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Hon OJ, DiBerto JF, Mazzone CM, Sugam J, Bloodgood DW, Hardaway JA, Husain M, Kendra A, McCall NM, Lopez AJ, Kash TL, Lowery-Gionta EG. Serotonin modulates an inhibitory input to the central amygdala from the ventral periaqueductal gray. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:2194-2204. [PMID: 35999277 PMCID: PMC9630515 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01392-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Fear is an adaptive state that drives defensive behavioral responses to specific and imminent threats. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is a critical site of adaptations that are required for the acquisition and expression of fear, in part due to alterations in the activity of inputs to the CeA. Here, we characterize a novel GABAergic input to the CeA from the ventral periaqueductal gray (vPAG) using fiber photometry and ex vivo whole-cell slice electrophysiology combined with optogenetics and pharmacology. GABA transmission from this ascending vPAG-CeA input was enhanced by serotonin via activation of serotonin type 2 C (5HT2C) receptors. Results suggest that these receptors are presynaptic. Interestingly, we found that GABA release from the vPAG-CeA input is enhanced following fear learning via activation of 5HT2C receptors and that this pathway is dynamically engaged in response to aversive stimuli. Additionally, we characterized serotonin release in the CeA during fear learning and recall for the first time using fiber photometry coupled to a serotonin biosensor. Together, these findings describe a mechanism by which serotonin modulates GABA release from ascending vPAG GABA inputs to the CeA and characterize a role for this pathway in fear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia J Hon
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey F DiBerto
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christopher M Mazzone
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan Sugam
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Daniel W Bloodgood
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - J Andrew Hardaway
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mariya Husain
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexis Kendra
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nora M McCall
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alberto J Lopez
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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2
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Swift KM, Thomas CL, Balkin TJ, Lowery-Gionta EG, Matson LM. Acute sleep interventions as an avenue for treatment of trauma-associated disorders. J Clin Sleep Med 2022; 18:2291-2312. [PMID: 35678060 PMCID: PMC9435330 DOI: 10.5664/jcsm.10074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Scientific evidence that acute, posttrauma sleep disturbances (eg, nightmares and insomnia) can contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of trauma-induced disorders is compelling. Sleep disturbances precipitating from trauma are uniquely predictive of daytime posttrauma symptom occurrence and severity, as well as subsequent onset of mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Conversely, adequate sleep during the acute posttrauma period is associated with reduced likelihood of adverse mental health outcomes. These findings, which are broadly consistent with what is known about the role of sleep in the regulation of emotion, suggest that the acute posttrauma period constitutes a "window of opportunity" during which treatment of sleep disturbances may be especially effective for preventing or mitigating progression of aberrant psychophysiological processes. At this point, the weight of the scientific evidence supporting this possibility warrants initiation of clinical trials to confirm the benefits of targeted prophylactic sleep enhancement, and to establish treatment guidelines as appropriate. CITATION Swift KM, Thomas CL, Balkin TJ, Lowery-Gionta EG, Matson LM. Acute sleep interventions as an avenue for treatment of trauma-associated disorders. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(9):2291-2312.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M. Swift
- Medical Readiness Systems Biology, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Connie L. Thomas
- Department of Sleep Medicine, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
- Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Thomas J. Balkin
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Emily G. Lowery-Gionta
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
| | - Liana M. Matson
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland
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Matson LM, Adler AB, Quartana PJ, Thomas CL, Lowery-Gionta EG. Management of Acute Stress Reactions in the Military: A Stepped Care Approach. Curr Psychiatry Rep 2022; 24:799-808. [PMID: 36538195 PMCID: PMC9780143 DOI: 10.1007/s11920-022-01388-3] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW This review highlights knowledge gaps surrounding the development and use of interventions for Acute Stress Reactions (ASRs). First, we propose that a stepped care approach to intervention for ASR be developed and utilized in military operational environments. A stepped care approach would include detection and assessment, followed by behavioral intervention, and then medication intervention for ASRs. Second, we discuss potential strategies that can be taken for the development of safe and effective ASR medications. RECENT FINDINGS ASRs commonly occur in operational environments, particularly in military populations. ASRs impact the safety and performance of individual service members and teams, but there are currently limited options for intervention. Efforts to improve ASR detection and assessment, and development and delivery of ASR interventions for implementation in operational environments, will be critical to maintaining the safety and performance of service members.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liana M. Matson
- grid.507680.c0000 0001 2230 3166Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
| | - Amy B. Adler
- grid.507680.c0000 0001 2230 3166Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
| | - Phillip J. Quartana
- grid.507680.c0000 0001 2230 3166Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
| | - Connie L. Thomas
- grid.507680.c0000 0001 2230 3166Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
