Raphe-Hippocampal Serotonin Neurotransmission In The Sex Related Differences of Adaptation to Stress: Focus on Serotonin-1A Receptor

Serotonin Signaling in Hippocampus during Initial Cocaine Abstinence Drives Persistent Drug Seeking

The initiation of abstinence after chronic drug self-administration is stressful. Cocaine-seeking behavior on the first day of the absence of the expected drug (Extinction Day 1, ED1) is reduced by blocking 5-HT signaling in dorsal hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) in both male and female rats. We hypothesized that the experience of ED1 can substantially influence later relapse behavior and that dorsal raphe (DR) serotonin (5-HT) input to CA1 may be involved. We inhibited 5-HT1A/1B receptors (WAY-100635 plus GR-127935), or DR input (chemogenetics), in CA1 on ED1 to test the role of this pathway on cocaine-seeking persistence 2 weeks later. We also inhibited 5-HT1A or 5-HT1B receptors in CA1 during conditioned place preference (CPP) for cocaine, to examine mechanisms involved in the persistent effects of ED1 manipulations. Inhibition of DR inputs, or 5-HT1A/1B signaling, in CA1 decreased drug seeking on ED1 and decreased cocaine seeking 2 weeks later revealing that 5-HT signaling in CA1 during ED1 contributes to persistent drug seeking during abstinence. In addition, 5-HT1B antagonism alone transiently decreased drug-associated memory performance when given prior to a CPP test, whereas similar antagonism of 5-HT1A alone had no such effect but blocked CPP retrieval on a test 24 h later. These CPP findings are consistent with prior work showing that DR inputs to CA1 augment recall of the drug-associated context and drug seeking via 5-HT1B receptors and prevent consolidation of the updated nondrug context via 5-HT1A receptors. Thus, treatments that modulate 5-HT-dependent memory mechanisms in CA1 during initial abstinence may facilitate later maintenance of abstinence.

Elevated Plasma Tryptophan in Patients with Anorexia Nervosa Compared with Hypotrophic Controls

Introduction

We hypothesized that anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with pathological amino acid metabolism. This study aimed to identify amino acids exhibiting abnormal metabolism in patients with AN compared with those in low-nutrient controls.

Methods

This was a single-center, retrospective, observational study that compared patients with AN with a low-nutrient control group. All participants were admitted to the Kitasato University Hospital Emergency Center between January 1, 2018, and January 31, 2021. Both the AN and low-nutrient control groups had five patients each. Plasma amino acid category testing was conducted at the same institution for both groups. Patient sex, age, height, weight, and comorbidities were retrospectively extracted. Plasma amino acid fractions, total amino acids, total essential amino acids, total nonessential amino acids, branched-chain amino acids (sum of valine, isoleucine, and leucine), and amino acid concentrations and ratios were compared between the two groups. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test.

Results

Body mass index was lower in the AN group (p = 0.00794). Tryptophan levels were significantly higher in the AN group (p = 0.00794). Other amino acid values, the sum of amino acid values, and amino acid ratios were not significantly different between both groups.

Conclusions

Serum tryptophan levels were higher in the AN group than in the low-nutrient group, and AN may be associated with abnormal amino acid metabolism.

Nutritional importance of tryptophan for improving treatment in depression and diabetes

The importance of nutrients in our diet is becoming increasingly recognized. From the viewpoint of protein synthesis and other physiologic and metabolic functions, all amino acids are important, but some of these amino acids are not synthesized endogenously. This subset, called essential amino acids, comprise dietarily indispensable nutrients. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is the sole precursor of neuronal as well as peripheral serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine). Its systemic or oral administration increases serotonin synthesis because tryptophan hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme of 5-hydroxytryptamine biosynthesis, is physiologically unsaturated with its substrate. Central serotonin is implicated in a number of psychiatric illnesses, including depression, and in responses to stress. Acting peripherally, serotonin affects vasoconstriction, intestinal motility, control of T cell–mediated immunity, and liver and pancreatic functions. Depression and diabetes are 2 highly prevalent diseases that often coexist. There is evidence that occurrence of depression is 2–3 times higher in people with diabetes mellitus. A comorbid condition of diabetes and depression worsens the treatment and increases risk for death. Stress, known for its causal role in depression, can also enhance risk for diabetes. Stress-induced decreases in the circulating levels of tryptophan can impair brain and pancreatic serotonin-dependent functions to precipitate these diseases. The importance of tryptophan supplementation for improving therapeutic intervention in depression and diabetes is the focus of this article. A deficiency of this essential amino acid may enhance risk for depression as well as diabetes, and can also weaken treatment efficacy of medicinal compounds for treating these diseases. Guidelines for optimal levels of circulating tryptophan can help if supplements of this amino acid can improve treatment efficacy.

