and resilience to stress-related disorders. The chapter also provides a brief historical overview and highlights the relevance of attachment theory, and how DEP helps to understand the effects of childhood parental loss as a risk factor for depression, schizophrenia, and PTSD in both childhood and adulthood. Furthermore, we present the concept of environmental enrichment (EE), its effects on stress responses and related behavioural changes and its benefits for rats previously subjected to DEP, along with the clinical implications of DEP and EE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Ferreira de Sá
- Department of Psychobiology - Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo
| | - Rosana Camarini
- Department of Pharmacology - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo
| | - Deborah Suchecki
- Department of Psychobiology - Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo.
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Duque-Quintero M, Hooijmans CR, Hurowitz A, Ahmed A, Barris B, Homberg JR, Hen R, Harris AZ, Balsam P, Atsak P. Enduring effects of early-life adversity on reward processes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104849. [PMID: 36116576 PMCID: PMC10729999 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Two-thirds of individuals experience adversity during childhood such as neglect, abuse or highly-stressful events. Early-life adversity (ELA) increases the life-long risk of developing mood and substance use disorders. Reward-related deficits has emerged as a key endophenotype of such psychiatric disorders. Animal models are invaluable for studying how ELA leads to reward deficits. However, the existing literature is heterogenous with difficult to reconcile findings. To create an overview, we conducted a systematic review containing multiple meta-analyses regarding the effects of ELA on reward processes overall and on specific aspects of reward processing in animal models. A comprehensive search identified 120 studies. Most studies omitted key details resulting in unclear risk of bias. Overall meta-analysis showed that ELA significantly reduced reward behaviors (SMD: -0.42 [-0.60; -0.24]). The magnitude of ELA effects significantly increased with longer exposure. When reward domains were analyzed separately, ELA only significantly dampened reward responsiveness (SMD: -0.525[-0.786; -0.264]) and social reward processing (SMD: -0.374 [-0.663; -0.084]), suggesting that ELA might lead to deficits in specific reward domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Duque-Quintero
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Carlijn R Hooijmans
- Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE), Department for Health Evidence, Radboud Institute for Health Sciences, Radboud university medical center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Palliative Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Hurowitz
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Afsana Ahmed
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Ben Barris
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA
| | - Judith R Homberg
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rene Hen
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexander Z Harris
- Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Peter Balsam
- Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Piray Atsak
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Center, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Integrative Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York 10032, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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5
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Corredor K, Duran J, Herrera-Isaza L, Forero S, Quintanilla J, Gomez A, Martínez GS, Cardenas FP. Behavioral effects of environmental enrichment on male and female wistar rats with early life stress experiences. Front Physiol 2022; 13:837661. [PMID: 36225294 PMCID: PMC9548697 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.837661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to adverse childhood experiences or early life stress experiences (ELSs) increase the risk of non-adaptive behaviors and psychopathology in adulthood. Environmental enrichment (EE) has been proposed to minimize these effects. The vast number of methodological variations in animal studies underscores the lack of systematicity in the studies and the need for a detailed understanding of how enrichment interacts with other variables. Here we evaluate the effects of environmental enrichment in male and female Wistar rats exposed to adverse early life experiences (prenatal, postnatal, and combined) on emotional (elevated plus maze), social (social interaction chamber), memory (Morris water maze) and flexibility tasks. Our results—collected from PND 51 to 64—confirmed: 1) the positive effect of environmental enrichment (PND 28–49) on anxiety-like behaviors in animals submitted to ELSs. These effects depended on type of experience and type of enrichment: foraging enrichment reduced anxiety-like behaviors in animals with prenatal and postnatal stress but increased them in animals without ELSs. This effect was sex-dependent: females showed lower anxiety compared to males. Our data also indicated that females exposed to prenatal and postnatal stress had lower anxious responses than males in the same conditions; 2) no differences were found for social interactions; 3) concerning memory, there was a significant interaction between the three factors: A significant interaction for males with prenatal stress was observed for foraging enrichment, while physical enrichment was positive for males with postnatal stress; d) regarding cognitive flexibility, a positive effect of EE was found in animals exposed to adverse ELSs: animals with combined stress and exposed to physical enrichment showed a higher index of cognitive flexibility than those not exposed to enrichment. Yet, within animals with no EE, those exposed to combined stress showed lower flexibility than those exposed to both prenatal stress and no stress. On the other hand, animals with prenatal stress and exposed to foraging-type enrichment showed lower cognitive flexibility than those with no EE. The prenatal stress-inducing conditions used here 5) did not induced fetal or maternal problems and 6) did not induced changes in the volume of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- K. Corredor
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- Centro de Investigación en Biomodelos, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - J.M. Duran
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - L. Herrera-Isaza
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - S. Forero
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - J.P. Quintanilla