| | - Emily G. Lowery-Gionta
- grid.507680.c0000 0001 2230 3166Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
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4
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Cravedi KD, May MD, Abettan JA, Huckleberry KA, Trettel SG, Vuong CV, Altman DE, Gauchan S, Shansky RM, Matson LM, Sousa JC, Lowery-Gionta EG, Moore NLT. Response and recovery of endocrine, behavioral, and neuronal morphology outcomes after different traumatic stressor exposures in male rats. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 133:105394. [PMID: 34474197 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Preclinical models of organismal response to traumatic stress (threat of death or serious injury) can be monitored using neuroendocrine, behavioral, and structural metrics. While many rodent models of traumatic stress have provided a glimpse into select components of the physiological response to acute and chronic stressors, few studies have directly examined the potential differences between stressors and their potential outcomes. To address this gap, we conducted a multi-level comparison of the immediate and longer-term effects of two types of acute traumatic stressors. Adult male rats were exposed to either underwater trauma (UWT), predator exposure (PE), or control procedural handling conditions. Over the next 7 days, yoked cohorts underwent either serial blood sampling for neuroendocrine evaluation across the circadian cycle, or repeated behavioral testing in the elevated plus maze. In addition, a subset of brains from the latter cohort were assessed for dendritic spine changes in the prefrontal cortex and basolateral amygdala. We observed stressor-dependent patterns of response and recovery across all measures, with divergence between endocrine responses despite similar behavioral outcomes. These results demonstrate that different stressors elicit unique behavioral, neuroendocrine, and neuro-structural response profiles and suggest that specific stress models can be used to model desired responses for specific preclinical applications, such as evaluations of underlying mechanisms or therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin D Cravedi
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Matthew D May
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Jordan A Abettan
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kylie A Huckleberry
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sean G Trettel
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chau V Vuong
- Drug Metabolism and Distribution Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Daniel E Altman
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Sangeeta Gauchan
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Rebecca M Shansky
- Laboratory of Neuroanatomy and Behavior, Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Liana M Matson
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Jason C Sousa
- Drug Metabolism and Distribution Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
| | - Nicole L T Moore
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA; US Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21010, USA
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5
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Taylor RM, Jeong IH, May MD, Bergman EM, Capaldi VF, Moore NLT, Matson LM, Lowery-Gionta EG. Fear expression is reduced after acute and repeated nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptor antagonism in rats: therapeutic implications for traumatic stress exposure. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:2943-2958. [PMID: 32588078 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05582-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Evaluation of pharmacotherapies for acute stress disorder (ASD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is challenging due to robust heterogeneity of trauma histories and limited efficacy of any single candidate to reduce all stress-induced effects. Pursuing novel mechanisms, such as the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) system, may be a viable path for therapeutic development and of interest as it is involved in regulation of relevant behaviors and recently implicated in PTSD and ASD. OBJECTIVES First, we evaluated NOP receptor antagonism on general behavioral performance and again following a three-species predator exposure model (Experiment 1). Then, we evaluated effects of NOP antagonism on fear memory expression (Experiment 2). METHODS Adult, male rats underwent daily administration of NOP antagonists (J-113397 or SB-612,111; 0-20 mg/kg, i.p.) and testing in acoustic startle, elevated plus maze, tail-flick, and open field tests. Effects of acute NOP antagonism on behavioral performance following predator exposure were then assessed. Separately, rats underwent fear conditioning and were later administered SB-612,111 (0-3 mg/kg, i.p.) prior to fear memory expression tests. RESULTS J-113397 and SB-612,111 did not significantly alter most general behavioral performance measures alone, suggesting minimal off-target behavioral effects of NOP antagonism. J-113397 and SB-612,111 restored performance in measures of exploratory behavior (basic movements on the elevated plus maze and total distance in the open field) following predator exposure. Additionally, SB-612,111 significantly reduced freezing behavior relative to control groups across repeated fear memory expression tests, suggesting NOP antagonism may be useful in dampening fear responses. Other measures of general behavioral performance were not significantly altered following predator exposure. CONCLUSIONS NOP antagonists may be useful as pharmacotherapeutics for dampening fear responses to trauma reminders, and the present results provide supporting evidence for the implication of the NOP system in the neuropathophysiology of dysregulations in fear learning and memory processes observed in trauma- and stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Taylor
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
| | - Isaac H Jeong
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Matthew D May
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Bergman
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Vincent F Capaldi
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Nicole L T Moore
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Liana M Matson
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Behavioral Biology Branch, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20910, USA.
