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Noback M, Bhakta SG, Talledo JA, Kotz JE, Benster L, Roberts BZ, Nungaray JA, Light GA, Swerdlow NR, Brigman JL, Cavanagh JF, Young JW. Amphetamine increases motivation of humans and mice as measured by breakpoint, but does not affect an Electroencephalographic biomarker. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci 2024; 24:269-278. [PMID: 38168850 PMCID: PMC11060428 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01150-z] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Translation of drug targets from preclinical studies to clinical trials has been aided by cross-species behavioral tasks, but evidence for brain-based engagement during task performance is still required. Cross-species progressive ratio breakpoint tasks (PRBTs) measure motivation-related behavior and are pharmacologically and clinically sensitive. We recently advanced elevated parietal alpha power as a cross-species electroencephalographic (EEG) biomarker of PRBT engagement. Given that amphetamine increases breakpoint in mice, we tested its effects on breakpoint and parietal alpha power in both humans and mice. Twenty-three healthy participants performed the PRBT with EEG after amphetamine or placebo in a double-blind design. C57BL/6J mice were trained on PRBT with EEG (n = 24) and were treated with amphetamine or vehicle. A second cohort of mice was trained on PRBT without EEG (n = 40) and was treated with amphetamine or vehicle. In humans, amphetamine increased breakpoint. In mice, during concomitant EEG, 1 mg/kg of amphetamine significantly decreased breakpoint. In cohort 2, however, 0.3 mg/kg of amphetamine increased breakpoint consistent with human findings. Increased alpha power was observed in both species as they reached breakpoint, replicating previous findings. Amphetamine did not affect alpha power in either species. Amphetamine increased effort in humans and mice. Consistent with previous reports, elevated parietal alpha power was observed in humans and mice as they performed the PRBT. Amphetamine did not affect this EEG biomarker of effort. Hence, these findings support the pharmacological predictive validity of the PRBT to measure effort in humans and mice and suggest that this EEG biomarker is not directly reflective of amphetamine-induced changes in effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Noback
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - Savita G Bhakta
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - Jo A Talledo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - Juliana E Kotz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - Lindsay Benster
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - Benjamin Z Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - John A Nungaray
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - Gregory A Light
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
- Research Service MIRECC, VISN 22, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - James F Cavanagh
- Psychology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0804, USA.
- Research Service MIRECC, VISN 22, Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Dunn BR, Olguin SL, Davies S, Pavlik NG, Brigman JL, Hamilton D, Savage DD, Maxwell JR. Sex-specific alterations in cognitive control following moderate prenatal alcohol exposure and transient systemic hypoxia ischemia in the rat. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken) 2024; 48:640-652. [PMID: 38302722 PMCID: PMC11015983 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15276] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) continues to be a worldwide problem. Affected offspring display impaired neurodevelopment, including difficulties with executive control. Although PAE has also been associated with decreased blood flow to fetuses, the relationship between PAE and altered blood flow is not well understood. METHODS We used preclinical models of PAE, transient systemic hypoxia ischemia (TSHI), and PAE + TSHI combined to assess the effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes using translationally relevant touchscreen operant platform testing. Twenty-eight Long-Evans (Blue Spruce, Strain HsdBlu:LE) dams were randomly assigned to one of four experimental groups: Saccharin Control (Sham), 5% Ethanol (PAE), TSHI, or 5% Ethanol and TSHI (PAE + TSHI). Dams consumed either saccharin or 5% ethanol during gestation. TSHI was induced on Embryonic Day 19 (E19) during an open laparotomy where the uterine arteries were transiently occluded for 1 h. Pups were born normally and, after weaning, were separated by sex. A total of 80 offspring, 40 males and 40 females, were tested on the 5-Choice Continuous Performance paradigm (5C-CPT). RESULTS Female offspring were significantly impacted by TSHI, but not PAE, with an increase in false alarms and a decrease in hit rates, omissions, accuracy, and correct choice latencies. In contrast, male offspring were mildly affected by PAE, but not TSHI, showing decreases in premature responses and increases in accuracy. No significant interactions between PAE and TSHI were detected on any measure. CONCLUSION Transient systemic hypoxia ischemia impaired performance on the 5C-CPT in females, leading to a bias toward stimulus responsivity regardless of stimulus type. In contrast, TSHI did not affect male offspring, and only slight effects of PAE were seen. Together, these data suggest that TSHI in females may cause alterations in cortical structures that override alterations caused by moderate PAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke R. Dunn