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - A. Gomez
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - F. P. Cardenas
- Laboratory of Neuroscience and Behavior, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
- *Correspondence: F. P. Cardenas,
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6
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Reemst K, Ruigrok SR, Bleker L, Naninck EFG, Ernst T, Kotah JM, Lucassen PJ, Roseboom TJ, Pollux BJA, de Rooij SR, Korosi A. Sex-dependence and comorbidities of the early-life adversity induced mental and metabolic disease risks: Where are we at? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104627. [PMID: 35339483 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Early-life adversity (ELA) is a major risk factor for developing later-life mental and metabolic disorders. However, if and to what extent ELA contributes to the comorbidity and sex-dependent prevalence/presentation of these disorders remains unclear. We here comprehensively review and integrate human and rodent ELA (pre- and postnatal) studies examining mental or metabolic health in both sexes and discuss the role of the placenta and maternal milk, key in transferring maternal effects to the offspring. We conclude that ELA impacts mental and metabolic health with sex-specific presentations that depend on timing of exposure, and that human and rodent studies largely converge in their findings. ELA is more often reported to impact cognitive and externalizing domains in males, internalizing behaviors in both sexes and concerning the metabolic dimension, adiposity in females and insulin sensitivity in males. Thus, ELA seems to be involved in the origin of the comorbidity and sex-specific prevalence/presentation of some of the most common disorders in our society. Therefore, ELA-induced disease states deserve specific preventive and intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Reemst
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Silvie R Ruigrok
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Laura Bleker
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eva F G Naninck
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tiffany Ernst
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Experimental Zoology &Evolutionary Biology Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Janssen M Kotah
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J Lucassen
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Centre for Urban Mental Health, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tessa J Roseboom
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Bart J A Pollux
- Wageningen University, Department of Animal Sciences, Experimental Zoology &Evolutionary Biology Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Susanne R de Rooij
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aniko Korosi
- University of Amsterdam, Swammerdam Institute of Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, Brain Plasticity Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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7
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Maccioni P, Bratzu J, Lobina C, Acciaro C, Corrias G, Capra A, Carai MAM, Agabio R, Muntoni AL, Gessa GL, Colombo G. Exposure to an enriched environment reduces alcohol self-administration in Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Physiol Behav 2022; 249:113771. [PMID: 35247441 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Living in an enriched environment (EE) produces a notable impact on several rodent behaviors, including those motivated by drugs of abuse. This picture is somewhat less clear when referring to alcohol-motivated behaviors. With the intent of contributing to this research field with data from one of the few rat lines selectively bred for excessive alcohol consumption, the present study investigated the effect of EE on operant oral alcohol self-administration in Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) rats. Starting from Postnatal Day (PND) 21, male sP rats were kept under 3 different housing conditions: impoverished environment (IE; single housing in shoebox-like cages with no environmental enrichment); standard environment (SE; small colony cages with 3 rats and no environmental enrichment); EE (large colony cages with 6 rats and multiple elements of environmental enrichment, including 2 floors, ladders, maze, running wheels, and shelter). From PND 60, rats were exposed to different phases of shaping and training of alcohol self-administration. IE, SE, and EE rats were then compared under (i) fixed ratio (FR) 4 (FR4) schedule of alcohol reinforcement for 20 daily sessions and (ii) progressive ratio (PR) schedule of alcohol reinforcement in a final single session. Acquisition of the lever-responding task (shaping) was slower in EE than IE and SE rats, as the likely consequence of a "devaluation" of the novel stimuli provided by the operant chamber in comparison to those to which EE rats were continuously exposed in their homecage or an alteration, induced by EE, of the rat "emotionality" state when facing the novel environment represented by the operant chamber. Training of alcohol self-administration was slower in EE than IE rats, with SE rats displaying intermediate values. A similar ranking order (IE>SE>EE) was also observed in number of lever-responses for alcohol, amount of self-administered alcohol, and breakpoint for alcohol under FR4 and PR schedules of reinforcement. These data suggest that living in a complex environment reduced the reinforcing and motivational properties of alcohol in sP rats. These results are interpreted in terms of the reinforcing and motivational properties of the main components of EE (i.e., social interactions, physical activities, exploration, novelty) substituting, at least partially, for those of alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Maccioni
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Jessica Bratzu
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Carla Lobina
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Carla Acciaro
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Gianluigi Corrias
- Department of Physics, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Alessandro Capra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Mauro A M Carai
- Cagliari Pharmacological Research, I-09127 Cagliari (CA), Italy
| | - Roberta Agabio
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Anna Lisa Muntoni
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Gian Luigi Gessa
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy
| | - Giancarlo Colombo
- Neuroscience Institute, Section of Cagliari, National Research Council of Italy, I-09042 Monserrato (CA), Italy.