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6
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Lowery-Gionta EG, May MD, Taylor RM, Bergman EM, Etuma MT, Jeong IH, Simmons LP, Ventura MC, Capaldi VF, Matson LM, Moore NLT. Modeling trauma to develop treatments for posttraumatic stress. Translational Issues in Psychological Science 2019. [DOI: 10.1037/tps0000199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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7
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Crowley NA, Dao NC, Magee SN, Bourcier AJ, Lowery-Gionta EG. Animal models of alcohol use disorder and the brain: From casual drinking to dependence. Translational Issues in Psychological Science 2019. [DOI: 10.1037/tps0000198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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8
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Carmack SA, Keeley RJ, Vendruscolo JCM, Lowery-Gionta EG, Lu H, Koob GF, Stein EA, Vendruscolo LF. Heroin addiction engages negative emotional learning brain circuits in rats. J Clin Invest 2019; 129:2480-2484. [PMID: 30913040 DOI: 10.1172/jci125534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is associated with the emergence of persistent negative emotional states during drug abstinence that drive compulsive drug taking and seeking. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in rats identified neurocircuits that were activated by stimuli that were previously paired with heroin withdrawal. The activation of amygdala and hypothalamic circuits was related to the degree of heroin dependence, supporting the significance of conditioned negative affect in sustaining compulsive-like heroin seeking and taking and providing neurobiological insights into the drivers of the current opioid crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robin J Keeley
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | - Hanbing Lu
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Elliot A Stein
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Schrader AJ, Taylor RM, Lowery-Gionta EG, Moore NLT. Repeated elevated plus maze trials as a measure for tracking within-subjects behavioral performance in rats (Rattus norvegicus). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207804. [PMID: 30475877 PMCID: PMC6257936 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The elevated plus maze (EPM) is routinely used in neuroscience research to evaluate emotional behavior in rodents by measuring general exploratory performance and avoidance of the aversive open arms of the maze. According to standard practice, behavior on the EPM is evaluated during a single trial to avoid the possibility of habituation to the apparatus that would result in lost sensitivity of key outcome measures. However, this possibility has not been systematically evaluated across repeated trials or across different environmental conditions. In the current study, we assessed within-subject behavior on the EPM in adult male rats over thirteen trials (tested twice weekly) repeated under identical conditions. We also assessed within-subject behavior on the EPM in adult male rats under dim (1 lux in the closed arm) and lit (246 lux in the closed arm) environmental conditions. We found that measures of general performance (basic movements and total distanced travelled throughout the maze) were stable across repeated trials and environmental conditions. We found that measures of open arm avoidance (distance travelled in, time spent in and entries in to the open arm) varied across trials and environmental conditions and were sensitive to the lighting conditions of the initial test. Though measures of open arm avoidance did show a linear trend indicative of habituation across repeated trials, this effect was variable across trials. Notably, preference for the open arm over the closed arm (measured as % of time spent in the open arm) assessed among individual animals occurred rarely and was never observed on the group level across the thirteen repeated trials. Together, these data demonstrate that measures of general performance such as basic movements and total distance traveled are robust to repeated testing and changing environmental lighting conditions. In contrast, measures of open arm avoidance show habituation with repeated testing and are sensitive to changing environmental lighting conditions. Based on these results, we suggest that within-subjects repeated testing on the EPM is valid in well-controlled studies that include an untreated control group to account for inter-trial variability and habituation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Schrader
- Veterinary Services Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Department of Behavioral Biology, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD
| | - Rachel M. Taylor
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Department of Behavioral Biology, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD
| | - Emily G. Lowery-Gionta
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Department of Behavioral Biology, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Nicole L. T. Moore
- Performance Assessment and Chemical Evaluation (PACE) Laboratory, Department of Behavioral Biology, Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD
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10