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Sarah L. Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Suzy Davies
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Nathaniel G. Pavlik
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Derek Hamilton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Daniel D. Savage
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jessie R. Maxwell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Kehrer P, Brigman JL, Cavanagh JF. Depth recordings of the mouse homologue of the Reward Positivity. Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci 2024; 24:292-301. [PMID: 37853299 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-023-01134-z] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
We recently advanced a rodent homologue for the reward-specific, event-related potential component observed in humans known as the Reward Positivity. We sought to determine the cortical source of this signal in mice to further test the nature of this homology. While similar reward-related cortical signals have been identified in rats, these recordings were all performed in cingulate gyrus. Given the value-dependent nature of this event, we hypothesized that more ventral prelimbic and infralimbic areas also contribute important variance to this signal. Depth probes assessed local field activity in 29 mice (15 males) while they completed multiple sessions of a probabilistic reinforcement learning task. Using a priori regions of interest, we demonstrated that the depth of recording in the cortical midline significantly correlated with the size of reward-evoked delta band spectral activity as well as the single trial correlation between delta power and reward prediction error. These findings provide important verification of the validity of this translational biomarker of reward responsiveness, learning, and valuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope Kehrer
- Psychology Department, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, MSC03 2220, 87131, Albuquerque, NM, Mexico
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, Mexico
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, Mexico
| | - James F Cavanagh
- Psychology Department, University of New Mexico, Logan Hall, MSC03 2220, 87131, Albuquerque, NM, Mexico.
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Licheri V, Chandrasekaran J, Kenton JA, Bird CW, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Optogenetic stimulation of corticostriatal circuits improves behavioral flexibility in mice with prenatal alcohol exposure. Neuropharmacology 2024; 247:109860. [PMID: 38336243 PMCID: PMC10901293 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the most common preventable form of developmental and neurobehavioral disability. Animal models have demonstrated that even low to moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is sufficient to impair behavioral flexibility in multiple domains. Previously, utilizing a moderate limited access drinking in the dark paradigm, we have shown that PAE 1) impairs touchscreen pairwise visual reversal in male adult offspring 2) leads to small but significant decreases in orbitofrontal (OFC) firing rates 3) significantly increases dorsal striatum (dS) activity and 4) aberrantly sustains OFC-dS synchrony across early reversal. In the current study, we examined whether optogenetic stimulation of OFC-dS projection neurons would be sufficient to rescue the behavioral inflexibility induced by PAE in male C57BL/6J mice. Following discrimination learning, we targeted OFC-dS projections using a retrograde adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivered to the dS which expressed channel rhodopsin (ChR2). During the first four sessions of reversal learning, we delivered high frequency optogenetic stimulation to the OFC via optic fibers immediately following correct choice responses. Our results show that optogenetic stimulation significantly reduced the number of sessions, incorrect responses, and correction errors required to move past the early perseverative phase for both PAE and control mice. In addition, OFC-dS stimulation during early reversal learning reduced the increased sessions, correct and incorrect responding seen in PAE mice during the later learning phase of reversal but did not significantly alter later performance in control ChR2 mice. Taken together these results suggest that stimulation of OFC-dS projections can improve early reversal learning in PAE and control mice, and these improvements can persist even into later stages of the task days later. These studies provide an important foundation for future clinical approaches to improve executive control in those with FASD. This article is part of the Special Issue on "PFC circuit function in psychiatric disease and relevant models".