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Cattane N, Vernon AC, Borsini A, Scassellati C, Endres D, Capuron L, Tamouza R, Benros ME, Leza JC, Pariante CM, Riva MA, Cattaneo A. Preclinical animal models of mental illnesses to translate findings from the bench to the bedside: Molecular brain mechanisms and peripheral biomarkers associated to early life stress or immune challenges. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2022; 58:55-79. [PMID: 35235897 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2022.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Animal models are useful preclinical tools for studying the pathogenesis of mental disorders and the effectiveness of their treatment. While it is not possible to mimic all symptoms occurring in humans, it is however possible to investigate the behavioral, physiological and neuroanatomical alterations relevant for these complex disorders in controlled conditions and in genetically homogeneous populations. Stressful and infection-related exposures represent the most employed environmental risk factors able to trigger or to unmask a psychopathological phenotype in animals. Indeed, when occurring during sensitive periods of brain maturation, including pre, postnatal life and adolescence, they can affect the offspring's neurodevelopmental trajectories, increasing the risk for mental disorders. Not all stressed or immune challenged animals, however, develop behavioral alterations and preclinical animal models can explain differences between vulnerable or resilient phenotypes. Our review focuses on different paradigms of stress (prenatal stress, maternal separation, social isolation and social defeat stress) and immune challenges (immune activation in pregnancy) and investigates the subsequent alterations in several biological and behavioral domains at different time points of animals' life. It also discusses the "double-hit" hypothesis where an initial early adverse event can prime the response to a second negative challenge. Interestingly, stress and infections early in life induce the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, alter the levels of neurotransmitters, neurotrophins and pro-inflammatory cytokines and affect the functions of microglia and oxidative stress. In conclusion, animal models allow shedding light on the pathophysiology of human mental illnesses and discovering novel molecular drug targets for personalized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Cattane
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Anthony C Vernon
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom; MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Alessandra Borsini
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Catia Scassellati
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Dominique Endres
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Lucile Capuron
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux INP, NutriNeuro, UMR 1286, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Ryad Tamouza
- Département Medico-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie (DMU ADAPT), Laboratoire Neuro-psychiatrie translationnelle, AP-HP, UniversitéParis Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Fondation FondaMental, F-94010 Créteil, France
| | - Michael Eriksen Benros
- Biological and Precision Psychiatry, Copenhagen Research Centre for Mental Health, Copenhagen University Hospital, Gentofte Hospitalsvej 15, 4th floor, 2900 Hellerup, Denmark; Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Juan C Leza
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (i+12), IUIN-UCM. Spain
| | - Carmine M Pariante
- Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology Laboratory, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, United Kingdom
| | - Marco A Riva
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Italy
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy; Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.