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Lowery-Gionta EG, Crowley NA, Bukalo O, Silverstein S, Holmes A, Kash TL. Chronic stress dysregulates amygdalar output to the prefrontal cortex. Neuropharmacology 2018; 139:68-75. [PMID: 29959957 PMCID: PMC6067970 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2018.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [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: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 06/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress contributes to the neuropathology of mental health disorders, including those associated with anxiety. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) coordinates emotional behavioral responses through glutamatergic outputs to downstream regions such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). We explored the effects of chronic stress on BLA outputs to the PFC, NAcc and BNST using slice electrophysiology combined with optogenetics in two inbred mouse strains with distinct stress-induced anxiety responses. We found that ten consecutive days of chronic restraint stress enhanced pre-synaptic glutamate release at BLA-to-PFC synapses in C57BL/6J mice, but reduced pre-synaptic glutamate release at these synapses in DBA/2J mice. To assess the behavioral relevance of enhanced glutamate output at BLA-to-PFC synapses, we approximated the effects of chronic stress on the BLA-PFC circuit using optogenetics. We found that photostimulation of the BLA-PFC circuit in unstressed C57BL/6J mice produced persistent (i.e., post-stimulation) increased anxiety-like behavior and hyperactivity in the elevated plus-maze - a profile consistent with prototypical behavioral responses of stressed C57BL/6J mice. These data demonstrate that chronic stress dysregulates the BLA-PFC circuit by altering pre-synaptic glutamate release from BLA outputs, and provide a mechanism by which chronic stress can lead to increased anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Thurston Bowles Building 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Thurston Bowles Building 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Olena Bukalo
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 5625 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD, 20852-9411, USA
| | - Shana Silverstein
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 5625 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD, 20852-9411, USA
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 5625 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD, 20852-9411, USA
| | - Thomas Louis Kash
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Thurston Bowles Building 104 Manning Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
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11
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Lowery-Gionta EG, DiBerto J, Mazzone CM, Kash TL. GABA neurons of the ventral periaqueductal gray area modulate behaviors associated with anxiety and conditioned fear. Brain Struct Funct 2018; 223:3787-3799. [DOI: 10.1007/s00429-018-1724-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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12
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Vendruscolo JCM, Tunstall BJ, Carmack SA, Schmeichel BE, Lowery-Gionta EG, Cole M, George O, Vandewater SA, Taffe MA, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF. Compulsive-Like Sufentanil Vapor Self-Administration in Rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:801-809. [PMID: 28812595 PMCID: PMC5809787 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Opioid misuse is at historically high levels in the United States, with inhalation (ie, smoking and vaping) being one of the most common routes of consumption. We developed and validated a novel preclinical model of opioid self-administration by inhalation that does not require surgery and reliably produces somatic and motivational signs of dependence. Rats were trained to perform an operant response (nosepoke) to receive 10 s of vaporized sufentanil, a potent opioid, in 2 h daily sessions. Rats readily and concentration-dependently self-administered vaporized sufentanil. Rats exhibited a significant increase in responding for sufentanil when given the preferential μ-opioid receptor inverse agonist naloxone, suggesting the participation of μ-opioid receptors in the reinforcing properties of sufentanil vapor. Serum sufentanil concentrations significantly correlated with the number of sufentanil vapor deliveries. Rats that were given long access (LgA; 12 h/day) but not short access (ShA; 1 h/day) to vaporized sufentanil escalated their drug intake over time and exhibited both naloxone-precipitated somatic signs of opioid withdrawal and spontaneous withdrawal-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. After 6 months of forced drug abstinence, LgA rats returned to pre-escalation baseline levels of responding for sufentanil and mechanical sensitivity. Upon subsequent re-escalation (ie, after the return to extended access to sufentanil vapor), LgA rats again developed naloxone-precipitated somatic signs of withdrawal and spontaneous withdrawal-induced mechanical hypersensitivity. These findings demonstrate that the operant sufentanil vapor self-administration model has both face and construct validity and therefore will be useful for investigating the neurobiological basis of opioid addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaina C M Vendruscolo
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brendan J Tunstall
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephanie A Carmack
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brooke E Schmeichel
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Maury Cole
- La Jolla Alcohol Research, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sophia A Vandewater
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Michael A Taffe
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA,Neurobiology of Addiction Section, NIH/NIDA – IRP/INRB, 251 Bayview Boulevard, BRC Room 08A727, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA, Tel: +1 443 740 2869, Fax: +1 443 740 2827, E-mail:
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13
