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Waguespack HF, Jacobs JT, Park J, Campos-Rodriguez C, Maior RS, Forcelli PA, Malkova L. Pharmacological Inhibition of the Nucleus Accumbens Increases Dyadic Social Interaction in Macaques. eNeuro 2024; 11:ENEURO.0085-24.2024. [PMID: 38575350 PMCID: PMC11036116 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0085-24.2024] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is a central component of the brain circuitry that mediates motivated behavior, including reward processing. Since the rewarding properties of social stimuli have a vital role in guiding behavior (both in humans and nonhuman animals), the NAc is likely to contribute to the brain circuitry controlling social behavior. In rodents, prior studies have found that focal pharmacological inhibition of NAc and/or elevation of dopamine in NAc increases social interactions. However, the role of the NAc in social behavior in nonhuman primates remains unknown. We measured the social behavior of eight dyads of male macaques following (1) pharmacological inhibition of the NAc using the GABAA agonist muscimol and (2) focal application of quinpirole, an agonist at the D2 family of dopamine receptors. Transient inhibition of the NAc with muscimol increased social behavior when drug was infused in submissive, but not dominant partners of the dyad. Focal application of quinpirole was without effect on social behavior when infused into the NAc of either dominant or submissive subjects. Our data demonstrate that the NAc contributes to social interactions in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah F Waguespack
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
| | - Jessica T Jacobs
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
| | - Janis Park
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
| | | | - Rafael S Maior
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
- Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70.910-900, Brazil
| | - Patrick A Forcelli
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
| | - Ludise Malkova
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007
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Bartsch CJ, Jacobs JT, Mojahed N, Qasem E, Smith M, Caldwell O, Aaflaq S, Nordman JC. Visualizing traumatic stress-induced structural plasticity in a medial amygdala pathway using mGRASP. Front Mol Neurosci 2023; 16:1313635. [PMID: 38098941 PMCID: PMC10720331 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1313635] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Traumatic stress has been shown to contribute to persistent behavioral changes, yet the underlying neural pathways are not fully explored. Structural plasticity, a form of long-lasting neural adaptability, offers a plausible mechanism. To scrutinize this, we used the mGRASP imaging technique to visualize synaptic modifications in a pathway formed between neurons of the posterior ventral segment of the medial amygdala and ventrolateral segment of the ventromedial hypothalamus (MeApv-VmHvl), areas we previously showed to be involved in stress-induced excessive aggression. We subjected mice (7-8 weeks of age) to acute stress through foot shocks, a reliable and reproducible form of traumatic stress, and compared synaptic changes to control animals. Our data revealed an increase in synapse formation within the MeApv-VmHvl pathway post-stress as evidenced by an increase in mGRASP puncta and area. Chemogenetic inhibition of CaMKIIα-expressing neurons in the MeApv during the stressor led to reduced synapse formation, suggesting that the structural changes were driven by excitatory activity. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms, we administered the NMDAR antagonist MK-801, which effectively blocked the stress-induced synaptic changes. These findings suggest a strong link between traumatic stress and enduring structural changes in an MeApv-VmHvl neural pathway. Furthermore, our data point to NMDAR-dependent mechanisms as key contributors to these synaptic changes. This structural plasticity could offer insights into persistent behavioral consequences of traumatic stress, such as symptoms of PTSD and social deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jacob C. Nordman
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL, United States
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Bartsch CJ, Aaflaq S, Jacobs JT, Smith M, Summa F, Skinner S, Qasem E, Thompson R, Li Z, Nordman JC. A single dose of ketamine enhances early life stress-induced aggression with no effect on fear memory, anxiety-like behavior, or depression-like behavior in mice. Behav Neurosci 2023; 137:281-288. [PMID: 37326523 PMCID: PMC10694802 DOI: 10.1037/bne0000560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that has been shown to have antidepressant effects in humans and has been proposed as a potential treatment for mood disorders such as posttraumatic stress disorder and aggression. However, previous studies from our lab and others have demonstrated that ketamine's effects are highly context- and dose-dependent. In a recent study, we found that 10 mg/kg ketamine could exacerbate the effects of early life stress on excessive aggression in mice. To further investigate, the effect of ketamine on moods, such as fear, anxiety, depression, and aggression, we used a mouse model of early life stress, involving chronic social isolation followed by acute traumatic stress in the form of noncontingent, unpredictable foot shock during adolescence. We find this is necessary to induce long-lasting excessive aggression in a novel environment. Seven- to eight-week-old socially isolated mice were given IP injections of 10 mg/kg ketamine 30 min before being subjected to foot shock and then assessed 7 days later for changes in sociability, aggression, mobility, anxiety-like behavior, and depression-like behavior. The results show that ketamine selectively increases long-lasting aggression in mice exposed to foot shock, but does not affect mood-related behaviors or locomotion. These findings suggest that during early life stress, ketamine may exert its effects by specifically targeting aggression brain circuitry that is distinct from brain circuits responsible for nonaggressive social or emotional behaviors. Therefore, while ketamine may be a promising treatment for various mood disorders, caution should be exercised when using ketamine to treat disorders associated with early life stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlyn J Bartsch
