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Prinzi C, Kostenko A, de Leo G, Gulino R, Leanza G, Caccamo A. Selective Noradrenaline Depletion in the Neocortex and Hippocampus Induces Working Memory Deficits and Regional Occurrence of Pathological Proteins. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1264. [PMID: 37759663 PMCID: PMC10526041 DOI: 10.3390/biology12091264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Noradrenaline (NA) depletion occurs in Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, its relationship with the pathological expression of Tau and transactive response DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), two major hallmarks of AD, remains elusive. Here, increasing doses of a selective noradrenergic immunotoxin were injected into developing rats to generate a model of mild or severe NA loss. At about 12 weeks post-lesion, dose-dependent working memory deficits were detected in these animals, associated with a marked increase in cortical and hippocampal levels of TDP-43 phosphorylated at Ser 409/410 and Tau phosphorylated at Thr 217. Notably, the total levels of both proteins were largely unaffected, suggesting a direct relationship between neocortical/hippocampal NA depletion and the phosphorylation of pathological Tau and TDP-43 proteins. As pTD43 is present in 23% of AD cases and pTau Thr217 has been detected in patients with mild cognitive impairment that eventually would develop into AD, improvement of noradrenergic function in AD might represent a viable therapeutic approach with disease-modifying potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Prinzi
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Anna Kostenko
- B.R.A.I.N. (Basic Research and Integrative Neuroscience) Laboratory for Neurogenesis and Repair, Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy;
| | - Gioacchino de Leo
- SISSA, Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, 34136 Triste, Italy;
| | - Rosario Gulino
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Giampiero Leanza
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy;
- Molecular Preclinical and Translational Imaging Research Centre-IMPRonTE, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Antonella Caccamo
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy;
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
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2
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Bachman SL, Attanti S, Mather M. Isometric handgrip exercise speeds working memory responses in younger and older adults. Psychol Aging 2023; 38:305-322. [PMID: 36931831 PMCID: PMC10238670 DOI: 10.1037/pag0000728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Physiological arousal affects attention and memory, sometimes enhancing and other times impairing what we attend to and remember. In the present study, we investigated how changes in physiological arousal-induced through short bursts of isometric handgrip exercise-affected subsequent working memory performance. A sample of 57 younger (ages 18-29) and 56 older (ages 65-85) participants performed blocks of isometric handgrip exercise in which they periodically squeezed a therapy ball, alternating with blocks of an auditory working memory task. We found that, compared with those in a control group, participants who performed isometric handgrip had faster reaction times on the working memory task. Handgrip-speeded responses were observed for both younger and older participants, across working memory loads. Analysis of multimodal physiological responses indicated that physiological arousal increased during handgrip. Our findings suggest that performing short bouts of isometric handgrip exercise can improve processing speed, and they offer testable possibilities for the mechanism underlying handgrip's effects on performance. The potential for acute isometric exercise to temporarily improve processing speed may be of particular relevance for older adults who show declines in processing speed and working memory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sumedha Attanti
- Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California
| | - Mara Mather
- Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California
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3
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Tseng CT, Gaulding SJ, Dancel CLE, Thorn CA. Local activation of α2 adrenergic receptors is required for vagus nerve stimulation induced motor cortical plasticity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21645. [PMID: 34737352 PMCID: PMC8568982 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00976-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitation training is emerging as a potential treatment for improving recovery of motor function following stroke. In rats, VNS paired with skilled forelimb training results in significant reorganization of the somatotopic cortical motor map; however, the mechanisms underlying this form of VNS-dependent plasticity remain unclear. Recent studies have shown that VNS-driven cortical plasticity is dependent on noradrenergic innervation of the neocortex. In the central nervous system, noradrenergic α2 receptors (α2-ARs) are widely expressed in the motor cortex and have been critically implicated in synaptic communication and plasticity. In current study, we examined whether activation of cortical α2-ARs is necessary for VNS-driven motor cortical reorganization to occur. Consistent with previous studies, we found that VNS paired with motor training enlarges the map representation of task-relevant musculature in the motor cortex. Infusion of α2-AR antagonists into M1 blocked VNS-driven motor map reorganization from occurring. Our results suggest that local α2-AR activation is required for VNS-induced cortical reorganization to occur, providing insight into the mechanisms that may underlie the neuroplastic effects of VNS therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Tzu Tseng