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | | | - Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Clark W Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Chandrasekaran J, Caldwell KK, Brigman JL. Dynamic regulation of corticostriatal glutamatergic synaptic expression during reversal learning in male mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2024; 208:107892. [PMID: 38242226 PMCID: PMC10936219 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2024.107892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility, one of the core executive functions of the brain, has been shown to be an essential skill for survival across species. Corticostriatal circuits play a critical role in mediating behavioral flexibility. The molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are still unclear. Here, we measured how synaptic glutamatergic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor (NMDAR) expression dynamically changed during specific stages of learning and reversal. Following training to well-established stages of discrimination and reversal learning on a touchscreen visual task, lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), dorsal striatum (dS) as well as medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), basolateral amygdala (BLA) and piriform cortex (Pir) were micro dissected from male mouse brain and the expression of glutamatergic receptor subunits in the synaptic fraction were measured via immunoblotting. We found that the GluN2B subunit of NMDAR in the OFC remained stable during initial discrimination learning but significantly increased in the synaptic fraction during mid-reversal stages, the period during which the OFC has been shown to play a critical role in updating outcome expectancies. In contrast, both GluA1 and GluA2 subunits of the AMPAR significantly increased in the dS synaptic fraction as new associations were learned late in reversal. Expression of NMDAR and AMPAR subunits did not significantly differ across learning stages in any other brain region. Together, these findings further support the involvement of OFC-dS circuits in moderating well-learned associations and flexible behavior and suggest that dynamic synaptic expression of NMDAR and AMPAR in these circuits may play a role in mediating efficient learning during discrimination and the ability to update previously learned associations as environmental contingencies change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayapriya Chandrasekaran
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Kevin K Caldwell
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM 87131, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM 87131, USA.
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Licheri V, Jacquez BJ, Castillo VK, Sainz DB, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Long-term effects of low prenatal alcohol exposure on GABAergic interneurons of the murine posterior parietal cortex. Alcohol Clin Exp Res (Hoboken) 2023; 47:2248-2261. [PMID: 38151788 PMCID: PMC10760801 DOI: 10.1111/acer.15210] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are characterized by a wide range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral impairments that occur throughout the lifespan. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can lead to adult impairments in cognitive control behaviors mediated by the posterior parietal cortex (PPC). The PPC plays a fundamental role in the performance of response tasks in both primates and rodents, specifically when choices between similar target and nontarget stimuli are required. Furthermore, the PPC is reciprocally connected with other cortical areas. Despite the extensive literature investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying PAE impairments in cognitive functions mediated by cortical areas, little is known regarding the long-term effects of PAE on PPC development and function. Here, we examined changes in the cellular organization of GABAergic interneurons and their function in PPC using behaviorally naïve control and PAE mice. METHODS We used a limited access model of PAE in which C57BL/6J females were exposed to a solution of 10% (w/v) ethanol and 0.066% (w/V) saccharin for 4 h/day throughout gestation. Using high-throughput fluorescent microscopy, we quantified the levels of GABAergic interneurons in the PPC of adult PAE and control offspring. In a separate cohort, we recorded spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) using whole-cell patch clamp recordings from PPC layer 5 pyramidal neurons. RESULTS PAE led to a significant overall reduction of parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic interneurons in PAE mice regardless of sex. Somatostatin- and calretinin-expressing GABAergic interneurons were not affected. Interestingly, PAE did not modulate sIPSC amplitude or frequency. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that impairments in cognitive control observed in FASD may be due to the significant reduction of parvalbumin-expressing GABAergic interneurons in the PPC. PAE animals may show compensatory changes in GABAergic function following developmental reduction of these interneurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Belkis J. Jacquez
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Victoria K. Castillo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Dylan B. Sainz
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - C. Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
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Petrenko CLM, Hamre KM, Brigman JL, Parnell S. Proceedings of the 2022 annual meeting of the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders study group. Alcohol 2023; 113:11-20. [PMID: 37572729 PMCID: PMC10836604 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2023.08.002] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/14/2023]
Abstract