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Radke AK, Jury NJ, Kocharian A, Marcinkiewcz CA, Lowery-Gionta EG, Pleil KE, McElligott ZA, McKlveen JM, Kash TL, Holmes A. Chronic EtOH effects on putative measures of compulsive behavior in mice. Addict Biol 2017; 22:423-434. [PMID: 26687341 PMCID: PMC4916036 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [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: 06/05/2015] [Revised: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 11/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Addictions, including alcohol use disorders, are characterized by the loss of control over drug seeking and consumption, but the neural circuits and signaling mechanisms responsible for the transition from controlled use to uncontrolled abuse remain incompletely understood. Prior studies have shown that 'compulsive-like' behaviors in rodents, for example, persistent responding for ethanol (EtOH) despite punishment, are increased after chronic exposure to EtOH. The main goal of the current study was to assess the effects of chronic intermittent EtOH (CIE) exposure on multiple, putative measures of compulsive-like EtOH seeking in C57BL/6 J mice. Mice were exposed to two or four weekly cycles of CIE and then, post-withdrawal, tested for progressive ratio responding for EtOH, sustained responding during signaled EtOH unavailability and (footshock) punished suppression of responding for EtOH. Results showed that mice exposed to CIE exhibited attenuated suppression of EtOH seeking during punishment, as compared with air-exposed controls. By contrast, CIE exposure affected neither punished food reward-seeking behavior, nor other putative measures of compulsive-like EtOH seeking. Ex vivo reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of brain tissue found reduced sensitivity to punished EtOH seeking after CIE exposure was accompanied by a significant increase in gene expression of the GluN1 and GluN2A subunits of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, specifically in the medial orbitofrontal cortex. Moreover, slice electrophysiological analysis revealed increased N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-mediated currents in the orbitofrontal cortex after CIE exposure in test-naïve mice. Collectively, the current findings add to the growing body of evidence demonstrating that chronic exposure to EtOH fosters resistance to punished EtOH seeking in association with adaptations in cortical glutamatergic transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna K. Radke
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Nicholas J. Jury
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Adrina Kocharian
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Catherine A. Marcinkiewcz
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Emily G. Lowery-Gionta
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Kristen E. Pleil
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Zoe A. McElligott
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Psychiatry, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Jessica M. McKlveen
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Thomas L. Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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14
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Charpentier TH, Waldo GL, Lowery-Gionta EG, Krajewski K, Strahl BD, Kash TL, Harden TK, Sondek J. Potent and Selective Peptide-based Inhibition of the G Protein Gαq. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:25608-25616. [PMID: 27742837 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.740407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [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: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
In contrast to G protein-coupled receptors, for which chemical and peptidic inhibitors have been extensively explored, few compounds are available that directly modulate heterotrimeric G proteins. Active Gαq binds its two major classes of effectors, the phospholipase C (PLC)-β isozymes and Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RhoGEFs) related to Trio, in a strikingly similar fashion: a continuous helix-turn-helix of the effectors engages Gαq within its canonical binding site consisting of a groove formed between switch II and helix α3. This information was exploited to synthesize peptides that bound active Gαq in vitro with affinities similar to full-length effectors and directly competed with effectors for engagement of Gαq A representative peptide was specific for active Gαq because it did not bind inactive Gαq or other classes of active Gα subunits and did not inhibit the activation of PLC-β3 by Gβ1γ2 In contrast, the peptide robustly prevented activation of PLC-β3 or p63RhoGEF by Gαq; it also prevented G protein-coupled receptor-promoted neuronal depolarization downstream of Gαq in the mouse prefrontal cortex. Moreover, a genetically encoded form of this peptide flanked by fluorescent proteins inhibited Gαq-dependent activation of PLC-β3 at least as effectively as a dominant-negative form of full-length PLC-β3. These attributes suggest that related, cell-penetrating peptides should effectively inhibit active Gαq in cells and that these and genetically encoded sequences may find application as molecular probes, drug leads, and biosensors to monitor the spatiotemporal activation of Gαq in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas H Charpentier
- From the Departments of Pharmacology and.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
| | | | | | - Krzysztof Krajewski
- Biochemistry and Biophysics.,High-Throughput Peptide Synthesis and Array Facility, and
| | - Brian D Strahl
- Biochemistry and Biophysics.,High-Throughput Peptide Synthesis and Array Facility, and
| | | | | | - John Sondek
- From the Departments of Pharmacology and .,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599.,Biochemistry and Biophysics
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15
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Hardaway JA, Jensen J, Kim M, Mazzone CM, Sugam JA, Diberto JF, Lowery-Gionta EG, Hwa LS, Pleil KE, Bulik CM, Kash TL. Nociceptin receptor antagonist SB 612111 decreases high fat diet binge eating. Behav Brain Res 2016; 307:25-34. [PMID: 27036650 PMCID: PMC4896639 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.03.