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Solomon J Gaulding
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Canice Lei E Dancel
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Catherine A Thorn
- School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
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4
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Mückschel M, Eggert E, Prochnow A, Beste C. Learning Experience Reverses Catecholaminergic Effects on Adaptive Behavior. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2019; 23:12-19. [PMID: 31701133 PMCID: PMC7064049 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyz058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Catecholamines are important for cognitive control and the ability to adapt behavior (e.g., after response errors). A prominent drug that modulates the catecholaminergic system is methylphenidate. On the basis of theoretical consideration, we propose that the effects of methylphenidate on behavioral adaptation depend on prior learning experience. METHODS In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover study design, we examined the effect of methylphenidate (0.25 mg/kg) on post error behavioral adaptation processes in a group of n = 43 healthy young adults. Behavioral adaptation processes were examined in a working memory, modulated response selection task. The focus of the analysis was on order effects within the crossover study design to evaluate effects of prior learning/task experience. RESULTS The effect of methylphenidate/placebo on post-error behavioral adaptation processes reverses depending on prior task experience. When there was no prior experience with the task, methylphenidate increased post-error slowing and thus intensified behavioral adaptation processes. However, when there was prior task experience, (i.e., when the placebo session was conducted first in the crossover design), methylphenidate even decreased post-error slowing and behavioral adaptation. Effect sizes were large and the power of the observed effects was higher than 95%. CONCLUSIONS The data suggest that catecholaminergic effects on cognitive control functions vary as a function of prior learning/task experience. The data establish a close link between learning/task familiarization and catecholaminergic effects for executive functions, which has not yet been studied, to our knowledge, but is of considerable clinical relevance. Theoretical implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Mückschel
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany,MS Centre, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Elena Eggert
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Astrid Prochnow
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Christian Beste
- Cognitive Neurophysiology, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany,Correspondence: Christian Beste, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany ()
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5
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Greenwald MK. Anti-stress neuropharmacological mechanisms and targets for addiction treatment: A translational framework. Neurobiol Stress 2018; 9:84-104. [PMID: 30238023 PMCID: PMC6138948 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Revised: 07/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress-related substance use is a major challenge for treating substance use disorders. This selective review focuses on emerging pharmacotherapies with potential for reducing stress-potentiated seeking and consumption of nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and opioids (i.e., key phenotypes for the most commonly abused substances). I evaluate neuropharmacological mechanisms in experimental models of drug-maintenance and relapse, which translate more readily to individuals presenting for treatment (who have initiated and progressed). An affective/motivational systems model (three dimensions: valence, arousal, control) is mapped onto a systems biology of addiction approach for addressing this problem. Based on quality of evidence to date, promising first-tier neurochemical receptor targets include: noradrenergic (α1 and β antagonist, α2 agonist), kappa-opioid antagonist, nociceptin antagonist, orexin-1 antagonist, and endocannabinoid modulation (e.g., cannabidiol, FAAH inhibition); second-tier candidates may include corticotropin releasing factor-1 antagonists, serotonergic agents (e.g., 5-HT reuptake inhibitors, 5-HT3 antagonists), glutamatergic agents (e.g., mGluR2/3 agonist/positive allosteric modulator, mGluR5 antagonist/negative allosteric modulator), GABA-promoters (e.g., pregabalin, tiagabine), vasopressin 1b antagonist, NK-1 antagonist, and PPAR-γ agonist (e.g., pioglitazone). To address affective/motivational mechanisms of stress-related substance use, it may be advisable to combine agents with actions at complementary targets for greater efficacy but systematic studies are lacking except for interactions with the noradrenergic system. I note clinically-relevant factors that could mediate/moderate the efficacy of anti-stress therapeutics and identify research gaps that should be pursued. Finally, progress in developing anti-stress medications will depend on use of reliable CNS biomarkers to validate exposure-response relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark K. Greenwald
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
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6