Cellular and serotonergic correlates of habituated neuroendocrine responses in male and female rats

Male and females appear equally capable of showing habituated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis output responses to repeated exposures of the same challenge. Whether this reflects, within males and females, common mechanisms of decreased neuronal activity within stress responding, afferents to the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH), the final common pathway to the HPA axis, has not been examined. Here we compared in adult male and female rats the extent to which declines in HPA axis responses to repeated restraint are met by habituated cellular (Fos) responses, in addition to changes in serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) expression and signaling, which normally stimulates the HPA axis. Thus, alterations in this component of HPA axis drive could provide an underlying basis for sex differences in adaptive responses. Males and females showed reliable declines in ACTH and corticosterone responses after 10 daily episodes of repeated restraint, recapitulated, in largest part, by similar regional patterns of Fos habituation, including within the PVH, several stress sensitive cell groups of the limbic forebrain, as well as within the raphe nucleus. Serotonin staining in the dorsal raphe and terminal profiles in the forebrain continued to reflect a higher pre-synaptic capacity for the 5-HT system in females. The sexual dimorphism encountered within the lateral septum and medial preoptic area of control animals was less distinguished in the repeat condition, however, whereas 5-HT varicosities in the PVH increased after repeated restraint only in females. Relative to their singly restrained counterparts, males displayed an increase in 5-HT 1 A receptor expression in the raphe nucleus after repeated restraint, whereas females showed a decrease in 5-HT 1 A mRNA levels in the hippocampus and in the zona incerta, representing the most proximal of cell groups expressing the 5-HT 1 A receptor in the vicinity of the PVH. In conclusion, similar regional profiles of cellular habituation in males and females suggest common CNS substrates of neuroendocrine adaptation. However, this process may be met by underlying sex differences in serotonergic control, given the respective roles for pre- and postsynaptic 5-HT 1 A receptors in mediating serotonin availability and signal transfer.

Large-scale network dynamics in neural response to emotionally negative stimuli linked to serotonin 1A binding in major depressive disorder

Serotonergic dysfunction is implicated in major depressive disorder (MDD), but the mechanisms of this relationship remain elusive. Serotonin 1A (5-HT_1A) autoreceptors regulate brain-wide serotonin neuron firing and are positioned to assert large-scale effects on negative emotion. Here we investigated the relationship between raphe 5-HT_1A binding and brain-wide network dynamics of negative emotion. 22 healthy-volunteers (HV) and 27 medication-free participants with MDD underwent positron emission tomography (PET) using [¹¹C]CUMI-101 (CUMI) to quantify 5-HT_1A binding in midbrain raphe nuclei and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning during emotionally negative picture viewing. Causal connectivity across regions responsive to negative emotion was estimated in the fMRI data using a multivariate dynamical systems model. During negative picture viewing, MDD subjects demonstrated significant hippocampal inhibition of amygdala, basal-ganglia, thalamus, orbital frontal cortex, inferior frontal gyrus and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (IFG, dmPFC). MDD-related connectivity was not associated with raphe 5-HT_1A binding. However, greater hippocampal inhibition of amygdala, thalamus, IFG and dmPFC correlated with hippocampal 5-HT_1A binding. Correlation between hippocampal 5-HT_1A binding and the hippocampal inhibition network was specific to MDD but not HV. MDD and HV groups also differed with respect to the correlation between raphe and hippocampal 5-HT_1A binding which was more pronounced in HV. These findings suggest that increased hippocampal network inhibition in MDD is linked to hippocampal serotonergic dysfunction which may in turn arise from disrupted linkage in raphe to hippocampus serotonergic circuitry.

