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Witkin JM, Shafique H, Cerne R, Smith JL, Marini AM, Lipsky RH, Delery E. Mechanistic and therapeutic relationships of traumatic brain injury and γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA). Pharmacol Ther 2024; 256:108609. [PMID: 38369062 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2024.108609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a highly prevalent medical condition for which no medications specific for the prophylaxis or treatment of the condition as a whole exist. The spectrum of symptoms includes coma, headache, seizures, cognitive impairment, depression, and anxiety. Although it has been known for years that the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA) is involved in TBI, no novel therapeutics based upon this mechanism have been introduced into clinical practice. We review the neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, neurochemical, and neuropharmacological relationships of GABA neurotransmission to TBI with a view toward new potential GABA-based medicines. The long-standing idea that excitatory and inhibitory (GABA and others) balances are disrupted by TBI is supported by the experimental data but has failed to invent novel methods of restoring this balance. The slow progress in advancing new treatments is due to the complexity of the disorder that encompasses multiple dynamically interacting biological processes including hemodynamic and metabolic systems, neurodegeneration and neurogenesis, major disruptions in neural networks and axons, frank brain lesions, and a multitude of symptoms that have differential neuronal and neurohormonal regulatory mechanisms. Although the current and ongoing clinical studies include GABAergic drugs, no novel GABA compounds are being explored. It is suggested that filling the gap in understanding the roles played by specific GABAA receptor configurations within specific neuronal circuits could help define new therapeutic approaches. Further research into the temporal and spatial delivery of GABA modulators should also be useful. Along with GABA modulation, research into the sequencing of GABA and non-GABA treatments will be needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Witkin
- Laboratory of Antiepileptic Drug Discovery, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, USA; Departments of Neuroscience and Trauma Research, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, USA; RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc, Glen Rock, NJ, USA.
| | | | - Rok Cerne
- Laboratory of Antiepileptic Drug Discovery, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, USA; RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc, Glen Rock, NJ, USA; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University/Purdue University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jodi L Smith
- Laboratory of Antiepileptic Drug Discovery, Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Ann M Marini
- Department of Neurology, Program in Neuroscience, and Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robert H Lipsky
- Department of Neurology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Elizabeth Delery
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
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Browne CA, Hildegard A Wulf BA, Jacobson ML, Oyola M, Wu TJ, Lucki I. Long-term increase in sensitivity to ketamine's behavioral effects in mice exposed to mild blast induced traumatic brain injury. Exp Neurol 2021; 350:113963. [PMID: 34968423 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Neurobehavioral deficits emerge in nearly 50% of patients following a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may persist for months. Ketamine is used frequently as an anesthetic, analgesic and for management of persistent psychiatric complications. Although ketamine may produce beneficial effects in patients with a history of TBI, differential sensitivity to its impairing effects could make the therapeutic use of ketamine in TBI patients unsafe. This series of studies examined male C57BL/6 J mice exposed to a mild single blast overpressure (mbTBI) for indications of altered sensitivity to ketamine at varying times after injury. Dystaxia (altered gait), diminished sensorimotor gating (reduced prepulse inhibition) impaired working memory (step-down inhibitory avoidance) were examined in mbTBI and sham animals 15 min following intraperitoneal injections of saline or R,S-ketamine hydrochloride, from day 7-16 post injury and again from day 35-43 post injury. Behavioral performance in the forced swim test and sucrose preference test were evaluated on day 28 and day 74 post injury respectively, 24 h following drug administration. Dynamic gait stability was compromised in mbTBI mice on day 7 and 35 post injury and further exacerbated following ketamine administration. On day 14 and 42 post injury, prepulse inhibition was robustly decreased by mbTBI, which ketamine further reduced. Ketamine-associated memory impairment was apparent selectively in mbTBI animals 1 h, 24 h and day 28 post shock (tested on day 15/16/43 post injury). Ketamine selectively reduced immobility scores in the FST in mbTBI animals (day 28) and reversed mbTBI induced decreases in sucrose consumption (Day 74). These results demonstrate increased sensitivity to ketamine in mice when tested for extended periods after TBI. The results suggest that ketamine may be effective for treating neuropsychiatric complications that emerge after TBI but urge caution when used in clinical practice for enhanced sensitivity to its side effects in this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Browne
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America.