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/28/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Binge eating is a dysregulated form of feeding behavior that occurs in multiple eating disorders including binge-eating disorder, the most common eating disorder. Feeding is a complex behavioral program supported through the function of multiple brain regions and influenced by a diverse array of receptor signaling pathways. Previous studies have shown the overexpression of the opioid neuropeptide nociceptin (orphanin FQ, N/OFQ) can induce hyperphagia, but the role of endogenous nociceptin receptor (NOP) in naturally occurring palatability-induced hyperphagia is unknown. In this study we adapted a simple, replicable form of binge eating of high fat food (HFD). We found that male and female C57BL/6J mice provided with daily one-hour access sessions to HFD eat significantly more during this period than those provided with continuous 24h access. This form of feeding is rapid and entrained. Chronic intermittent HFD binge eating produced hyperactivity and increased light zone exploration in the open field and light-dark assays respectively. Treatment with the potent and selective NOP antagonist SB 612111 resulted in a significant dose-dependent reduction in binge intake in both male and female mice, and, unlike treatment with the serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine, produced no change in total 24-h food intake. SB 612111 treatment also significantly decreased non-binge-like acute HFD consumption in male mice. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that high fat binge eating is modulated by NOP signaling and that the NOP system may represent a promising novel receptor to explore for the treatment of binge eating.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Andrew Hardaway
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer Jensen
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michelle Kim
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christopher M Mazzone
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan A Sugam
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey F Diberto
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lara S Hwa
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kristen E Pleil
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Cynthia M Bulik
- UNC Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA; UNC Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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16
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Marcinkiewcz CA, Lowery-Gionta EG, Kash TL. Serotonin's Complex Role in Alcoholism: Implications for Treatment and Future Research. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 40:1192-201. [PMID: 27161942 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [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: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Current pharmacological treatments for alcohol dependence have focused on reducing alcohol consumption, but to date there are few treatments that also address the negative affective symptoms during acute and protracted alcohol withdrawal which are often exacerbated in people with comorbid anxiety and depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are sometimes prescribed to ameliorate these symptoms but can exacerbate anxiety and cravings in a select group of patients. In this critical review, we discuss recent literature describing an association between alcohol dependence, the SERT linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), and pharmacological response to SSRIs. Given the heterogeneity in responsiveness to serotonergic drugs across the spectrum of alcoholic subtypes, we assess the contribution of specific 5-HT circuits to discrete endophenotypes of alcohol dependence. 5-HT circuits play a distinctive role in reward, stress, and executive function which may account for the variation in response to serotonergic drugs. New optogenetic and chemogenetic methods for dissecting 5-HT circuits in alcohol dependence may provide clues leading to more effective pharmacotherapies. Although our current understanding of the role of 5-HT systems in alcohol dependence is incomplete, there is some evidence to suggest that 5-HT3 receptor antagonists are effective in people with the L/L genotype of the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism while SSRIs may be more beneficial to people with the S/L or S/S genotype. Studies that assess the impact of serotonin transporter polymorphisms on 5-HT circuit function and the subsequent development of alcohol use disorders will be an important step forward in treating alcohol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine A Marcinkiewcz
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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17
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Pleil KE, Lowery-Gionta EG, Crowley NA, Li C, Marcinkiewcz CA, Rose JH, McCall NM, Maldonado-Devincci AM, Morrow AL, Jones SR, Kash TL. Effects of chronic ethanol exposure on neuronal function in the prefrontal cortex and extended amygdala. Neuropharmacology 2015; 99:735-49. [PMID: 26188147 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [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: 01/23/2015] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol consumption and withdrawal leads to anxiety, escalated alcohol drinking behavior, and alcohol dependence. Alterations in the function of key structures within the cortico-limbic neural circuit have been implicated in underlying the negative behavioral consequences of chronic alcohol exposure in both humans and rodents. Here, we used chronic intermittent ethanol vapor exposure (CIE) in male C57BL/6J mice to evaluate the effects of chronic alcohol exposure and withdrawal on anxiety-like behavior and basal synaptic function and neuronal excitability in prefrontal cortical and extended amygdala brain regions. Forty-eight hours after four cycles of CIE, mice were either assayed in the marble burying test (MBT) or their brains were harvested and whole-cell electrophysiological recordings were performed in the prelimbic and infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex (PLC and ILC), the lateral and medial central nucleus of the amygdala (lCeA and mCeA), and the dorsal and ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dBNST and vBNST). Ethanol-exposed mice displayed increased anxiety in the MBT compared to air-exposed controls, and alterations in neuronal function were observed in all brain structures examined, including several distinct differences between subregions within each structure. Chronic ethanol exposure induced hyperexcitability of the ILC, as well as a shift toward excitation in synaptic drive and hyperexcitability of vBNST neurons; in contrast, there was a net inhibition of the CeA. This study reveals extensive effects of chronic ethanol exposure on the basal function of cortico-limbic brain regions, suggests that there may be complex interactions between these regions in the regulation of ethanol-dependent alterations in anxiety state, and highlights the need for future examination of projection-specific effects of ethanol in cortico-limbic circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen E Pleil