Sexual dimorphism in pre-clinical studies of depression

Although there is a sex bias in the pathological mechanisms exhibited by brain disorders, investigation of the female brain in biomedical science has long been neglected. Use of the male model has generally been the preferred option as the female animal model exhibits both biological variability and hormonal fluctuations. Existing studies that compare behavioral and/or molecular alterations in animal models of brain diseases are generally underrepresented, and most utilize the male model. Nevertheless, in recent years there has been a trend toward the increased inclusion of females in brain studies. However, current knowledge regarding sex-based differences in depression and stress-related disorders is limited. This can be improved by reviewing preclinical studies that highlight sex differences in depression. This paper therefore presents a review of sex-based preclinical studies of depression. These shed light on the discrepancies between males and females regarding the biological mechanisms that underpin mechanistic alterations in the diseased brain. This review also highlights the conclusions drawn by preclinical studies to advance our understanding of mood disorders, encouraging researchers to promote ways of investigating and managing sexually dimorphic disorders.

Targeting Serotonin1A Receptors for Treating Chronic Pain and Depression

The association of chronic pain with depression is becoming increasingly recognized. Treating both the conditions together is essential for an effective treatment outcome. In this regard, it is important to identify a shared mechanism involved in the association of chronic pain with depression. Central serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) neurotransmission has long been known to participate in the processing of signals related to pain. It also plays a key role in the pathogenesis and treatment of depression. Although functional responses to serotonin are mediated via the activation of multiple receptor types and subtypes, the 5-HT1A subtype is involved in the processing of nociception as well as the pathogenesis and treatment of depression. This receptor is located presynaptically, as an autoreceptor, on the perikaryon and dendritic spines of serotonin-containing neurons. It is also expressed as a heteroreceptor on neurons receiving input from serotonergic neurons. This arti-cle targets the 5-HT1A receptors to show that indiscriminate activation of pre and postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors is likely to produce no therapeutic benefits; biased activation of the 5-HT heteroreceptors may be a useful strategy for treating chronic pain and depression individually as well as in a comorbid condition.

Circulating leptin, cortisol and gender differences associated with anorexia or obesity in depression

Objectives: To assess the role of circulating cortisol and leptin in depression associated with anorexia or obesity.Methods: Two hundred and fifty depressed patients presenting to the outpatient clinic of a psychiatric hospital and 250 non-depressed healthy volunteers were included in the study. The subjects of both groups were sub-grouped based upon their gender and BMI. Serum cortisol and leptin were determined by using respective ELISA kits.Results: The number of depressed than non-depressed subjects was three-fold higher in obese BMI groups of both genders. There were more depressed than non-depressed subjects in the underweight male BMI groups and in the overweight female BMI groups. There was a BMI-related increase in serum leptin and a decrease in serum cortisol in both genders. Depression in underweight BMI groups of both genders was associated with a decrease in serum leptin and an increase in cortisol. Higher serum leptin in obese BMI group was associated with a decrease in serum cortisol.Conclusions: Obesity is a risk factor for depression. The shift from typical to atypical depression is due to an inhibitory effect of higher circulating leptin on HPA axis activity and subsequent decrease in the lipolytic effects of cortisol.

Rosuvastatin improves olanzapine's effects on behavioral impairment and hippocampal, hepatic and metabolic damages in isolated reared male rats

BACKGROUND & AIM

Schizophrenia is a chronic, disabling neurological illness. This study investigated the effect of rosuvastatin (RSU) addition to the antipsychotic drug: olanzapine (OLZ) in treatment of post-weaning isolation rearing (IR) damaging effect and assessed behavioral impairment, metabolic and hepatic abnormalities, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers.

METHODS

Treatment with OLZ (6 mg/kg, P.O.) and/or RSU (10 mg/kg, I.P.) have been started 6 weeks after isolation. We assessed behavioral tests, serum cortisol level, and hippocampal content of neurotransmitters. In addition, we assessed histopathology, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers of hippocampus, liver and adipose tissue RESULTS: Treatment of IR animals with OLZ, and/or RSU significantly counteracted the changes in hippocampus, liver and adipose tissue induced by post-weaning IR. Co-treatment of IR rats with both OLZ and RSU showed additive effects in some areas like improving both tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) in both hippocampus and liver, histopathology of liver, oxidative stress markers of adipose tissue, β₃ adrenergic receptors (ADRβ₃), serum cortisol and total cholesterol. In addition, RSU alone alleviated the damage of IR rats by the same efficacy as OLZ with more benefit in cognition and exploration.