| | - B A Hildegard A Wulf
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - Moriah L Jacobson
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - Mario Oyola
- Department of Gynecologic Surgery & Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - T John Wu
- Department of Gynecologic Surgery & Obstetrics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - Irwin Lucki
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
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Ye J, Erland LAE, Gill SK, Bishop SL, Verdugo-Meza A, Murch SJ, Gibson DL. Metabolomics-Guided Hypothesis Generation for Mechanisms of Intestinal Protection by Live Biotherapeutic Products. Biomolecules 2021; 11:738. [PMID: 34063522 PMCID: PMC8156236 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), including single strains of beneficial probiotic bacteria or consortiums, is gaining traction as a viable option to treat inflammatory-mediated diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, LBPs' persistence in the intestine is heterogeneous since many beneficial bacteria lack mechanisms to tolerate the inflammation and the oxidative stress associated with IBD. We rationalized that optimizing LBPs with enhanced colonization and persistence in the inflamed intestine would help beneficial bacteria increase their bioavailability and sustain their beneficial responses. Our lab developed two bioengineered LBPs (SBT001/BioPersist and SBT002/BioColoniz) modified to enhance colonization or persistence in the inflamed intestine. In this study, we examined colon-derived metabolites via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in colitic mice treated with either BioPersist or BioColoniz as compared to their unmodified parent strains (Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 [EcN] and Lactobacillus reuteri, respectively) or to each other. BioPersist administration resulted in lowered concentrations of inflammatory prostaglandins, decreased stress hormones such as adrenaline and corticosterone, increased serotonin, and decreased bile acid in comparison to EcN. In comparison to BioColoniz, BioPersist increased serotonin and antioxidant production, limited bile acid accumulation, and enhanced tissue restoration via activated purine and pyrimidine metabolism. These data generated several novel hypotheses for the beneficial roles that LBPs may play during colitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Ye
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Lauren A E Erland
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Sandeep K Gill
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Stephanie L Bishop
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Andrea Verdugo-Meza
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Susan J Murch
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
| | - Deanna L Gibson
- Department of Biology, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory, Kelowna, BC V1V1V7, Canada
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Riddle J, Rubinow DR, Girdler S, Frohlich F. Disinhibition of right inferior frontal gyrus underlies alpha asymmetry in women with low testosterone. Biol Psychol 2021; 161:108061. [PMID: 33705806 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2021.108061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Asymmetrical expression of alpha oscillations in the frontal cortex, increased left relative to right, is a phenotype associated with increased behavioral inhibition and mood-related psychiatric illnesses. However, investigations of frontal alpha asymmetry in mood-disorders have yielded inconsistent findings. A better understanding of factors that contribute to individual differences is required to establish a useful biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of mood and stress related disorders. A novel factor is hormone concentration, as steroid hormones play a prominent role in regulating mood and stress. To investigate this question, concentrations of testosterone and estradiol were sampled. Multiple linear regression revealed that low levels of testosterone correlated with greater frontal alpha asymmetry in women. Source localization found that frontal asymmetry was driven by decreased alpha power in right inferior frontal gyrus that correlated with increased behavioral inhibition in women. Together, these findings might explain inconsistencies in previous investigation on frontal alpha asymmetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Riddle
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 304 MacNider Hall, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Center for Women's Mood Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Neurosciences Hospital, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 6201 Mary Ellen Jones Building, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 304 MacNider Hall, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Center for Women's Mood Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Neurosciences Hospital, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Susan Girdler