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Peterson AC, Li CSR. Noradrenergic Dysfunction in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases-An Overview of Imaging Studies. Front Aging Neurosci 2018; 10:127. [PMID: 29765316 PMCID: PMC5938376 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2018.00127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Noradrenergic dysfunction contributes to cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). Conventional therapeutic strategies seek to enhance cholinergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission in AD and PD, respectively, and few studies have examined noradrenergic dysfunction as a target for medication development. We review the literature of noradrenergic dysfunction in AD and PD with a focus on human imaging studies that implicate the locus coeruleus (LC) circuit. The LC sends noradrenergic projections diffusely throughout the cerebral cortex and plays a critical role in attention, learning, working memory, and cognitive control. The LC undergoes considerable degeneration in both AD and PD. Advances in magnetic resonance imaging have facilitated greater understanding of how structural and functional alteration of the LC may contribute to cognitive decline in AD and PD. We discuss the potential roles of the noradrenergic system in the pathogenesis of AD and PD with an emphasis on postmortem anatomical studies, structural MRI studies, and functional MRI studies, where we highlight changes in LC connectivity with the default mode network (DMN). LC degeneration may accompany deficient capacity in suppressing DMN activity and increasing saliency and task control network activities to meet behavioral challenges. We finish by proposing potential and new directions of research to address noradrenergic dysfunction in AD and PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Peterson
- Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States.,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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7
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Avery MC, Krichmar JL. Neuromodulatory Systems and Their Interactions: A Review of Models, Theories, and Experiments. Front Neural Circuits 2017; 11:108. [PMID: 29311844 PMCID: PMC5744617 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2017.00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromodulatory systems, including the noradrenergic, serotonergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic systems, track environmental signals, such as risks, rewards, novelty, effort, and social cooperation. These systems provide a foundation for cognitive function in higher organisms; attention, emotion, goal-directed behavior, and decision-making derive from the interaction between the neuromodulatory systems and brain areas, such as the amygdala, frontal cortex, hippocampus, and sensory cortices. Given their strong influence on behavior and cognition, these systems also play a key role in disease states and are the primary target of many current treatment strategies. The fact that these systems interact with each other either directly or indirectly, however, makes it difficult to understand how a failure in one or more systems can lead to a particular symptom or pathology. In this review, we explore experimental evidence, as well as focus on computational and theoretical models of neuromodulation. Better understanding of neuromodulatory systems may lead to the development of novel treatment strategies for a number of brain disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Avery
- SNL-R, Systems Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Jeffrey L Krichmar
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States.,Department of Computer Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
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8
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Lester AW, Moffat SD, Wiener JM, Barnes CA, Wolbers T. The Aging Navigational System. Neuron 2017; 95:1019-1035. [PMID: 28858613 PMCID: PMC5659315 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.06.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of neuronal systems dedicated to computing spatial information, composed of functionally distinct cell types such as place and grid cells, combined with an extensive body of human-based behavioral and neuroimaging research has provided us with a detailed understanding of the brain's navigation circuit. In this review, we discuss emerging evidence from rodents, non-human primates, and humans that demonstrates how cognitive aging affects the navigational computations supported by these systems. Critically, we show 1) that navigational deficits cannot solely be explained by general deficits in learning and memory, 2) that there is no uniform decline across different navigational computations, and 3) that navigational deficits might be sensitive markers for impending pathological decline. Following an introduction to the mechanisms underlying spatial navigation and how they relate to general processes of learning and memory, the review discusses how aging affects the perception and integration of spatial information, the creation and storage of memory traces for spatial information, and the use of spatial information during navigational behavior. The closing section highlights the clinical potential of behavioral and neural markers of spatial navigation, with a particular emphasis on neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam W Lester
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Scott D Moffat
- School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 USA
| | - Jan M Wiener
- Department of Psychology, Ageing and Dementia Institute, Bournemouth University, Poole BH12 5BB, UK
| | - Carol A Barnes
- Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; Departments of Psychology, Neurology, and Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Thomas Wolbers
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Aging and Cognition Research Group, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), 39118 Magdeburg, Germany.