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Sophia Aaflaq
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Jessica T Jacobs
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Molly Smith
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Fletcher Summa
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Savannah Skinner
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Elana Qasem
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Rylee Thompson
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
| | - Zheng Li
- Section on Synapse Development and Plasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health
| | - Jacob C Nordman
- Department of Physiology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
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Waguespack HF, Maior RS, Campos-Rodriguez C, Jacobs JT, Malkova L, Forcelli PA. Quinpirole, but not muscimol, infused into the nucleus accumbens disrupts prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle in rhesus macaques. Neuropharmacology 2023; 235:109563. [PMID: 37116610 PMCID: PMC10461600 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Sensorimotor gating is the ability to suppress motor responses to irrelevant sensory inputs. This response is disrupted in a range of neuropsychiatric disorders. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response (ASR) is a form of sensorimotor gating in which a low-intensity prepulse immediately precedes a startling stimulus, resulting in an attenuation of the startle response. PPI is conserved across species and the underlying circuitry mediating this effect has been widely studied in rodents. However, recent work from our laboratories has shown an unexpected divergence between the circuitry controlling PPI in rodents as compared to macaques. The nucleus accumbens, a component of the basal ganglia, has been identified as a key modulatory node for PPI in rodents. The role of the nucleus accumbens in modulating PPI in primates has yet to be investigated. We measured whole-body PPI of the ASR in six rhesus macaques following (1) pharmacological inhibition of the nucleus accumbens using the GABAA agonist muscimol, and (2) focal application of the dopamine D2/3 agonist quinpirole (at 3 doses). We found that quinpirole, but not muscimol, infused into the nucleus accumbens disrupts prepulse inhibition in monkeys. These results differ from those observed in rodents, where both muscimol and quinpirole disrupt prepulse inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah F Waguespack
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, USA
| | - Rafael S Maior
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, USA; Laboratory of Neurosciences and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | | | - Jessica T Jacobs
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, USA
| | - Ludise Malkova
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, USA
| | - Patrick A Forcelli
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, USA; Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA.
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Jacobs JT, Maior RS, Waguespack HF, Campos-Rodriguez C, Forcelli PA, Malkova L. Pharmacological Inactivation of the Bed Nucleus of the Stria Terminalis Increases Affiliative Social Behavior in Rhesus Macaques. J Neurosci 2023; 43:3331-3338. [PMID: 37012054 PMCID: PMC10162455 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2090-22.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) has been implicated in a variety of social behaviors, including aggression, maternal care, mating behavior, and social interaction. Limited evidence from rodent studies suggests that activation of the BNST results in a decrease in social interaction between unfamiliar animals. The role of the BNST in social interaction in primates remains wholly unexamined. Nonhuman primates provide a valuable model for studying social behavior because of both their rich social repertoire and neural substrates of behavior with high translational relevance to humans. To test the hypothesis that the primate BNST is a critical modulator of social behavior, we performed intracerebral microinfusions of the GABAA agonist muscimol to transiently inactivate the BNST in male macaque monkeys. We measured changes in social interaction with a familiar same-sex conspecific. Inactivation of the BNST resulted in significant increase in total social contact. This effect was associated with an increase in passive contact and a significant decrease in locomotion. Other nonsocial behaviors (sitting passively alone, self-directed behaviors, and manipulation) were not impacted by BNST inactivation. As part of the "extended amygdala," the BNST is highly interconnected with the basolateral (BLA) and central (CeA) nuclei of the amygdala, both of which also play critical roles in regulating social interaction. The precise pattern of behavioral changes we observed following inactivation of the BNST partially overlaps with our prior reports in the BLA and CeA. Together, these data demonstrate that the BNST is part of a network regulating social behavior in primates.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) has a well-established role in anxiety behaviors, but its role in social behavior is poorly understood. No prior studies have evaluated the impact of BNST manipulations on social behavior in primates. We found that transient pharmacological inactivation of the BNST increased social behavior in pairs of macaque monkeys. These data suggest the BNST contributes to the brain networks regulating sociability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T Jacobs
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
| | - Rafael S Maior
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
- Laboratory of Neurosciences, Metabolism and Behavior, Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, University of Brasilia, 70910-900, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Hannah F Waguespack
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
| | | | - Patrick A Forcelli
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
- Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057
| | - Ludise Malkova
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
- Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057
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Jacobs JT. Achilles tenodesis for paralytic calcaneocavus foot. Clin Orthop Relat Res 1966; 47:143-9. [PMID: 5923181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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