The 2022 Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study Group (FASDSG) meeting was held in coordination with the 45th annual Research Society on Alcoholism conference on June 25th, 2022. The theme of the meeting was "Enhancing the Relevance of Research for the Community." The program began with a moderated panel discussion on the value of community-engaged research, which included two self-advocates and a clinical and pre-clinical researcher. Invited plenary speakers included Jill Locke, Ph.D., who provided an engaging introduction to implementation science, and Jared Young, Ph.D., who discussed cross-species domain task specificity. The meeting also included updates from three government agencies, short presentations by junior and senior investigators showcasing late-breaking FASD research, trainee award winners, and a presentation on the Toward Health Outcomes intervention roadmap by Jacqueline Pei, Ph.D.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kristin M Hamre
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Scott Parnell
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
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Scieszka D, Bolt AM, McCormick MA, Brigman JL, Campen MJ. Aging, longevity, and the role of environmental stressors: a focus on wildfire smoke and air quality. Front Toxicol 2023; 5:1267667. [PMID: 37900096 PMCID: PMC10600394 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2023.1267667] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a complex biological process involving multiple interacting mechanisms and is being increasingly linked to environmental exposures such as wildfire smoke. In this review, we detail the hallmarks of aging, emphasizing the role of telomere attrition, cellular senescence, epigenetic alterations, proteostasis, genomic instability, and mitochondrial dysfunction, while also exploring integrative hallmarks - altered intercellular communication and stem cell exhaustion. Within each hallmark of aging, our review explores how environmental disasters like wildfires, and their resultant inhaled toxicants, interact with these aging mechanisms. The intersection between aging and environmental exposures, especially high-concentration insults from wildfires, remains under-studied. Preliminary evidence, from our group and others, suggests that inhaled wildfire smoke can accelerate markers of neurological aging and reduce learning capabilities. This is likely mediated by the augmentation of circulatory factors that compromise vascular and blood-brain barrier integrity, induce chronic neuroinflammation, and promote age-associated proteinopathy-related outcomes. Moreover, wildfire smoke may induce a reduced metabolic, senescent cellular phenotype. Future interventions could potentially leverage combined anti-inflammatory and NAD + boosting compounds to counter these effects. This review underscores the critical need to study the intricate interplay between environmental factors and the biological mechanisms of aging to pave the way for effective interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Scieszka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Alicia M. Bolt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Mark A. McCormick
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Matthew J. Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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Olguin SL, Cavanagh JF, Young JW, Brigman JL. Impaired cognitive control after moderate prenatal alcohol exposure corresponds to altered EEG power during a rodent touchscreen continuous performance task. Neuropharmacology 2023; 236:109599. [PMID: 37217074 PMCID: PMC10330662 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Although it is well established that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to lifelong difficulties in offspring, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) remain a common neurodevelopmental syndrome. Translational behavioral tools that target similar brain circuits across species can facilitate understanding of these cognitive consequences. Touchscreen behavioral tasks for rodents enable easy integration of dura recordings of electroencephalographic (EEG) activity in awake behaving animals, with clear translational generalizability. Recently, we showed that Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) impairs cognitive control on the touchscreen 5-Choice Continuous Performance Task (5C-CPT) which requires animals to touch on target trials (hit) and withhold responding on non-target trials (correct rejection). Here, we extended these findings to determine whether dura EEG recordings would detect task-relevant differences in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and posterior parietal cortex (PPC) corresponding with behavioral alterations in PAE animals. Replicating previous findings, PAE mice made more false alarm responses versus controls and had a significantly lower sensitivity index. All mice, regardless of sex or treatment, demonstrated increased frontal theta-band power during correct trials that followed an error (similar to post-error monitoring commonly seen in human participants). All mice showed a significant decrease in parietal beta-band power when performing a correct rejection versus a hit. PAE mice of both sexes showed a significantly larger decrease in parietal beta-band power when successfully rejecting non-target stimuli. These findings suggest that moderate exposure to alcohol during development can have long lasting effects on cognitive control, and task-relevant neural signals may provide a biomarker of impaired function across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - James F Cavanagh
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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Chandrasekaran J, Jacquez B, Wilson J, Brigman JL. Reinforcer value moderates the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on learning and reversal. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1147536. [PMID: 37179543 PMCID: PMC10166816 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1147536] [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: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are the leading cause of preventable developmental disability and are commonly characterized by alterations in executive function. Reversal learning tasks are reliable, cross-species methods for testing a frequently impaired aspect of executive control, behavioral flexibility. Pre-clinical studies commonly require the use of reinforcers to motivate animals to learn and perform the task. While there are several reinforcers available, the most commonly employed are solid (food pellets) and liquid (sweetened milk) rewards. Previous studies have examined the effects of different solid rewards or liquid dietary content on learning in instrumental responding and found that rodents on liquid reward with higher caloric content performed better with increased response and task acquisition rate. The influence of reinforcer type on reversal learning and how this interacts with developmental insults such as prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has not been explored. Methods We tested whether reinforcer type during learning or reversal would impact an established deficit in PAE mice. Results We found that all male and female mice on liquid reward, regardless of prenatal exposure were better motivated to learn task behaviors during pre-training. Consistent with previous findings, both male and female PAE mice and Saccharine control mice were able to learn the initial stimulus reward associations irrespective of the reinforcer type. During the initial reversal phase, male PAE mice that received pellet rewards exhibited maladaptive perseverative responding whereas male mice that received liquid rewards performed comparable to their control counterparts. Female PAE mice that received either reinforcer types did not exhibit any deficits on behavioral flexibility. Female saccharine control mice that received liquid, but not pellet, rewards showed increased perseverative responding during the early reversal phase. Discussion These data suggest that reinforcer type can have a major impact on motivation, and therefore performance, during reversal learning. Highly motivating rewards may mask behavioral deficits seen with more moderately sought rewards and gestational exposure to the non-caloric sweetener, saccharine, can impact behavior motivated by those reinforcers in a sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayapriya Chandrasekaran
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Belkis Jacquez
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jennifer Wilson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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11
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Fischer M, Zimmerman A, Zhang E, Kolis J, Dickey A, Burdette MK, Chander P, Foulger SH, Brigman JL, Weick JP. Distribution and inflammatory cell response to intracranial delivery of radioluminescent Y2(SiO4)O:Ce particles. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0276819. [PMID: 36634053 PMCID: PMC9836305 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to increasing advances in their manufacture and functionalization, nanoparticle-based systems have become a popular tool for in vivo drug delivery and biodetection. Recently, scintillating nanoparticles such as yttrium orthosilicate doped with cerium (Y2(SiO4)O:Ce) have come under study for their potential utility in optogenetic applications, as they emit photons upon low levels of stimulation from remote x-ray sources. The utility of such nanoparticles in vivo is hampered by rapid clearance from circulation by the mononuclear phagocytic system, which heavily restricts nanoparticle accumulation at target tissues. Local transcranial injection of nanoparticles may deliver scintillating nanoparticles to highly specific brain regions by circumventing the blood-brain barrier and avoiding phagocytic clearance. Few studies to date have examined the distribution and response to nanoparticles following localized delivery to cerebral cortex, a crucial step in understanding the therapeutic potential of nanoparticle-based biodetection in the brain. Following the synthesis and surface modification of these nanoparticles, two doses (1 and 3 mg/ml) were introduced into mouse secondary motor cortex (M2). This region was chosen as the site for RLP delivery, as it represents a common target for optogenetic manipulations of mouse behavior, and RLPs could eventually serve as an injectable x-ray inducible light delivery system. The spread of particles through the target tissue was assessed 24 hours, 72 hours, and 9 days post-injection. Y2(SiO4)O:Ce nanoparticles were found to be detectable in the brain for up to 9 days, initially diffusing through the tissue until 72 hours before achieving partial clearance by the final endpoint. Small transient increases in the presence of IBA-1+ microglia and GFAP+ astrocytic cell populations were detected near nanoparticle injection sites of both doses tested 24 hours after surgery. Taken together, these data provide evidence that Y2(SiO4)O:Ce nanoparticles coated with BSA can be injected directly into mouse cortex in vivo, where they persist for days and are broadly tolerated, such that they may be potentially utilized for remote x-ray activated stimulation and photon emission for optogenetic experiments in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máté Fischer
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Amber Zimmerman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Eric Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Joseph Kolis
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ashley Dickey
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Mary K. Burdette
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Praveen Chander
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Stephen H. Foulger
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Bioengineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, United States of America
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
| | - Jason P. Weick
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America
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12