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 304 MacNider Hall, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Center for Women's Mood Disorders, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Neurosciences Hospital, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Flavio Frohlich
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 304 MacNider Hall, 101 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Carolina Center for Neurostimulation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 6201 Mary Ellen Jones Building, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Neurology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 170 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 5200 Medical Biomolecular Research Building, 111 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 10010 Mary Ellen Jones, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA; Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 116 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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Avcu P, Fortress AM, Fragale JE, Spiegler KM, Pang KCH. Anhedonia following mild traumatic brain injury in rats: A behavioral economic analysis of positive and negative reinforcement. Behav Brain Res 2019; 368:111913. [PMID: 30998994 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.111913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders affect nearly 50% of individuals who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Anhedonia is a major symptom of numerous psychiatric disorders and is a diagnostic criterion for depression. It has recently been appreciated that reinforcement may be separated into consummatory (hedonic), motivational and decisional components, all of which may be affected differently in disease. Although anhedonia is typically assessed using positive reinforcement, the importance of stress in psychopathology suggests the study of negative reinforcement (removal or avoidance of aversive events) may be equally important. The present study investigated positive and negative reinforcement following a rat model of mild TBI (mTBI) using lateral fluid percussion. Hedonic value and motivation for reinforcement was determined by behavioral economic analyses. Following mTBI, the hedonic value of avoiding foot shock was reduced. In contrast, the hedonic value of escaping foot shock or obtaining a sucrose pellet was not altered by mTBI. Moreover, motivation to avoid or escape foot shock or to acquire sucrose was not altered by mTBI. Our results suggest that individuals experiencing mTBI find avoidance of aversive events less reinforcing, and therefore are less apt to utilize proactive control of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Avcu
- NeuroBehavioral Research Lab, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Ashley M Fortress
- NeuroBehavioral Research Lab, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey, USA
| | - Jennifer E Fragale
- NeuroBehavioral Research Lab, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kevin M Spiegler
- NeuroBehavioral Research Lab, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kevin C H Pang
- NeuroBehavioral Research Lab, Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, New Jersey, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neurosciences, New Jersey Medical School - Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New Jersey Medical School-Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
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Reduced avoidance coping in male, but not in female rats, after mild traumatic brain injury: Implications for depression. Behav Brain Res 2019; 373:112064. [PMID: 31278968 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2019] [Revised: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although there is evidence that traumatic brain injury (mTBI) induces emotional sequelae in rats, it is unclear whether the phenotype is reminiscent of major depressive disorder (MDD) or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Three behavioral protocols with oppositional indicators for MDD or PTSD were assessed: acoustic startle responses (ASRs), eyeblink conditioning, and instrumental escape/avoidance (E/A) learning. Female and male rats were exposed to lateral fluid percussion injury (LFPi) consistent with mild TBI (mTBI) or sham (SHAM) surgery. Experiment 1 suggested that the acquisition of the classically conditioned eyeblink responses was unaffected by mTBI infemale and male rats. In Experiment 2, male and female mTBI rats acquired instrumental escape responses similar to their SHAM counterparts. Avoidance expression of female mTBI rats did not differ appreciably from female SHAM rats. However, male mTBI rats expressed avoidance at a lower rate than male SHAM rats over training. Poor coping in male rats emerged with repeated exposure to stress, suggesting that depressive behaviors in mTBI develop over time and with continued demand from stress. Severely attenuated ASRs were evident in female and male mTBI rats compared to respective SHAM rats throughout testing across the two experiments. Overall, signs among the three bidirectional assessments during the subacute period after mTBI were more indicative of MDD-like, than PTSD-like sequelae.