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Mejía-Chávez S, Venebra-Muñoz A, García-García F, Corona-Morales AA, Orozco-Vargas AE. Maternal Separation Modifies the Activity of Social Processing Brain Nuclei Upon Social Novelty Exposure. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:651263. [PMID: 34803620 PMCID: PMC8599987 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.651263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal separation has been shown to disrupt proper brain development and maturation, having profound consequences on the neuroendocrine systems in charge of the stress response, and has been shown to induce behavioral and cognitive abnormalities. At the behavioral level, maternal separation has been shown to increase offensive play-fighting in juvenile individuals and reduce social interest in adulthood. Since most of the studies that have evaluated the consequences of maternal separation on social behavior have focused on behavioral analysis, there is a need for a further understanding of the neuronal mechanisms underlying the changes in social behavior induced by maternal separation. Therefore, the aim of the present research was to assess the long-term effects of maternal separation on social interaction behavior and to assess the activity of several brain regions involved in the processing of social cues and reward upon social novelty exposure, using c-Fos immunohistochemistry as a marker of neuronal activity. Male Wistar rats were subjected to 4 h maternal separation during the neonatal period, 9:00 h-13:00 h from postnatal day 1 to 21, and exposed to social novelty during adulthood. After social novelty exposure, brains were fixed and coronal sections of the medial amygdala, lateral septum (LS), paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex were obtained for c-Fos immunohistochemistry. Maternally separated rats spent less time investigating the novel peer, suggesting that maternal separation reduces social approach motivation. Furthermore, maternal separation reduced the number of c-Fos positive cells of the medial amygdala, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, LS, nucleus accumbens, and medial prefrontal cortex upon social novelty exposure. These findings suggest that maternal separation can reduce the plastic capacity of several brain nuclei, which constitute a physiological basis for the emergence of behavioral disorders presented later in life reported to be linked to early life adversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Mejía-Chávez
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de la Adicción y Plasticidad Cerebral, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Mexico, Toluca, Mexico
| | - Arturo Venebra-Muñoz
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología de la Adicción y Plasticidad Cerebral, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Mexico, Toluca, Mexico
| | - Fabio García-García
- Laboratorio de Biología de Sueño, Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
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Kalamari A, Kentrop J, Hinna Danesi C, Graat EAM, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Joëls M, van der Veen R. Complex Housing, but Not Maternal Deprivation Affects Motivation to Liberate a Trapped Cage-Mate in an Operant Rat Task. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:698501. [PMID: 34512284 PMCID: PMC8427758 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.698501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Early life environment influences the development of various aspects of social behavior, particularly during sensitive developmental periods. We studied how challenges in the early postnatal period or (early) adolescence affect pro-social behavior. To this end, we designed a lever-operated liberation task, to be able to measure motivation to liberate a trapped conspecific (by progressively increasing required lever pressing for door-opening). Liberation of the trapped rat resulted either in social contact or in liberation into a separate compartment. Additionally, a condition was tested in which both rats could freely move in two separate compartments and lever pressing resulted in social contact. When partners were not trapped, rats were more motivated to press the lever for opening the door than in either of the trapped configurations. Contrary to our expectations, the trapped configuration resulted in a reduced motivation to act. Early postnatal stress (24 h maternal deprivation on postnatal day 3) did not affect behavior in the liberation task. However, rearing rats from early adolescence onwards in complex housing conditions (Marlau cages) reduced the motivation to door opening, both in the trapped and freely moving conditions, while the motivation for a sucrose reward was not affected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aikaterini Kalamari
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jiska Kentrop
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Chiara Hinna Danesi
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Evelien A M Graat
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands.,Primary Care Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Marian Joëls
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.,University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen University, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Rixt van der Veen
- Brain Plasticity group, SILS Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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11
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Holman PJ, Raineki C, Chao A, Grewal R, Haghighat S, Fung C, Morgan E, Ellis L, Yu W, Weinberg J. Altered social recognition memory and hypothalamic neuropeptide expression in adolescent male and female rats following prenatal alcohol exposure and/or early-life adversity. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 126:105146. [PMID: 33517167 PMCID: PMC7969453 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and early-life adversity (ELA) both negatively impact social neurobehavioral development, including social recognition memory. Importantly, while individuals with PAE are more likely to experience ELA, relatively few studies have assessed the interaction of these two early insults on adolescent social behavior development. Here, we combine animal models of PAE and ELA to investigate both their unique and interactive effects on social neurobehavioral function in early and late adolescent male and female rats. Behavioral testing was followed by assessment of hypothalamic expression of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP), key neuropeptides in the regulation of social behavior. Our results indicate that PAE and ELA have unique sex- and age-specific effects on social recognition memory and OT/AVP expression, with more pronounced neurobehavioral changes observed in males than in females in both early and late adolescence. Specifically, ELA impaired social recognition in early adolescent females regardless of prenatal treatment, while males showed deficits in both early and late adolescence in response to unique and interactive effects of PAE and ELA. Neurobiological data suggest that these perinatal insults differentially impact the OT and AVP systems in a sexually dimorphic manner, such that the OT system appears to be particularly sensitive to PAE in males while the AVP system appears to be more vulnerable to ELA in females. Taken together, our data provide novel insight into how the early postnatal environment may mediate outcomes of PAE as well as the power of animal models to interrogate the relationship between these pre- and postnatal insults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parker J. Holman
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada,Corresponding author: Parker J. Holman, M.S.Ed., Ph.D., Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada, , Phone: +1 (604) 822-4554, FAX: +1 (604) 822-2316
| | - Charlis Raineki
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada,Department of Psychology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada
| | - Amanda Chao
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Riley Grewal
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Sepehr Haghighat
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Cecilia Fung
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Erin Morgan
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Linda Ellis
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Wayne Yu
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Joanne Weinberg
- Department of Cellular & Physiological Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
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12
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Ceschim VC, Sumarán P, Borges AA, Girardi CEN, Suchecki D. Maternal deprivation during early infancy in rats increases oxytocin immunoreactivity in females and corticosterone reactivity to a social test in both sexes without changing emotional behaviour. Horm Behav 2021; 129:104928. [PMID: 33453261 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Impairment of social behaviour is a hallmark of emotional disorders, with increased avoidance of social contact. In rats, the 24 h maternal deprivation (DEP) paradigm is used to understand the impact of extreme neglect on neurodevelopment. Due to the distinct immediate effects of DEP on postnatal days (PND) 3 (DEP3) or 11 (DEP11), in the present study we investigated the long-term effects of DEP at these ages on anxiety-like behaviour, by recording the visits and time spent in the centre part of the open-field, social investigation of a confined, same-sex, unfamiliar animal, basal and post-social test corticosterone plasma levels and the immunoreactivity to oxytocin in the paraventricular (PVN) and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SON). Whole litters were distributed into control (CTL), DEP3 or DEP11 groups and behavioural tests and biological samples were collected between PNDs 40 and 45 in males and females. There were no differences in the exploration of the central part of the open field or on the time investigating the unfamiliar rat. However, the percent increase in post-test corticosterone secretion from baseline was greater for both DEP3 male and female subgroups than their CTL and DEP11 counterparts. DEP3 females showed more oxytocin staining than DEP11 counterparts in magnocellular neurons of the SON and PVN. These results suggest that DEP at the ages chosen does not alter social investigation, although it results in distinct neurobiological outcomes, depending on the developmental phase when it is imposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviane C Ceschim
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo -, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paula Sumarán
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo -, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andrea A Borges
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo -, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Deborah Suchecki
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo -, São Paulo, Brazil.
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13
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Guan J, Ding Y, Rong Y, Geng Y, Lai L, Qi D, Tang Y, Yang L, Li J, Zhou T, Wu E, Wu R. Early Life Stress Increases Brain Glutamate and Induces Neurobehavioral Manifestations in Rats. ACS Chem Neurosci 2020; 11:4169-4178. [PMID: 33179901 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Early life stress (ELS) is associated with an increased risk of developing depression and anxiety disorders. Disturbances of the neurobiological glutamatergic system are implicated in depression; however, the long-term effects of ELS on glutamate (Glu) metabolites remain unclear. Our study used 7T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (7T 1H MRS) to detect metabolic Glu in a rat model to investigate maternal deprivation (MD)-induced ELS. MD was established in Sprague-Dawley rats by periodic separation from mothers and peers. Changes in the hippocampal volume and Glu metabolism were detected by 7T 1H MRS after testing for depression-like behavior via open field, sucrose preference, and Morris water maze tests. Adult MD offspring exhibited depression-like behavior. Compared to the control, the MD group exhibited reduced ratio of central activity time to total time and decreased sucrose consumption (p < 0.05). MD rats spent less time in the fourth quadrant, where the platform was originally placed, in the Morris water maze test. According to 7T 1H MRS, hippocampus of MD rats had elevated Glu and glutamate + glutamine (Glu+Gln) levels compared with the control group hippocampi, but Gln, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and glutamate + glutamine (Glu+Gln) in the prefrontal cortex of MD rats showed a downward trend. Depression-like behavior and cognition deficits related to ELS may induce region-specific changes in Glu metabolism in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The novel, noninvasive 7T 1H MRS-identified associations between Glu levels and ELS may guide future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jitian Guan