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9
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Noradrenergic Modulation of Cognition in Health and Disease. Neural Plast 2017; 2017:6031478. [PMID: 28596922 PMCID: PMC5450174 DOI: 10.1155/2017/6031478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 04/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Norepinephrine released by the locus coeruleus modulates cellular processes and synaptic transmission in the central nervous system through its actions at a number of pre- and postsynaptic receptors. This transmitter system facilitates sensory signal detection and promotes waking and arousal, processes which are necessary for navigating a complex and dynamic sensory environment. In addition to its effects on sensory processing and waking behavior, norepinephrine is now recognized as a contributor to various aspects of cognition, including attention, behavioral flexibility, working memory, and long-term mnemonic processes. Two areas of dense noradrenergic innervation, the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus, are particularly important with regard to these functions. Due to its role in mediating normal cognitive function, it is reasonable to expect that noradrenergic transmission becomes dysfunctional in a number of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases characterized by cognitive deficits. In this review, we summarize the unique role that norepinephrine plays in prefrontal cortical and hippocampal function and how its interaction with its various receptors contribute to cognitive behaviors. We further assess the changes that occur in the noradrenergic system in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and schizophrenia and how these changes contribute to cognitive decline in these pathologies.
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10
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Hassani SA, Oemisch M, Balcarras M, Westendorff S, Ardid S, van der Meer MA, Tiesinga P, Womelsdorf T. A computational psychiatry approach identifies how alpha-2A noradrenergic agonist Guanfacine affects feature-based reinforcement learning in the macaque. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40606. [PMID: 28091572 PMCID: PMC5238510 DOI: 10.1038/srep40606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Noradrenaline is believed to support cognitive flexibility through the alpha 2A noradrenergic receptor (a2A-NAR) acting in prefrontal cortex. Enhanced flexibility has been inferred from improved working memory with the a2A-NA agonist Guanfacine. But it has been unclear whether Guanfacine improves specific attention and learning mechanisms beyond working memory, and whether the drug effects can be formalized computationally to allow single subject predictions. We tested and confirmed these suggestions in a case study with a healthy nonhuman primate performing a feature-based reversal learning task evaluating performance using Bayesian and Reinforcement learning models. In an initial dose-testing phase we found a Guanfacine dose that increased performance accuracy, decreased distractibility and improved learning. In a second experimental phase using only that dose we examined the faster feature-based reversal learning with Guanfacine with single-subject computational modeling. Parameter estimation suggested that improved learning is not accounted for by varying a single reinforcement learning mechanism, but by changing the set of parameter values to higher learning rates and stronger suppression of non-chosen over chosen feature information. These findings provide an important starting point for developing nonhuman primate models to discern the synaptic mechanisms of attention and learning functions within the context of a computational neuropsychiatry framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. A. Hassani
- Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1P3, Canada
| | - M. Oemisch
- Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1P3, Canada
| | - M. Balcarras
- Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1P3, Canada
| | - S. Westendorff
- Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1P3, Canada
| | - S. Ardid
- Department of Mathematics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - M. A. van der Meer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - P. Tiesinga
- Department of Neuroinformatics, Donders Centre for Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, AJ 6525, The Netherlands
| | - T. Womelsdorf
- Department of Biology, Centre for Vision Research, York University, Toronto, Ontario M6J 1P3, Canada
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11