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Robinson S, Winer JL, Kitase Y, Brigman JL, Jantzie LL. Neonatal administration of erythropoietin attenuates cognitive deficits in adult rats following placental insufficiency. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:2112-2126. [PMID: 33611820 PMCID: PMC10097461 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [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: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Preterm birth is a principal cause of neurological disability later in life, including cognitive and behavioral deficits. Notably, cognitive impairment has greater impact on quality of life than physical disability. Survivors of preterm birth commonly have deficits of executive function. Difficulties with tasks and planning complexity correlate positively with increasing disability. To overcome these barriers for children born preterm, preclinical and clinical studies have emphasized the importance of neurorestoration. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a endogenous cytokine with multiple beneficial mechanisms of action following perinatal brain injury. While most preclinical investigations have focused on pathology and molecular mechanisms, translational studies of repair using clinically viable biobehavioral biomarkers are still lacking. Here, using an established model of encephalopathy of prematurity secondary to placental insufficiency, we tested the hypothesis that administration of EPO in the neonatal period would attenuate deficits in recognition memory and cognitive flexibility in adult rats of both sexes. We assessed cognition and executive function in two ways. First, using the classic test of novel object recognition and second, using a touchscreen platform. Touchscreen testing allows for rigorous testing of cognition and executive function in preclinical and clinical scenarios. Data show that adult rats exhibit deficits in recognition memory and cognitive flexibility following in utero placental insufficiency. Notably, neonatal treatment of EPO attenuates these deficits in adulthood and facilitates functional repair. Together, these data validate EPO neurorestoration using a clinically relevant outcome measure and support the concept that postnatal treatment following in utero injury can improve cognition and executive function through adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenandoah Robinson
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jesse L Winer
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA
| | - Yuma Kitase
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
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13
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Cavanagh JF, Gregg D, Light GA, Olguin SL, Sharp RF, Bismark AW, Bhakta SG, Swerdlow NR, Brigman JL, Young JW. Correction to: Electrophysiological biomarkers of behavioral dimensions from cross-species paradigms. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:290. [PMID: 35864090 PMCID: PMC9304120 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02070-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James F. Cavanagh
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Psychology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - David Gregg
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USA
| | - Gregory A. Light
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA ,grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708VISN-22 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Sarah L. Olguin
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USA
| | - Richard F. Sharp
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Andrew W. Bismark
- grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708VISN-22 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Savita G. Bhakta
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Neal R. Swerdlow
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USA
| | - Jared W. Young
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA ,grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708VISN-22 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
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14
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Bhakta SG, Cavanagh JF, Talledo JA, Kotz JE, Benster L, Roberts BZ, Nungaray JA, Brigman JL, Light GA, Swerdlow NR, Young JW. EEG reveals that dextroamphetamine improves cognitive control through multiple processes in healthy participants. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:1029-1036. [PMID: 35042948 PMCID: PMC8938448 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-021-01257-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The poor translatability between preclinical and clinical drug trials has limited pro-cognitive therapeutic development. Future pro-cognitive drug trials should use translatable cross-species cognitive tasks with biomarkers (1) relevant to specific cognitive constructs, and (2) sensitive to drug treatment. Here, we used a difficulty-modulated variant of a cross-species cognitive control task with simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) to identify neurophysiological biomarkers sensitive to the pro-cognitive effects of dextroamphetamine (d-amp) (10 or 20 mg) in healthy adults (n = 23), in a randomized, placebo-controlled, counterbalanced, double blind, within-subject study, conducted across three test days each separated by one week. D-amp boosted d-prime, sped reaction time, and increased frontal P3a amplitude to non-target correct rejections independent of task difficulty. Task difficulty did however, moderate d-amp effects on EEG during target performance. D-amp suppressed frontal theta power during easy target responses which negatively correlated with drug-induced improvement in hit rate while d-amp-induced changes in P3b amplitude during hard target trials strongly correlated with drug-induced improvement in hit rate. In summary, d-amp affected both behavioral and neurophysiological measures of cognitive control elements. Under low-demand, d-amp diminished cognitive control by suppressing theta, yet under high-demand it boosted control in concert with higher P3b amplitudes. These findings thus appear to reflect a gain-sharpening effect of d-amp: during high-demand processes were boosted while during low-demand processes were neglected. Future studies will use these neurophysiological measures of cognitive control as biomarkers to predict d-amp sensitivity in people with cognitive control deficits, including schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Savita G Bhakta
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - James F Cavanagh
- Psychology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jo A Talledo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Juliana E Kotz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Lindsay Benster
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Benjamin Z Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - John A Nungaray
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Gregory A Light
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
- Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Neal R Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA.
- Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA.
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15
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Cavanagh JF, Olguin S, Talledo JA, Kotz JE, Roberts BZ, Nungaray JA, Sprock J, Gregg D, Bhakta SG, Light GA, Swerdlow NR, Young JW, Brigman JL. Amphetamine alters an EEG marker of reward processing in humans and mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:923-933. [PMID: 35132440 PMCID: PMC8891070 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06082-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The bench-to-bedside development of pro-cognitive therapeutics for psychiatric disorders has been mired by translational failures. This is, in part, due to the absence of pharmacologically sensitive cognitive biomarkers common to humans and rodents. Here, we describe a cross-species translational marker of reward processing that is sensitive to the aminergic agonist, d-amphetamine. Motivated by human electroencephalographic (EEG) findings, we recently reported that frontal midline delta-band power is an electrophysiological biomarker of reward surprise in humans and in mice. In the current series of experiments, we determined the impact of parametric doses of d-amphetamine on this reward-related EEG response from humans (n = 23) and mice (n = 28) performing a probabilistic learning task. In humans, d-amphetamine (placebo, 10 mg, 20 mg) boosted the Reward Positivity event-related potential (ERP) component as well as the spectral delta-band representations of this signal. In mice, d-amphetamine (placebo, 0.1 mg/kg, 0.3 mg/kg, 1.0 mg/kg) boosted both reward and punishment ERP features, yet there was no modulation of spectral activities. In sum, the present results confirm the role of dopamine in the generation of the Reward Positivity in humans, and pave the way toward a pharmacologically valid biomarker of reward sensitivity across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- James F. Cavanagh
- Psychology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA, 87131
| | - Sarah Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA, 87131
| | - Jo A Talledo
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Juliana E. Kotz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Benjamin Z. Roberts
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - John A Nungaray
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Joyce Sprock
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093.,Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161
| | - David Gregg
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA, 87131
| | - Savita G. Bhakta
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Gregory A. Light
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093.,Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161
| | - Neal R. Swerdlow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Jared W. Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093.,Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC), VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA 92161
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA, 87131
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16
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Hafez AK, Zimmerman AJ, Papageorgiou G, Chandrasekaran J, Amoah SK, Lin R, Lozano E, Pierotti C, Dell'Orco M, Hartley BJ, Alural B, Lalonde J, Esposito JM, Berretta S, Squassina A, Chillotti C, Voloudakis G, Shao Z, Fullard JF, Brennand KJ, Turecki G, Roussos P, Perlis RH, Haggarty SJ, Perrone-Bizzozero N, Brigman JL, Mellios N. A bidirectional competitive interaction between circHomer1 and Homer1b within the orbitofrontal cortex regulates reversal learning. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110282. [PMID: 35045295 PMCID: PMC8809079 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [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: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Although circular RNAs (circRNAs) are enriched in the brain, their relevance for brain function and psychiatric disorders is poorly understood. Here, we show that circHomer1 is inversely associated with relative HOMER1B mRNA isoform levels in both the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and stem-cell-derived neuronal cultures of subjects with psychiatric disorders. We further demonstrate that in vivo circHomer1 knockdown (KD) within the OFC can inhibit the synaptic expression of Homer1b mRNA. Furthermore, we show that circHomer1 directly binds to Homer1b mRNA and that Homer1b-specific KD increases synaptic circHomer1 levels and improves OFC-mediated behavioral flexibility. Importantly, double circHomer1 and Homer1b in vivo co-KD results in a complete rescue in circHomer1-associated alterations in both chance reversal learning and synaptic gene expression. Lastly, we uncover an RNA-binding protein that can directly bind to circHomer1 and promote its biogenesis. Taken together, our data provide mechanistic insights into the importance of circRNAs in brain function and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander K Hafez
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Autophagy Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Amber J Zimmerman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Grigorios Papageorgiou
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Stephen K Amoah
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Autophagy Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Rixing Lin
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Evelyn Lozano
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Caroline Pierotti
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Michela Dell'Orco
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Brigham J Hartley
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Friedman Brain Institute, Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Begüm Alural
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jasmin Lalonde
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Sabina Berretta
- Translational Neuroscience Laboratory, Mclean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alessio Squassina
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Caterina Chillotti
- Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Agency of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Georgios Voloudakis
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, New York, NY, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, New York, NY, USA; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhiping Shao