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Fortress AM, Avcu P, Wagner AK, Dixon CE, Pang KCH. Experimental traumatic brain injury results in estrous cycle disruption, neurobehavioral deficits, and impaired GSK3β/β-catenin signaling in female rats. Exp Neurol 2019; 315:42-51. [PMID: 30710530 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
An estimated 2.8 million traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur within the United States each year. Approximately 40% of new TBI cases are female, however few studies have investigated the effects of TBI on female subjects. In addition to typical neurobehavioral sequelae observed after TBI, such as poor cognition, impaired behavior, and somatic symptoms, women with TBI report amenorrhea or irregular menstrual cycles suggestive of disruptions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. HPG dysfunction following TBI has been linked to poor functional outcome in men and women, but the mechanisms by which this may occur or relate to behavior has not been fully developed or ascertained. The present study determined if TBI resulted in HPG axis perturbations in young adult female Sprague Dawley rats, and whether TBI was associated with cognitive and sensorimotor deficits. Following lateral fluid percussion injury, injured females spent significantly more time in diestrus compared to sham females, consistent with a persistent low sex-steroid hormone state. Injured females displayed significantly reduced 17β-estradiol (E2) and luteinizing hormone levels. Concomitantly, injured females were impaired in spatial working memory compared to shams. Impaired GSK3β/β-catenin signaling related to synaptic changes was evident one-week post-injury in the hippocampus among injured females compared to sham females, and this impairment paralleled the deficits in spatial working memory. Sensorimotor function, as evidenced by suppression of the acoustic startle response, was chronically impaired even after normal estrous cycling resumed. These data demonstrate that TBI results in estrous cycle impairments, memory dysfunction, and perturbations in GSK3β/β-catenin signaling, suggesting a potential mechanism for HPG-mediated cognitive impairment following TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley M Fortress
- NeuroBehavioral Research Laboratory, Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA; VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Mailstop 151, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240, USA.
| | - Pelin Avcu
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, 65 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Amy K Wagner
- Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, Center for Neuroscience, 3471 Fifth Avenue Suite 202, Kaufman BuildingUniversity of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - C Edward Dixon
- VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Mailstop 151, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240, USA; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, Center for Neuroscience, 3471 Fifth Avenue Suite 202, Kaufman BuildingUniversity of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Kevin C H Pang
- NeuroBehavioral Research Laboratory, Department of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA; Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, 65 Bergen Street, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Science, Newark, NJ, USA.
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Cruz DA, Glantz LA, McGaughey KD, Parke G, Shampine LJ, Kilts JD, Naylor JC, Marx CE, Williamson DE. Neurosteroid Levels in the Orbital Frontal Cortex of Subjects with PTSD and Controls: A Preliminary Report. CHRONIC STRESS (THOUSAND OAKS, CALIF.) 2019; 3:2470547019838570. [PMID: 31276078 PMCID: PMC6604657 DOI: 10.1177/2470547019838570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Background Neurosteroids mediate stress signaling and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in both preclinical and clinical studies. Compared to controls, subjects with PTSD exhibit altered neurosteroid levels in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid as well as hypoactivity in the medial orbital frontal cortex (mOFC). Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare neurosteroid levels in the mOFC of subjects with PTSD (n = 18) and controls (n = 35). Methods Gray matter was dissected from fresh-frozen mOFC, and levels of the neurosteroids pregnenolone, allopregnanolone, pregnanolone, epiallopregnanolone, epipregnanolone, tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone, and androsterone were determined by gas chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS). Results Analyses of unadjusted levels revealed that males with PTSD had significantly decreased levels of allopregnanolone (p = 0.03) compared to control males and females with PTSD had significantly increased levels of pregnenolone (p = 0.03) relative to control females. After controlling for age, postmortem interval, and smoking status, results showed that males with PTSD had significantly decreased levels of androsterone (t46 = 2.37, p = 0.02) compared to control males and females with PTSD had significantly increased levels of pregnanolone (t46 = -2.25, p = 0.03) relative to control females. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of neurosteroid levels in postmortem brain tissue of subjects with PTSD. Although replication is required in other brain regions and in a larger cohort of subjects, the results suggest a dysregulation of allopregnanolone and androsterone in males with PTSD and pregnanolone in females with PTSD in the mOFC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianne A. Cruz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Leisa A. Glantz
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kara D. McGaughey