CONCLUSION

post-weaning IR as a model has behavioral, hippocampal, hepatic and marked metabolic changes more relevant to schizophrenia than drug-induced models. These effects were ameliorated by RSU and/or OLZ that are explained by their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress and anti-hyperlipidemic properties. Interestingly, co-treatment with both drugs showed a better effect.

Role of Estradiol in the Expression of Genes Involved in Serotonin Neurotransmission: Implications for Female Depression

BACKGROUND

In women, changes in estrogen levels may increase the incidence and/or symptomatology of depression and affect the response to antidepressant treatments. Estrogen therapy in females may provide some mood benefits as a single treatment or might augment clinical response to antidepressants that inhibit serotonin reuptake.

OBJECTIVE

We analyzed the mechanisms of estradiol action involved in the regulation of gene expression that modulates serotonin neurotransmission implicated in depression.

METHOD

Publications were identified by a literature search on PubMed.

RESULTS

The participation of estradiol in depression may include regulation of the expression of tryptophan hydroxylase-2, monoamine oxidase A and B, serotonin transporter and serotonin-1A receptor. This effect is mediated by estradiol binding to intracellular estrogen receptor that interacts with estrogen response elements in the promoter sequences of tryptophan hydroxylase-2, serotonin transporter and monoamine oxidase-B. In addition to directly binding deoxyribonucleic acid, estrogen receptor can tether to other transcription factors, including activator protein 1, specificity protein 1, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein β and nuclear factor kappa B to regulate gene promoters that lack estrogen response elements, such as monoamine oxidase-A and serotonin 1A receptor.

CONCLUSION

Estradiol increases tryptophan hydroxylase-2 and serotonin transporter expression and decreases the expression of serotonin 1A receptor and monoamine oxidase A and B through the interaction with its intracellular receptors. The understanding of molecular mechanisms of estradiol regulation on the protein expression that modulates serotonin neurotransmission will be helpful for the development of new and more effective treatment for women with depression.

Limited effects of early life manipulations on sex-specific gene expression and behavior in adulthood

Exposure to childhood adversity is associated with increased vulnerability to stress-related disorders in adulthood which has been replicated in rodent stress models, whereas environmental enrichment has been suggested to have beneficial effects. However, the exact neurobiological mechanisms underlying these environment influences on adult brain and behavior are not well understood. Therefore, we investigated the long-term effects of maternal separation (MS) or environmental enrichment (EE) in male and female CD1 mice. We found clear sex-specific effects, but limited influence of environmental manipulations, on adult behavior, fecal corticosterone metabolite (FCM) levels and stress- and plasticity related gene expression in discrete brain regions. In detail, adult females displayed higher locomotor activity and FCM levels compared to males and EE resulted in attenuation in both measures, but only in females. There were no sex- or postnatal manipulation-dependent differences in anxiety-related behaviors in either sex. Gene expression analyses revealed that adult males showed higher Fkbp5 mRNA levels in hippocampus, hypothalamus and raphe nuclei, and higher hippocampal Nos1 levels. Interestingly, MS elevated Nos1 levels in hippocampus but reduced Fkbp5 expression in hypothalamus of males. Finally, we also found higher Maoa expression in the hypothalamus of adult females, however no differences were observed in the expression levels of Bdnf, Crhr1, Nr3c1 and Htr1a. Our findings further contribute to sex-dependent differences in behavior, corticosterone and gene expression and reveal that the effects of postnatal manipulations on these parameters in outbred CD1 mice are limited.

Hippocampal BDNF in physiological conditions and social isolation

Exposure of an organism to chronic psychosocial stress may affect brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression that has been implicated in the etiology of psychiatric disorders, such as depression. Given that depression in humans has been linked with social stress, the chronic social stress paradigms for modeling psychiatric disorders in animals have thus been developed. Chronic social isolation in animal models generally causes changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning, associated with anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors. Also, this chronic stress causes downregulation of BDNF protein and mRNA in the hippocampus, a stress-sensitive brain region closely related to the pathophysiology of depression. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding the structure, function, intracellular signaling, inter-individual differences and epigenetic regulation of BDNF in both physiological conditions and depression and changes in corticosterone levels, as a marker of stress response. Since BDNF levels are age dependent in humans and rodents, this review will also highlight the effects of adolescent and adult chronic social isolation models of both genders on the BDNF expression.