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily G Lowery-Gionta
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Nicole A Crowley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Curriculum in Neurobiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chia Li
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Curriculum in Neurobiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Catherine A Marcinkiewcz
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jamie H Rose
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Nora M McCall
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - A Leslie Morrow
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sara R Jones
- Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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18
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Kash TL, Pleil KE, Marcinkiewcz CA, Lowery-Gionta EG, Crowley N, Mazzone C, Sugam J, Hardaway JA, McElligott ZA. Neuropeptide regulation of signaling and behavior in the BNST. Mol Cells 2015; 38:1-13. [PMID: 25475545 PMCID: PMC4314126 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2015.2261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2014] [Accepted: 09/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent technical developments have transformed how neuroscientists can probe brain function. What was once thought to be difficult and perhaps impossible, stimulating a single set of long range inputs among many, is now relatively straight-forward using optogenetic approaches. This has provided an avalanche of data demonstrating causal roles for circuits in a variety of behaviors. However, despite the critical role that neuropeptide signaling plays in the regulation of behavior and physiology of the brain, there have been remarkably few studies demonstrating how peptide release is causally linked to behaviors. This is likely due to both the different time scale by which peptides act on and the modulatory nature of their actions. For example, while glutamate release can effectively transmit information between synapses in milliseconds, peptide release is potentially slower [See the excellent review by Van Den Pol on the time scales and mechanisms of release (van den Pol, 2012)] and it can only tune the existing signals via modulation. And while there have been some studies exploring mechanisms of release, it is still not as clearly known what is required for efficient peptide release. Furthermore, this analysis could be complicated by the fact that there are multiple peptides released, some of which may act in contrast. Despite these limitations, there are a number of groups making progress in this area. The goal of this review is to explore the role of peptide signaling in one specific structure, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, that has proven to be a fertile ground for peptide action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L. Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
| | - Kristen E. Pleil
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
| | - Catherine A. Marcinkiewcz
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
| | - Emily G. Lowery-Gionta
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
| | - Nicole Crowley
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
| | - Christopher Mazzone
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
| | - Jonathan Sugam
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
| | - J. Andrew Hardaway
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
| | - Zoe A. McElligott
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
USA
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19
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Cox BR, Olney JJ, Lowery-Gionta EG, Sprow GM, Rinker JA, Navarro M, Kash TL, Thiele TE. Repeated cycles of binge-like ethanol (EtOH)-drinking in male C57BL/6J mice augments subsequent voluntary EtOH intake but not other dependence-like phenotypes. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2013; 37:1688-95. [PMID: 23647551 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [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: 10/24/2012] [Accepted: 02/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recently, procedures have been developed to model specific facets of human alcohol abuse disorders, including those that model excessive binge-like drinking (i.e., "drinking-in-the-dark," or DID procedures) and excessive dependence-like drinking (i.e., intermittent ethanol [EtOH] vapor exposure). Similar neuropeptide systems modulate excessive EtOH drinking stemming from both procedures, raising the possibility that both paradigms are actually modeling the same phenotypes and triggering the same central neuroplasticity. Therefore, the goal of this present project was to study the effects of a history of binge-like EtOH drinking, using DID procedures, on phenotypes that have previously been described with procedures to model dependence-like drinking. METHODS Male C57BL/6J mice first experienced 0 to 10 four-day binge-like drinking episodes (3 days of rest between episodes). Beginning 24 hours after the final binge-like drinking session, mice were tested for anxiety-like behaviors (with elevated plus maze [EPM] and open-field locomotor activity tests), ataxia with the rotarod test, and sensitivity to handling-induced convulsions (HICs). One week later, mice began a 40-day 2-bottle (water vs. EtOH) voluntary consumption test with concentration ranging from 10 to 20% (v/v) EtOH. RESULTS A prior history of binge-like EtOH drinking significantly increased subsequent voluntary EtOH consumption and preference, effects most robust in groups that initially experienced 6 or 10 binge-like drinking episodes and completely absent in mice that experienced 1 binge-like drinking episode. Conversely, a history of binge-like EtOH drinking did not influence anxiety-like behaviors, ataxia, or HICs. CONCLUSIONS Excessive EtOH drinking stemming from DID procedures does not initially induce phenotypes consistent with a dependence-like state. However, the subsequent increases in voluntary EtOH consumption and preference that become more robust following repeated episodes of binge-like EtOH drinking may reflect the early stages of EtOH dependence, suggesting that DID procedures may be ideal for studying the transition to EtOH dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin R Cox