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gillian Parke
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lawrence J. Shampine
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jason D. Kilts
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer C. Naylor
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Christine E. Marx
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Durham
VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- VA Mid-Atlantic MIRECC, Durham, NC,
USA
| | - Douglas E. Williamson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
- Durham
VA Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Zuckerman A, Ram O, Ifergane G, Matar MA, Kaplan Z, Hoffman JR, Sadot O, Cohen H. Role of Endogenous and Exogenous Corticosterone on Behavioral and Cognitive Responses to Low-Pressure Blast Wave Exposure. J Neurotrauma 2018; 36:380-394. [PMID: 29947272 DOI: 10.1089/neu.2018.5672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex interactions and overlapping symptoms of comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) induced by an explosive blast wave have become a focus of attention in recent years, making clinical distinction and effective intervention difficult. Because dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is thought to underlie trauma-related (psycho)pathology, we evaluated both the endogenous corticosterone response and the efficacy of exogenous hydrocortisone treatment provided shortly after blast exposure. We employed a controlled experimental blast-wave paradigm in which unanesthetized animals were exposed to visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile effects of an explosive blast wave produced by exploding a thin copper wire. Endogenous corticosterone concentrations were evaluated at different time points (before, and 3 h, 5 h and 17 days) after blast exposure. Subsequently, the efficacy of exogenous hydrocortisone (25 mg/kg-1 or 125 mg/kg-1) injected intraperitoneally 1 h after exposure was compared with that of a similarly timed saline injection. Validated cognitive and behavioral tests were used to assess both PTSD and mTBI phenotypes on days 7-14 following the blast. Retrospective analysis revealed that animals demonstrating the PTSD phenotype exhibited a significantly blunted endogenous corticosterone response to the blast compared with all other groups. Moreover, a single 125 mg/kg-1 dose of hydrocortisone administered 1 h after exposure significantly reduced the occurrence of the PTSD phenotype. Hydrocortisone treatment did not have a similar effect on the mTBI phenotype. Results of this study indicate that an inadequate corticosteroid response following blast exposure increases risk for PTSD phenotype, and corticosteroid treatment is a potential clinical intervention for attenuating PTSD. The differences in patterns of physiological and therapeutic response between PTSD and mTBI phenotypes lend credence to the retrospective behavioral and cognitive classification criteria we designed, and is in keeping with the assumption that mTBI and PTSD phenotypes may reflect distinct underlying biological and clinical profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amitai Zuckerman
- 1 Faculty of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Omri Ram
- 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Gal Ifergane
- 3 Headache Clinic, Department of Neurology, Soroka Medical Centre, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Michael A Matar
- 1 Faculty of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Zeev Kaplan
- 1 Faculty of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Jay R Hoffman
- 4 Institute of Exercise Physiology and Wellness, Sport and Exercise Science, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
| | - Oren Sadot
- 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Hagit Cohen
- 1 Faculty of Health Sciences, Ministry of Health, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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10
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Albeit nocturnal, rats subjected to traumatic brain injury do not differ in neurobehavioral performance whether tested during the day or night. Neurosci Lett 2017; 665:212-216. [PMID: 29229396 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Behavioral assessments in rats are overwhelmingly conducted during the day, albeit that is when they are least active. This incongruity may preclude optimal performance. Hence, the goal of this study was to determine if differences in neurobehavior exist in traumatic brain injured (TBI) rats when assessed during the day vs. night. The hypothesis was that the night group would perform better than the day group on all behavioral tasks. Anesthetized adult male rats received either a cortical impact or sham injury and then were randomly assigned to either Day (1:00-3:00p.m.) or Night (7:30-9:30p.m.) testing. Motor function (beam-balance/walk) was conducted on post-operative days 1-5 and cognitive performance (spatial learning) was assessed on days 14-18. Corticosterone (CORT) levels were quantified at 24h and 21days after TBI. No significant differences were revealed between the TBI rats tested during the Day vs. Night for motor or cognition (p's<0.05). CORT levels were higher in the Night-tested TBI and sham groups at 24h (p<0.05), but returned to baseline and were no longer different by day 21 (p>0.05), suggesting an initial, but transient, stress response that did not affect neurobehavioral outcome. These data suggest that the time rats are tested has no noticeable impact on their performance, which does not support the hypothesis. The finding validates the interpretations from numerous studies conducted when rats were tested during the day vs. their natural active period.
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