Fasting leptin and glucose in normal weight, over weight and obese men and women diabetes patients with and without clinical depression

A large number of diabetes patients suffer from major depression and are at high risk of mortality. In view of a role of leptin in diabetes, depression and energy homeostasis, the present study concerns circulating levels of leptin in different BMI groups of un-depressed and depressed diabetes patients. Six hundred thirty male and female patients with a primary diagnosis of diabetes were grouped according to BMI and with or without clinical symptoms of depression. Age matched healthy, normal weight male and female volunteers without clinical symptoms of depression or diabetes were taken as controls. Blood samples were obtained after an overnight fast of 12 h. Serum was stored for the determination of leptin and glucose. We found that there were more female than male diabetes patients with comorbid depression. Fasting leptin was higher in normal weight non-diabetes women than men; but comparable in normal weight men and women diabetes patients. Fasting glucose levels were higher in diabetes than non diabetes groups; values were comparable in men and women. Depression was associated with a decrease and increase in leptin respectively in normal-overweight and obese men and women diabetes patients. Glucose levels were also higher in obese depressed than un-depressed diabetes patients. The results suggested that the female gender is at greater risk to comorbid diabetes with depression. Adipo-insular axis plays an important role in diabetes, associated depression and in the greater risk of the female gender to comorbid diabetes with depression.

Improving therapeutics in anorexia nervosa with tryptophan

A growing body of evidence suggests that our diet is an important contributing factor in the development, management and prevention of a number of psychiatric illnesses. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, is the sole precursor of neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin). Administration of tryptophan can boost serotonin neurotransmission to produce therapeutically important effects in serotonin deficiency disorders. Anorexia nervosa (AN) an eating disorder associated with high levels of psychiatric comorbidity including psychosis, hyperactivity, depression and anxiety has highest lethality of all psychiatric illnesses. Evidence suggests that excessive dieting and food restriction can decrease brain tryptophan and serotonin in AN patients to precipitate depression, psychosis and hyperactivity. There are currently no FDA approved pharmacological treatments available for AN patients; antidepressants and antipsychotics, largely used to treat associated psychiatric comorbidities are also not very effective. The aim of this non-systematic review article is to evaluate and document a potential importance of tryptophan supplementation in improving therapeutics in AN patients.

Neurobiological consequences of juvenile stress: A GABAergic perspective on risk and resilience

ALBRECHT, A., MÜLLER, I., ARDI, Z., ÇALIŞKAN, G., GRUBER, D., IVENS, S., SEGAL, M., BEHR, J., HEINEMANN, U., STORK, O., and RICHTER-LEVIN, G. Neurobiological consequences of juvenile stress: A GABAergic perspective on risk and resilience. NEUROSCI BIOBEHAV REV XXX-XXX, 2016.- Childhood adversity is among the most potent risk factors for developing mood and anxiety disorders later in life. Therefore, understanding how stress during childhood shapes and rewires the brain may optimize preventive and therapeutic strategies for these disorders. To this end, animal models of stress exposure in rodents during their post-weaning and pre-pubertal life phase have been developed. Such 'juvenile stress' has a long-lasting impact on mood and anxiety-like behavior and on stress coping in adulthood, accompanied by alterations of the GABAergic system within core regions for the stress processing such as the amygdala, prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. While many regionally diverse molecular and electrophysiological changes are observed, not all of them correlate with juvenile stress-induced behavioral disturbances. It rather seems that certain juvenile stress-induced alterations reflect the system's attempts to maintain homeostasis and thus promote stress resilience. Analysis tools such as individual behavioral profiling may allow the association of behavioral and neurobiological alterations more clearly and the dissection of alterations related to the pathology from those related to resilience.