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Vollmer LL, Schmeltzer S, Schurdak J, Ahlbrand R, Rush J, Dolgas CM, Baccei ML, Sah R. Neuropeptide Y Impairs Retrieval of Extinguished Fear and Modulates Excitability of Neurons in the Infralimbic Prefrontal Cortex. J Neurosci 2016; 36:1306-15. [PMID: 26818517 PMCID: PMC6604823 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4955-13.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2013] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a 36 aa peptide, regulates stress and emotional behaviors. Preclinical and clinical studies support an association of NPY with trauma-evoked syndromes such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), although the exact contribution of NPY is not clear. In the current study, we examined functional attributes of NPY in the infralimbic (IL) cortex, an area that regulates fear memories and is reported to be hypoactive in PTSD. Carriers of NPY gene polymorphism rs16147 have been reported to have elevated prefrontal NPY expression. Infusion of NPY into the IL cortex in rats significantly impaired fear extinction memory without affecting conditioned fear expression or acquisition of extinction. Neuroendocrine stress response, depression-like behavior, and working memory performance were not affected by NPY infusion into the IL. The NPY Y1 receptor antagonist BIBO3304 completely abolished NPY effects on fear extinction retrieval. Y1 receptor expression was localized on CaMKII-positive pyramidal projection neurons and GAD67-positive interneurons in the IL. Patch-clamp recordings revealed increased inhibitory synaptic transmission onto IL projection neurons in the presence of NPY. Thus, NPY dampens excitability of IL projection neurons and impairs retrieval of extinction memory by inhibiting consolidation of extinction. Of relevance to PTSD, elevation of prefrontal NPY attributable to the genetic polymorphism rs16147 may contribute to IL hypoactivity, resulting in impaired extinction memory and susceptibility to the disorder. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a stress modulatory transmitter, is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Contribution of NPY to PTSD symptomology is unclear. PTSD patients have reduced activity in the infralimbic (IL) subdivision of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), associated with compromised extinction memory. No information exists on fear modulation by NPY in the IL cortex, although NPY and NPY receptors are abundant in these areas. This study shows that IL NPY inhibits consolidation of extinction, resulting in impaired retrieval of extinction memory and modulates excitability of IL projection neurons. In addition to providing a novel perspective on extinction memory modulation by NPY, our findings suggest that elevated mPFC NPY in gene polymorphism rs16147 carriers or after chronic stress could increase susceptibility to PTSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren L Vollmer
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, and
| | - Sarah Schmeltzer
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, and
| | | | | | - Jennifer Rush
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience and
| | | | - Mark L Baccei
- Anesthesiology and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, and
| | - Renu Sah
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience and Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, and Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45220
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12
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Uematsu A, Tan BZ, Johansen JP. Projection specificity in heterogeneous locus coeruleus cell populations: implications for learning and memory. Learn Mem 2015; 22:444-51. [PMID: 26330494 PMCID: PMC4561410 DOI: 10.1101/lm.037283.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) play a critical role in many functions including learning and memory. This relatively small population of cells sends widespread projections throughout the brain including to a number of regions such as the amygdala which is involved in emotional associative learning and the medial prefrontal cortex which is important for facilitating flexibility when learning rules change. LC noradrenergic cells participate in both of these functions, but it is not clear how this small population of neurons modulates these partially distinct processes. Here we review anatomical, behavioral, and electrophysiological studies to assess how LC noradrenergic neurons regulate these different aspects of learning and memory. Previous work has demonstrated that subpopulations of LC noradrenergic cells innervate specific brain regions suggesting heterogeneity of function in LC neurons. Furthermore, noradrenaline in mPFC and amygdala has distinct effects on emotional learning and cognitive flexibility. Finally, neural recording data show that LC neurons respond during associative learning and when previously learned task contingencies change. Together, these studies suggest a working model in which distinct and potentially opposing subsets of LC neurons modulate particular learning functions through restricted efferent connectivity with amygdala or mPFC. This type of model may provide a general framework for understanding other neuromodulatory systems, which also exhibit cell type heterogeneity and projection specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira Uematsu
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Laboratory for Neural Circuitry of Memory, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Bao Zhen Tan
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Laboratory for Neural Circuitry of Memory, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Joshua P Johansen
- RIKEN Brain Science Institute, Laboratory for Neural Circuitry of Memory, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