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
| | - Yan Ding
- Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Yunjie Rong
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Yiqun Geng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515031, China
| | - Lingfeng Lai
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Dan Qi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
| | - Yanyan Tang
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Juntao Li
- Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou 450003, China
| | - Teng Zhou
- Department of Computer Science, Shantou University, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Erxi Wu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, Baylor Scott & White Health, Temple, Texas 76502, United States
- Department of Surgery, Texas A & M University Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple 76508, Texas United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Texas A & M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- LIVESTRONG Cancer Institutes, Dell Medical School, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Renhua Wu
- Department of Radiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou 515041, China
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14
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Monsó
- Unit of Ethics and Human-Animal Studies, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Birte Wrage
- Unit of Ethics and Human-Animal Studies, Messerli Research Institute, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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15
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Environmental regulation of the chloride transporter KCC2: switching inflammation off to switch the GABA on? Transl Psychiatry 2020; 10:349. [PMID: 33060559 PMCID: PMC7562743 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-020-01027-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chloride homeostasis, the main determinant factor for the dynamic tuning of GABAergic inhibition during development, has emerged as a key element altered in a wide variety of brain disorders. Accordingly, developmental disorders such as schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down syndrome, epilepsy, and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) have been associated with alterations in the expression of genes codifying for either of the two cotransporters involved in the excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA switch, KCC2 and NKCC1. These alterations can result from environmental insults, including prenatal stress and maternal separation which share, as common molecular denominator, the elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In this review we report and systemize recent research articles indicating that different perinatal environmental perturbations affect the expression of chloride transporters, delaying the developmental switch of GABA signaling, and that inflammatory cytokines, in particular interleukin 1β, may represent a key causal factor for this phenomenon. Based on literature data, we provide therefore a unifying conceptual framework, linking environmental hits with the excitatory-to-inhibitory GABA switch in the context of brain developmental disorders.
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16
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Kaneda Y, Kawata A, Suzuki K, Matsunaga D, Yasumatsu M, Ishiwata T. Comparison of neurotransmitter levels, physiological conditions, and emotional behavior between isolation-housed rats with group-housed rats. Dev Psychobiol 2020; 63:452-460. [PMID: 32945540 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Brain monoaminergic neurotransmitters, such as dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT), and noradrenaline (NA), play crucial roles in neuronal and physiological functions, including social behaviors. Isolation housing may induce behavioral and neurochemical abnormalities in rats, although its influence on neurotransmitter levels remains obscure. This study investigated the influence of isolation- or group-housing on core body temperature (Tcore ), locomotor activity (ACT), emotional behavior, and neurotransmitter levels in male Wistar rats. Behavioral changes were monitored using the open field test (OFT) and social interaction test (SIT). After 4 weeks, brain tissues were collected to quantify 5-HT, DA, and NA concentrations. Body weight and basal Tcore during both the light and dark phase were higher in isolation-housed than in group-housed rats, although no significant difference was seen in ACT. No significant differences were observed during the OFT. Isolation-housed rats showed increased line crossing and decreased social behavior during the SIT. Isolation-housed rats exhibited decreased levels of 5-HT in the caudate putamen and amygdala, and elevated and decreased NA levels in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus and hippocampus, respectively. However, DA levels were unaffected. Thus, housing environments may affect brain areas that regulate various neuronal and physiological functions, such as memory, stress responses, and emotional behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Kaneda
- Graduate School of Community & Human Services, Rikkyo University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Akira Kawata
- Graduate School of Community & Human Services, Rikkyo University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Kota Suzuki
- Graduate School of Community & Human Services, Rikkyo University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Daisuke Matsunaga
- Graduate School of Community & Human Services, Rikkyo University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Mikinobu Yasumatsu
- Graduate School of Community & Human Services, Rikkyo University, Saitama, Japan
| | - Takayuki Ishiwata
- Graduate School of Community & Human Services, Rikkyo University, Saitama, Japan
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17