Behavioral, hormonal and central serotonin modulating effects of injected leptin

Leptin is viewed as an important target for developing novel therapeutics for obesity, depression/anxiety and cognitive dysfunctions. The present study therefore concerns behavioral, hormonal and central serotonin modulating effects of systemically injected leptin. Pharmacological doses (100 and 500 μg/kg) of leptin injected systemically decreased 24h cumulative food intake and body weight in freely feeding rats and improved acquisition and retention of memory in Morris water maze test. Potential anxiety reducing, hormonal and serotonin modulating effects of the peptide hormone were determined in a separate experiment. Animals injected with 100 or 500 μg/kg leptin were tested for anxiety in an elevated plus maze test 1h later. A significant increase in the number of entries and time passed in open arm of the elevated plus maze in leptin injected animals suggested pronounced anxiety reducing effect. Moreover, circulating levels of leptin correlated significantly with anxiety reducing effects of the peptide hormone. Serum serotonin increased and ghrelin decreased in leptin injected animals and correlated, positively and negatively respectively, with circulating leptin. Corticosterone increased at low dose and levels were normal at higher dose. Serotonin metabolism in the hypothalamus and hippocampus decreased only at higher dose of leptin. The results support a role of leptin in the treatment of obesity, anxiety and cognitive dysfunctions. It is suggested that hormonal and serotonin modulating effects of leptin can alter treatment efficacy in particularly comorbid conditions.

Inhibition of apomorphine-induced behavioral sensitization in rats pretreated with fluoxetine

Despite a number of clinically useful effects, there is growing evidence that psychosis and impulse control disorders develop in patients on apomorphine therapy. Evidence suggests a critical role of serotonin-1A receptors in psychosis, drug abuse, and in the mechanism of action of the prototypical selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine. We investigated whether fluoxetine can prevent apomorphine-induced behavioral sensitization in a rat model of psychosis. Animals treated with fluoxetine (5 and 10 mg/kg) for 2 weeks were subsequently cotreated with apomorphine (1.0 mg/kg) for 7 days. A single injection of apomorphine increased motor activity, whereas repeated daily injections produced a progressive sensitization of motor behavior. The sensitization effects of apomorphine did not occur in fluoxetine-pretreated and subsequently cotreated animals. To further elucidate the mechanism involved in the inhibition of apomorphine sensitization in fluoxetine-treated animals, we found that apomorphine-induced motor behavior was much greater in repeated apomorphine-treated than repeated saline-treated animals. It was also greater in apomorphine and fluoxetine-cotreated animals, but not in animals pretreated and cotreated with fluoxetine. The mechanism involved in the inhibition of apomorphine sensitization in fluoxetine-pretreated animals is discussed. The findings introduce an innovative approach for extending the therapeutic use of apomorphine and classical psychostimulant drugs.

Serotonin and stress coping

Coping is the necessary outcome of any stressful situation and the major determinant of stress resilience. Coping strategies can be divided into two broad categories, based on the presence (active) or absence (passive) of attempts to act upon the stressor. The role of brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in coping behavior that is emerging from studies in animals and humans is the subject of this article. We have focused attention on studies that consider the coping behavior exhibited when the individual is faced with a new stressful experience. Coping styles characterize different species with different evolutionary histories, from fishes to mammals, and evidence shows that serotonin transmission in the central nervous system, with differences in transporter, receptor types and hormone or neurotransmitter influences is critical in determining coping behavior. Moreover, a major role of environmental challenges throughout the lifespan affects brain systems that control coping outcomes through 5-HT transmission. In particular early experiences, for their long-term effects in adulthood, and social experiences throughout the life span, for the effects on serotonin functioning, received attention in preclinical research because of their parallelism in humans and animals. Based on growing evidence pointing to a medial prefrontal cortex-amygdala system in mediating adaptive and maladaptive stress responses, we propose a brain circuit in which serotonin neurons in the dorsal raphe depending on the CRF (corticotropin releasing factor) regulatory action engage a prefrontal cortical-amygdala pathway through 5-HT1A receptors, GABA and Glutamate to moderate coping behavior.