- Department of Psychology , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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20
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Ryabinin AE, Tsoory MM, Kozicz T, Thiele TE, Neufeld-Cohen A, Chen A, Lowery-Gionta EG, Giardino WJ, Kaur S. Urocortins: CRF's siblings and their potential role in anxiety, depression and alcohol drinking behavior. Alcohol 2012; 46:349-57. [PMID: 22444954 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2011.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2011] [Revised: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 10/10/2011] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
It is widely accepted that stress, anxiety, depression and alcohol abuse-related disorders are in large part controlled by corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors. However, evidence is accumulating that some of the actions on these receptors are mediated not by CRF, but by a family of related Urocortin (Ucn) peptides Ucn1, Ucn2 and Ucn3. The initial narrow focus on CRF as the potential main player acting on CRF receptors appears outdated. Instead it is suggested that CRF and the individual Ucns act in a complementary and brain region-specific fashion to regulate anxiety-related behaviors and alcohol consumption. This review, based on a symposium held in 2011 at the research meeting on "Alcoholism and Stress" in Volterra, Italy, highlights recent evidence for regulation of these behaviors by Ucns. In studies on stress and anxiety, the roles of Ucns, and in particular Ucn1, appear more visible in experiments analyzing adaptation to stressors rather than testing basal anxiety states. Based on these studies, we propose that the contribution of Ucn1 to regulating mood follows a U-like pattern with both high and low activity of Ucn1 contributing to high anxiety states. In studies on alcohol use disorders, the CRF system appears to regulate not only dependence-induced drinking, but also binge drinking and even basal consumption of alcohol. While dependence-induced and binge drinking rely on the actions of CRF on CRFR1 receptors, alcohol consumption in models of these behaviors is inhibited by actions of Ucns on CRFR2. In contrast, alcohol preference is positively influenced by actions of Ucn1, which is capable of acting on both CRFR1 and CRFR2. Because of complex distribution of Ucns in the nervous system, advances in this field will critically depend on development of new tools allowing site-specific analyses of the roles of Ucns and CRF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey E Ryabinin
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, L470, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
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21
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Sparrow AM, Lowery-Gionta EG, Pleil KE, Li C, Sprow GM, Cox BR, Rinker JA, Jijon AM, Peňa J, Navarro M, Kash TL, Thiele TE. Central neuropeptide Y modulates binge-like ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice via Y1 and Y2 receptors. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:1409-21. [PMID: 22218088 PMCID: PMC3327846 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Frequent binge drinking has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and the development of ethanol dependence. Thus, identifying pharmaceutical targets to treat binge drinking is of paramount importance. Here we employed a mouse model of binge-like ethanol drinking to study the role of neuropeptide Y (NPY). To this end, the present set of studies utilized pharmacological manipulation of NPY signaling, immunoreactivity (IR) mapping of NPY and NPY receptors, and electrophysiological recordings from slice preparations of the amygdala. The results indicated that central infusion of NPY, a NPY Y1 receptor (Y1R) agonist, and a Y2R antagonist significantly blunted binge-like ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice (that achieved blood ethanol levels >80 mg/dl in control conditions). Binge-like ethanol drinking reduced NPY and Y1R IR in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), and 24 h of ethanol abstinence after a history of binge-like drinking promoted increases of Y1R and Y2R IR. Electrophysiological recordings of slice preparations from the CeA showed that binge-like ethanol drinking augmented the ability of NPY to inhibit GABAergic transmission. Thus, binge-like ethanol drinking in C57BL/6J mice promoted alterations of NPY signaling in the CeA, and administration of exogenous NPY compounds protected against binge-like drinking. The current data suggest that Y1R agonists and Y2R antagonists may be useful for curbing and/or preventing binge drinking, protecting vulnerable individuals from progressing to the point of ethanol dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Sparrow
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Kristen E Pleil
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chia Li
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Gretchen M Sprow
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Benjamin R Cox
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer A Rinker
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ana M Jijon
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - José Peňa
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Montserrat Navarro
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Todd E Thiele
- Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA,Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina Davie Hall, CB #3270 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA, Tel: +1 919 966 1519, Fax: +1 919-962-2537, E-mail:
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