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Niu L, Luo SS, Xu Y, Wang Z, Luo D, Yang H, Li W, He J, Zhong XL, Liu ZH, Zeng JY, Cao WY, Wan W. The critical role of the hippocampal NLRP3 inflammasome in social isolation-induced cognitive impairment in male mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 175:107301. [PMID: 32882398 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Early life stress exerts detrimental effects on cognitive function, but the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. The NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory response has emerged as a prominent contributor to cognitive impairment induced by chronic stress. In the present study, we showed that 8-week chronic social isolation (SI) led to cognitive impairment in mice, remarkably increasing expression of the hippocampal NLRP3 inflammasome. Furthermore, the 8-week SI procedure significantly increased the levels of hippocampal IL-1β and IL-18 without significant alteration of the level of serum IL-1β, suggesting a central mechanism for IL-1β-related CNS inflammation. Moreover, inflammatory microglial and expression of AMPAR were reduced in the hippocampus of SI mice. Minocycline is an antibiotic that limits microglia responses, and previous study also showed that minocycline could prevent stress-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in the brain. Our experiment found that minocycline improved cognitive behavior in SI mice. Minocycline also prevented expression of the hippocampal NLRP3 inflammasome, indicating that microglia might be the primary contributor to SI-induced hippocampal NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Furthermore, alterations in SI mice were also restored by chronic treatment with the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950. These results indicate that the microglia-derived NLRP3 inflammasome may be primarily involved in the inflammatory response to social isolation and that specific NLRP3 inflammasome inhibition using MCC950 may represent a promising therapeutic approach for early stress induced cognitive impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Niu
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China; Liuyang Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, 421001 Liuyang, Hunan, China
| | - Shi Shi Luo
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Yang Xu
- Institute of Neuroscience, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Pathology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Pathology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Wei Li
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Jie He
- Department of Pathology, In Tropical Environment Of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China; Department of Pathology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Xiao Lin Zhong
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Zheng Hai Liu
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Jia Yu Zeng
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China
| | - Wen Yu Cao
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China.
| | - Wei Wan
- Clinical Anatomy & Reproductive Medicine Application Institute, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, 421001 Hengyang, Hunan, China; Key Laboratory Of Brain Science Research & Transformation In Tropical Environment Of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou 571199, China.
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18
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van der Veen R, Bonapersona V, Joëls M. The relevance of a rodent cohort in the Consortium on Individual Development. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100846. [PMID: 32957026 PMCID: PMC7509002 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100846] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the features of the Consortium on Individual Development is the existence of a rodent cohort, in parallel with the human cohorts. Here we give an overview of the current status. We first elaborate on the choice of rat and mouse models mimicking early life adverse or beneficial conditions during development. We performed a systematic literature search on early life adversity and adult social behavior to address the status quo. Next, we describe the behavioral tasks we used and designed to examine behavioral control and social competence in rodents. The results so far indicate that manipulation of the environment in the first postnatal week only subtly affects social behavior. Stronger effects were seen in the model that targeted early adolescence; once adult, these rats are characterized by increased attention, a higher degree of impulsiveness and reduced social interest in peers. Many experiments in our rodent models with tightly controlled conditions were inspired by findings in human cohorts, and now allow in-depth mechanistic investigations. Vice versa, some of the findings in rodents are currently followed up by dedicated investigations in the human cohorts. This exemplifies the added value of animal investigations in a consortium encompassing primarily human developmental cohorts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rixt van der Veen
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Valeria Bonapersona
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marian Joëls
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, UMC Utrecht Brain Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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19
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Kentrop J, Kalamari A, Danesi CH, Kentrop JJ, van IJzendoorn MH, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJ, Joëls M, van der Veen R. Pro-social preference in an automated operant two-choice reward task under different housing conditions: Exploratory studies on pro-social decision making. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2020; 45:100827. [PMID: 32739841 PMCID: PMC7393525 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2020.100827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to develop a behavioral task that measures pro-social decision making in rats. A fully automated, operant pro-social two-choice task is introduced that quantifies pro-social preferences for a mutual food reward in a set-up with tightly controlled task contingencies. Pairs of same-sex adult Wistar rats were placed in an operant chamber divided into two compartments (one rat per compartment), separated by a transparent barrier with holes that allowed the rats to see, hear, smell, but not touch each other. Test rats could earn a sucrose pellet either for themselves (own reward) or for themselves and the partner (both reward) by means of lever pressing. On average, male rats showed a 60 % preference for the lever that yielded a food reward for both themselves and their partner. In contrast, females did not show lever preference, regardless of the estrous cycle phase. Next, the impact of juvenile environmental factors on male rat social decision making was studied. Males were group-housed from postnatal day 26 onwards in complex housing Marlau™ cages that provided social and physical enrichment and stimulation in the form of novelty. Complex housed males did not show a preference for the pro-social lever.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiska Kentrop