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13
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Impaired flexibility in decision making in rats after administration of the pharmacological stressor yohimbine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:3941-52. [PMID: 24647923 PMCID: PMC4345043 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3529-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2013] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Stress-induced disruption of decision making has been hypothesized to contribute to drug-seeking behaviors and addiction. Noradrenergic signaling plays a central role in mediating stress responses. However, the effects of acute stress on decision making, and the role of noradrenergic signaling in regulating these effects, have not been well characterized. OBJECTIVE To characterize changes in decision making caused by acute pharmacological stress, the effects of yohimbine (an α2-adrenergic antagonist) were examined in a delay discounting task. Noradrenergic contributions to decision making were further characterized by examining the effects of propranolol (a β antagonist), prazosin (an α1 antagonist), and guanfacine (an α2 agonist). METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats were administered drugs prior to performance on a delay discounting task, in which the delay preceding the large reward increased within each session (ascending delays). To dissociate drug-induced changes in delay sensitivity from behavioral inflexibility, drug effects were subsequently tested in a modified version of the discounting task, in which the delay preceding the large reward decreased within each session (descending delays). RESULTS Yohimbine increased choice of the large reward when tested with ascending delays but decreased choice of the same large reward when tested with descending delays, suggesting that drug effects could be attributed to perseverative choice of the lever preferred at the beginning of the session. Propranolol increased choice of the large reward when tested with ascending delays. Prazosin and guanfacine had no effect on reward choice. CONCLUSIONS The stress-like effects of yohimbine administration may impair decision making by causing inflexible, perseverative behavior.
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Puig MV, Miller EK. Neural Substrates of Dopamine D2 Receptor Modulated Executive Functions in the Monkey Prefrontal Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2014; 25:2980-7. [PMID: 24814093 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhu096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) play a major role in cognition, mood and motor movements. Their blockade by antipsychotic drugs reduces hallucinatory and delusional behaviors in schizophrenia, but often fails to alleviate affective and cognitive dysfunctions. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) expresses D2R and is altered in schizophrenia. We investigated how D2R modulate behavior and PFC function in monkeys. Two monkeys learned new and performed highly familiar visuomotor associations, where each cue was associated with a saccade to a right or left target. We recorded neural spikes and local field potentials from multiple electrodes while injecting the D2R antagonist eticlopride in the lateral PFC. Blocking prefrontal D2R impaired associative learning and cognitive flexibility, reduced motivation, but left the performance of familiar associations intact. Eticlopride reduced saccade-direction selectivity of prefrontal neurons, leading to a decrease in neural information about the associations, and an increase in alpha oscillations. These results, together with our recent study using a D1R antagonist, suggest that D1R and D2R in the primate lateral PFC cooperate to modulate several executive functions. Our findings help to gain insight into why antipsychotic drugs, with strong antagonistic actions on D2R, fail to ameliorate cognitive and emotional deficits in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Victoria Puig
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Earl K Miller
- The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
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Harris MA, Wolbers T. How age-related strategy switching deficits affect wayfinding in complex environments. Neurobiol Aging 2014; 35:1095-102. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.10.086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2013] [Revised: 09/27/2013] [Accepted: 10/17/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Stanis JJ, Andersen SL. Reducing substance use during adolescence: a translational framework for prevention. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1437-53. [PMID: 24464527 PMCID: PMC3969413 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-013-3393-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 11/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Most substance use is initiated during adolescence when substantial development of relevant brain circuitry is still rapidly maturing. Developmental differences in reward processing, behavioral flexibility, and self-regulation lead to changes in resilience or vulnerability to drugs of abuse depending on exposure to risk factors. Intervention and prevention approaches to reducing addiction in teens may be able to capitalize on malleable brain systems in a predictable manner. OBJECTIVE This review will highlight what is known about how factors that increase vulnerability to addiction, including developmental stage, exposure to early life adversity (ranging from abuse, neglect, and bullying), drug exposure, and genetic predisposition, impact the development of relevant systems. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Appropriate, early intervention may restore the normal course of an abnormal trajectory and reduce the likelihood of developing a substance use disorder (SUD) later in life. A considerable amount is known about the functional neuroanatomy and/or pharmacology of risky behaviors based on clinical and preclinical studies, but relatively little has been directly translated to reduce their impact on addiction in high-risk children or teenagers. An opportunity exists to effectively intervene before adolescence when substance use is likely to emerge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Stanis
- Laboratory of Developmental Neuropharmacology, McLean Hospital and Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Mailstop 333, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
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Horst NK, Laubach M. Reward-related activity in the medial prefrontal cortex is driven by consumption. Front Neurosci 2013; 7:56. [PMID: 23596384 PMCID: PMC3622888 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2013.00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Accepted: 03/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
An emerging literature suggests that the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is crucial for the ability to track behavioral outcomes over time and has a critical role in successful foraging. Here, we examine this issue by analyzing changes in neuronal spike activity and local field potentials in the rat mPFC in relation to the consumption of rewarding stimuli. Using multi-electrode recording methods, we simultaneously recorded from ensembles of neurons and field potentials in the mPFC during the performance of an operant-delayed alternation task and a variable-interval licking procedure. In both tasks, we found that consummatory behavior (licking) activates many mPFC neurons and is associated with theta-band phase locking by mPFC field potentials. Many neurons that were modulated by the delivery of reward were also modulated when rats emitted bouts of licks during the period of consumption. The majority of these licking-modulated neurons were found in the rostral part of the prelimbic cortex, a region that is heavily interconnected with the gustatory insular cortex and projects to subcortical feeding-related centers. Based on the tight coupling between spike activity, theta-band phase locking, and licking behavior, we suggest that reward-related activity in the mPFC is driven by consummatory behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole K. Horst
- The John B. Pierce LaboratoryNew Haven, CT, USA
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of MedicineNew Haven, CT, USA
| | - Mark Laubach
- The John B. Pierce LaboratoryNew Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of MedicineNew Haven, CT, USA
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Hertz L, Xu J, Song D, Du T, Yan E, Peng L. Brain glycogenolysis, adrenoceptors, pyruvate carboxylase, Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and Marie E. Gibbs' pioneering learning studies. Front Integr Neurosci 2013; 7:20. [PMID: 23565080 PMCID: PMC3615183 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2013.00020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Accepted: 03/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The involvement of glycogenolysis, occurring in astrocytes but not in neurons, in learning is undisputed (Duran et al., 2013). According to one school of thought the role of astrocytes for learning is restricted to supply of substrate for neuronal oxidative metabolism. The present "perspective" suggests a more comprehensive and complex role, made possible by lack of glycogen degradation, unless specifically induced by either (1) activation of astrocytic receptors, perhaps especially β-adrenergic or (2) even small increases in extracellular K(+) concentration above its normal resting level. It discusses (1) the known importance of glycogenolysis for glutamate formation, requiring pyruvate carboxylation; (2) the established role of K(+)-stimulated glycogenolysis for K(+) uptake in cultured astrocytes, which probably indicates that astrocytes are an integral part of cellular K(+) homeostasis in the brain in vivo; and (3) the plausible role of transmitter-induced glycogenolysis, stimulating Na(+),K(+)-ATPase/NKCC1 activity and thereby contributing both to the post-excitatory undershoot in extracellular K(+) concentration and the memory-enhancing effect of transmitter-mediated reduction of slow neuronal afterhyperpolarization (sAHP).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Liang Peng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, China Medical UniversityShenyang, People's Republic of China
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