1
|
Ali DN, Ali HM, Lopez MR, Kang S, Choi DS. Astrocytic GABAergic Regulation in Alcohol Use and Major Depressive Disorders. Cells 2024; 13:318. [PMID: 38391931 PMCID: PMC10887002 DOI: 10.3390/cells13040318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS). Most GABAergic neurons synthesize GABA from glutamate and release it in the synaptic cleft in the CNS. However, astrocytes can also synthesize and release GABA, activating GABA receptors in the neighboring neurons in physiological and pathological conditions. As the primary homeostatic glial cells in the brain, astrocytes play a crucial role in regulating GABA homeostasis and synaptic neurotransmission. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that astrocytic GABA dysregulation is implicated in psychiatric disorders, including alcohol use disorder (AUD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), the most prevalent co-occurring psychiatric disorders. Several current medications and emerging pharmacological agents targeting GABA levels are in clinical trials for treating AUD and MDD. This review offers a concise summary of the role of astrocytic GABA regulation in AUD and MDD. We also provide an overview of the current understanding and areas of debate regarding the mechanisms by which astrocytes regulate GABA in the CNS and their potential significance in the molecular basis of AUD and MDD, paving the way toward future research directions and potential therapeutic target areas within this field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dina N. Ali
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.N.A.); (H.M.A.); (M.R.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Hossam M. Ali
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.N.A.); (H.M.A.); (M.R.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Matthew R. Lopez
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.N.A.); (H.M.A.); (M.R.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Shinwoo Kang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.N.A.); (H.M.A.); (M.R.L.); (S.K.)
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (D.N.A.); (H.M.A.); (M.R.L.); (S.K.)
- Neuroscience Program, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Rasool AE, Furlong T, Prasad AA. Microglia activity in the human basal ganglia is altered in alcohol use disorder and reversed with remission from alcohol. Addict Biol 2024; 29:e13374. [PMID: 38380734 PMCID: PMC10898843 DOI: 10.1111/adb.13374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by cycles of abuse, withdrawal, and relapse. Neuroadaptations in the basal ganglia are observed in AUD; specifically in the putamen, globus pallidus (GP), and ventral pallidum (VP). These regions are associated with habit formation, drug-seeking behaviors, and reward processing. While previous studies have shown the crucial role of glial cells in drug seeking, it remains unknown whether glial cells in the basal ganglia are altered in AUD. Glial cells in the putamen, GP, and VP were examined in human post-mortem tissue of AUD and alcohol remission cases. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze cell count, staining intensity, and morphology of microglia and astrocytes, using markers Iba-1 and GFAP. Morphological analysis revealed a significant decrease in microglia cell size and process retraction, indicating activation or a dystrophic microglia phenotype in individuals with AUD compared to controls. Microglia staining intensity was also higher in the GP and VP in AUD cases, whereas microglia staining intensity and cell size in remission cases were not different to control cases. In contrast, no astrocyte changes were observed in examined brain regions for both AUD and remission cases compared to controls. These results suggest alcohol exposure alters microglia, potentially contributing to dysfunctions in the basal ganglia that maintain addiction, and abstinence from alcohol may reverse microglia changes and associated dysfunctions. Overall, this study further characterizes AUD neuropathology and implicates microglia in the putamen, GP, and VP as a potential target for therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ameer Elena Rasool
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and HealthUniversity of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Teri Furlong
- School of MedicineUniversity of New SouthSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Asheeta A. Prasad
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and HealthUniversity of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
- School of PsychologyUniversity of New SouthSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hanna C, Yao R, Sajjad M, Gold M, Blum K, Thanos PK. Exercise Modifies the Brain Metabolic Response to Chronic Cocaine Exposure Inhibiting the Stria Terminalis. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1705. [PMID: 38137153 PMCID: PMC10742065 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13121705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
It is well known that exercise promotes health and wellness, both mentally and physiologically. It has been shown to play a protective role in many diseases, including cardiovascular, neurological, and psychiatric diseases. The present study examined the effects of aerobic exercise on brain glucose metabolic activity in response to chronic cocaine exposure in female Lewis rats. Rats were divided into exercise and sedentary groups. Exercised rats underwent treadmill running for six weeks and were compared to the sedentary rats. Using positron emission tomography (PET) and [18F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), metabolic changes in distinct brain regions were observed when comparing cocaine-exposed exercised rats to cocaine-exposed sedentary rats. This included activation of the secondary visual cortex and inhibition in the cerebellum, stria terminalis, thalamus, caudate putamen, and primary somatosensory cortex. The functional network of this brain circuit is involved in sensory processing, fear and stress responses, reward/addiction, and movement. These results show that chronic exercise can alter the brain metabolic response to cocaine treatment in regions associated with emotion, behavior, and the brain reward cascade. This supports previous findings of the potential for aerobic exercise to alter the brain's response to drugs of abuse, providing targets for future investigation. These results can provide insights into the fields of exercise neuroscience, psychiatry, and addiction research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Colin Hanna
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Rutao Yao
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Munawwar Sajjad
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Mark Gold
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kenneth Blum
- Division of Addiction Research and Education, Center for Sports, Exercise and Global Mental Health, Western University Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Panayotis K. Thanos
- Behavioral Neuropharmacology and Neuroimaging Laboratory on Addictions, Clinical Research Institute on Addictions, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Jacob School of Medicine and Biosciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
- Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Baker M, Kang S, Hong SI, Song M, Yang MA, Peyton L, Essa H, Lee SW, Choi DS. External globus pallidus input to the dorsal striatum regulates habitual seeking behavior in male mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4085. [PMID: 37438336 PMCID: PMC10338526 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39545-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The external globus pallidus (GPe) coordinates action-selection through GABAergic projections throughout the basal ganglia. GPe arkypallidal (arky) neurons project exclusively to the dorsal striatum, which regulates goal-directed and habitual seeking. However, the role of GPe arky neurons in reward-seeking remains unknown. Here, we identified that a majority of arky neurons target the dorsolateral striatum (DLS). Using fiber photometry, we found that arky activities were higher during random interval (RI; habit) compared to random ratio (RR; goal) operant conditioning. Support vector machine analysis demonstrated that arky neuron activities have sufficient information to distinguish between RR and RI behavior. Genetic ablation of this arkyGPe→DLS circuit facilitated a shift from goal-directed to habitual behavior. Conversely, chemogenetic activation globally reduced seeking behaviors, which was blocked by systemic D1R agonism. Our findings reveal a role of this arkyGPe→DLS circuit in constraining habitual seeking in male mice, which is relevant to addictive behaviors and other compulsive disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Baker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Seungwoo Kang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA
| | - Sa-Ik Hong
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Minryung Song
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsu Abel Yang
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Lee Peyton
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Hesham Essa
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA
| | - Sang Wan Lee
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
- Neuroscience Program, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kang S, Hong SI, Kang S, Song M, Yang MA, Essa H, Baker M, Lee J, Bruce RA, Lee SW, Choi DS. Astrocyte activities in the external globus pallidus regulate action-selection strategies in reward-seeking behaviors. Sci Adv 2023; 9:eadh9239. [PMID: 37327345 PMCID: PMC10275597 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh9239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
An imbalance in goal-directed and habitual behavioral control is a hallmark of decision-making-related disorders, including addiction. Although external globus pallidus (GPe) is critical for action selection, which harbors enriched astrocytes, the role of GPe astrocytes involved in action-selection strategies remained unknown. Using in vivo calcium signaling with fiber photometry, we found substantially attenuated GPe astrocytic activity during habitual learning compared to goal-directed learning. The support vector machine analysis predicted the behavioral outcomes. Chemogenetic activation of the astrocytes or inhibition of GPe pan-neuronal activities facilitates the transition from habit to goal-directed reward-seeking behavior. Next, we found increased astrocyte-specific GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) transporter type 3 (GAT3) messenger RNA expression during habit learning. Notably, the pharmacological inhibition of GAT3 occluded astrocyte activation-induced transition from habitual to goal-directed behavior. On the other hand, attentional stimuli shifted the habit to goal-directed behaviors. Our findings suggest that the GPe astrocytes regulate the action selection strategy and behavioral flexibility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shinwoo Kang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Sa-Ik Hong
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Seungwoo Kang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Minryung Song
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Minsu Abel Yang
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Program of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Hesham Essa
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Matthew Baker
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Jeyeon Lee
- Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Robert A. Bruce
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Sang Wan Lee
- Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Doo-Sup Choi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
- Neuroscience Program, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, Rochester, MN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Li G, Li Y, Zhang Z, Chen Y, Li B, Hao D, Yang L, Yang Y, Li X, Li CSR. Sex differences in externalizing and internalizing traits and ventral striatal responses to monetary loss. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 162:11-20. [PMID: 37062201 PMCID: PMC10225357 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.04.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Ventral striatum (VS) processes rewarding and punishing stimuli. Women and men vary in externalizing and internalizing traits, which may influence neural responses to reward and punishment. To investigate sex differences in how individual traits influence VS responses to reward and punishment, we curated the data of the Human Connectome Project and identified 981 (473 men) subjects evaluated by the Achenbach Adult Self-Report Syndrome Scales. We processed the imaging data with published routines and extracted VS response (β) to win and to loss vs. baseline in a gambling task for correlation with externalizing and internalizing symptom severity. Men vs. women showed more severe externalizing symptoms and higher VS response to monetary losses (VS-loss β) but not to wins. Men but not women showed a significant, positive correlation between VS-loss β and externalizing traits, and the sex difference was confirmed by a slope test. The correlations of VS-loss vs. externalizing and of VS-win vs. externalizing and those of VS-loss vs. externalizing and of VS-loss vs. internalizing traits both differed significantly in slope, confirming its specificity, in men. Further, the sex-specific relationship between VS-loss β and externalizing trait did not extend to activities during exposure to negative emotion in the face matching task. To conclude, VS responses to loss but not to win and their correlation with externalizing rather than internalizing symptom severity showed sex differences in young adults. The findings highlight the relationship of externalizing traits and VS response to monetary loss and may have implications for psychological models of externalizing behaviors in men.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guangfei Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China.
| | - Yashuang Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bao Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Dongmei Hao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Yimin Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Xuwen Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China; Beijing International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Intelligent Physiological Measurement and Clinical Transformation, Beijing, China
| | - Chiang-Shan R Li
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Thiele TE, Roberto M. Neurocircuitry Modulating Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Preface. Neuropharmacology 2022; 217:109200. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
|