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Aikaterini Kalamari
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Chiara Hinna Danesi
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - John J Kentrop
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marinus H van IJzendoorn
- Dept. Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Primary Care Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Marian Joëls
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Rixt van der Veen
- Dept. Translational Neuroscience, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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20
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Rabadán R, Ramos-Campos M, Redolat R, Mesa-Gresa P. Physical activity and environmental enrichment: Behavioural effects of exposure to different housing conditions in mice. Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars) 2020. [DOI: 10.21307/ane-2019-035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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21
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Childhood stress impairs social function through AVP-dependent mechanisms. Transl Psychiatry 2019; 9:330. [PMID: 31819033 PMCID: PMC6901493 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0678-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired social function is a core feature of many psychiatric illnesses. Adverse experiences during childhood increase risk for mental illness, however it is currently unclear whether stress early in life plays a direct role in the development of social difficulties. Using a rat model of pre-pubertal stress (PPS), we investigated effects on social behaviour, oxytocin and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the periphery (plasma) and centrally in the paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nuclei. We also explored social performance and AVP expression (plasma) in participants with borderline personality disorder (BPD) who experienced a high incidence of childhood stress. Social behaviour was impaired and AVP expression increased in animals experiencing PPS and participants with BPD. Behavioural deficits in animals were rescued through administration of the AVPR1a antagonist Relcovaptan (SR49059). AVP levels and recognition of negative emotions were significantly correlated in BPD participants only. In conclusion, early life stress plays a role in the precipitation of social dysfunction, and AVP mediates at least part of this effect.
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Liu ZW, Yu Y, Lu C, Jiang N, Wang XP, Xiao SY, Liu XM. Postweaning Isolation Rearing Alters the Adult Social, Sexual Preference and Mating Behaviors of Male CD-1 Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:21. [PMID: 30873013 PMCID: PMC6404373 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: No study has comprehensively evaluated the effect of postweaning isolation on the social and sexual behaviors of a certain strain of rodents in ethology. The present study aims to explore how and to what extent isolation rearing after postweaning affects the social and sexual behaviors of male CD-1 mice in adulthood systematically. Methods: Male CD-1 mice were randomly assigned to two groups: isolation reared (IS, one mouse per cage, n = 30) and group housed (GH, five mice per cage, n = 15). The mice underwent isolation rearing from postnatal day 23 to day 93. Then, social affiliation, recognition and memory were measured through selection task experiments. Social interaction under a home cage and novel environment were measured via resident–intruder and social interaction test, respectively. Furthermore, sexual preference, homosexual and heterosexual behaviors were measured. Results: Our study found that postweaning isolation increased the social affiliation for conspecifics (p = 0.001), reduced social recognition (p = 0.042) and impaired social memory. As for social interaction, isolated mice showed a remarkably increased aggression toward the intruder male in a home cage or novelty environment. For instance, isolated mice presented a short attack latency (p < 0.001), high attack frequency (p < 0.001) and long attack duration (p < 0.001). In addition, isolated mice exhibited further social avoidance. Contrastingly, isolated mice displayed a reduced sexual preference for female (IS: 61.47 ± 13.80%, GH: 70.33 ± 10.06%, p = 0.038). As for heterosexual behavior, isolated mice have a short mating duration (p = 0.002), long mounting latency (p = 0.002), and long intromission latency (p = 0.015). However, no association was observed between postweaning isolation and homosexual behavior in male CD-1 mouse. Conclusion: Postweaning isolation increased the social affiliation, impaired the social cognition and considerably increased the aggression in social interaction of adult male CD-1 mice. Postweaning isolation induced a decreased sexual preference for female in adulthood. Postweaning isolation extended the latency to mate, thereby reducing mating behavior. No association was observed between isolation and homosexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Wei Liu
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders and National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, China.,Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yu Yu
- Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Cong Lu
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ning Jiang
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Ping Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders and National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, China
| | - Shui-Yuan Xiao
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.,National Clinical Research Center on Mental Disorders and National Technology Institute on Mental Disorders, Hunan Key Laboratory of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Changsha, China.,Department of Social Medicine and Health Management, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xin-Min Liu
- Research Center for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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