Metaplastic regulation of the median raphe nucleus via serotonin 5-HT1A receptor on hippocampal synaptic plasticity is associated with gender-specific emotional expression in rats

Gender differences in psychiatric disorders are considered to be associated with the serotonergic (5-HTergic) system; however the underlying mechanisms have not been clearly elucidated. In this study, possible involvement of the median raphe nucleus (MRN)-hippocampus 5-HTergic system in gender-specific emotional regulation was investigated, focusing on synaptic plasticity in rats. A behavioral study using a contextual fear conditioning (CFC) paradigm showed that the females exhibited low anxiety-like behavior. Extracellular 5-HT levels in the hippocampus were increased by CFC only in the males. Long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal CA1 field was suppressed after CFC in the males, which was mimicked by the synaptic response to MRN electrical stimulation. In the MRN, 5-HT immunoreactive cells significantly increased in the females compared with those in the males. Pretreatment with the 5-HT1A receptor agonists tandospirone (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and 8-OH DPAT (3 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly suppressed LTP induction in the males. Synaptic responses to CFC and 5-HT1A receptor interventions were not observed in the females. These results suggest that the metaplastic 5-HTergic mechanism via 5-HT1A receptors in the MRN-hippocampus pathway is a key component for gender-specific emotional regulation and may be a cause of psychiatric disorders associated with vulnerability or resistance to emotional stress.

Prediction of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor response using diffusion-weighted MRI

Pre-treatment differences in serotonergic binding between those who remit to antidepressant treatment and those who do not have been found using Positron Emission Tomography (PET). To investigate these differences, an exploratory study was performed using a second imaging modality, diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI). Eighteen antidepressant-free subjects with Major Depressive Disorder received a 25-direction DW-MRI scan prior to 8 weeks of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment. Probabilistic tractography was performed between the midbrain/raphe and two target regions implicated in depression pathophysiology (amygdala and hippocampus). Average fractional anisotropy (FA) within the derived tracts was compared between SSRI remitters and non-remitters, and correlation between pre-treatment FA values and SSRI treatment outcome was assessed. Results indicate that average FA in DW-MRI-derived tracts to the right amygdala was significantly lower in non-remitters (0.55 ± 0.04) than remitters (0.61 ± 0.04, p < 0.01). In addition, there was a significant correlation between average FA in tracts to the right amygdala and SSRI treatment response. These relationships were found at a trend level when using the left amygdala as a tractography target. No significant differences were observed when using the hippocampus as target. These regional differences, consistent with previous PET findings, suggest that the integrity and/or number of white matter fibers terminating in the right amygdala may be compromised in SSRI non-remitters. Further, this study points to the benefits of multimodal imaging and suggests that DW-MRI may provide a pre-treatment signature of SSRI depression remission at 8 weeks.

Gender-specific effects of fluoxetine on hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation and behavior in chronically stressed rats

Chronic psychosocial isolation stress (CPSI) modulates glucocorticoid receptor (GR) functioning in Wistar male rat hippocampus (HIPPO) through alteration of nuclear GR phosphorylation and its upstream kinases signaling, which parallels animal depressive-like behavior. The current study investigated potential gender specificities regarding the effect of chronic therapy by an antidepressant fluoxetine (FLU) on GR signaling in HIPPO and depressive-like behavior in CPSI animals. FLU was administrated to female and male naïve or CPSI rats for 21 days and GR protein, its phosphorylation status and upstream kinases, as well as GR and BDNF mRNA were followed in HIPPO together with animal serum corticosterone (CORT) and depressive-like behavior. The results showed that CPSI increased immobility in males versus hyperactivity in females and disrupted nuclear pGR232-Cdk5 pathway and JNK signaling in a gender-specific way. In contrast, in both genders CPSI increased the nuclear levels of GR and pGR246 but decreased CORT and mRNA levels of GR and BDNF. Concomitant FLU normalized the depressive-like behavior and altered the nuclear pGR232-Cdk5 signaling in a gender-specific manner. In both females and males, FLU reversed the nuclear levels of GR and pGR246 without affecting CORT and GR mRNA levels. In contrast, FLU exhibited gender-specific effect on BDNF mRNA in CPSI animals, by increasing it in females, but not in males. In spite of normalization the total nuclear GR level upon FLU treatment in both gender, down-regulation of GR mRNA is possibly maintained through prevalence of pGR232 isoform only in males. The gender-specific alterations of pGR232-Cdk5 signaling and BDNF gene expression in HIPPO and normalization of depressive-like behavior upon FLU treatment distinguishes this signaling pathway as potential future antidepressant target for gender-specific therapy of stress related mood disorders.