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, New York, NY, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, New York, NY, USA; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, New York, NY, USA
| | - John F Fullard
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, New York, NY, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, New York, NY, USA; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kristen J Brennand
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, Friedman Brain Institute, Departments of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Neuroscience, and Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- McGill Group for Suicide Studies, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Panos Roussos
- Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics, New York, NY, USA; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, New York, NY, USA; Icahn Institute for Data Science and Genomic Technology, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA; Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Centers, James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Roy H Perlis
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, USA; Center for Experimental Drugs and Diagnostics, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Center for Genomic Medicine, Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nora Perrone-Bizzozero
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Nikolaos Mellios
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Autophagy Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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17
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Licheri V, Brigman JL. Altering Cell-Cell Interaction in Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Models: Insight on Cell-Adhesion Molecules During Brain Development. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 14:753537. [PMID: 34975396 PMCID: PMC8715949 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2021.753537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alcohol exposure during pregnancy disrupts the development of the brain and produces long lasting behavioral and cognitive impairments collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). FASDs are characterized by alterations in learning, working memory, social behavior and executive function. A large body of literature using preclinical prenatal alcohol exposure models reports alcohol-induced changes in architecture and activity in specific brain regions affecting cognition. While multiple putative mechanisms of alcohol’s long-lasting effects on morphology and behavior have been investigated, an area that has received less attention is the effect of alcohol on cell adhesion molecules (CAMs). The embryo/fetal development represents a crucial period for Central Nervous System (CNS) development during which the cell-cell interaction plays an important role. CAMs play a critical role in neuronal migration and differentiation, synaptic organization and function which may be disrupted by alcohol. In this review, we summarize the physiological structure and role of CAMs involved in brain development, review the current literature on prenatal alcohol exposure effects on CAM function in different experimental models and pinpoint areas needed for future study to better understand how CAMs may mediate the morphological, sensory and behavioral outcomes in FASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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18
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Marquardt K, Josey M, Kenton JA, Cavanagh JF, Holmes A, Brigman JL. Impaired cognitive flexibility following NMDAR-GluN2B deletion is associated with altered orbitofrontal-striatal function. Neuroscience 2021; 475:230-245. [PMID: 34656223 PMCID: PMC8592269 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.07.028] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
A common feature across neuropsychiatric disorders is inability to discontinue an action or thought once it has become detrimental. Reversal learning, a hallmark of executive control, requires plasticity within cortical, striatal and limbic circuits and is highly sensitive to disruption of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function. In particular, selective deletion or antagonism of GluN2B containing NMDARs in cortical regions including the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), promotes maladaptive perseveration. It remains unknown whether GluN2B functions to maintain local cortical activity necessary for reversal learning, or if it exerts a broader influence on the integration of neural activity across cortical and subcortical systems. To address this question, we utilized in vivo electrophysiology to record neuronal activity and local field potentials (LFP) in the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsal striatum (dS) of mice with deletion of GluN2B in neocortical and hippocampal principal cells while they performed touchscreen reversal learning. Reversal impairment produced by corticohippocampal GluN2B deletion was paralleled by an aberrant increase in functional connectivity between the OFC and dS. These alterations in coordination were associated with alterations in local OFC and dS firing activity. These data demonstrate highly dynamic patterns of cortical and striatal activity concomitant with reversal learning, and reveal GluN2B as a molecular mechanism underpinning the timing of these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Megan Josey
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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19
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Licheri V, Chandrasekaran J, Bird CW, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Sex-specific effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor function in orbitofrontal cortex pyramidal neurons of mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1994-2005. [PMID: 34523139 PMCID: PMC8602746 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can produce behavioral and cognitive deficits that persist into adulthood. These include impairments in executive functions, learning, planning, and cognitive flexibility. We have previously shown that moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) significantly impairs reversal learning, a measure of flexibility mediated across species by different brain areas that include the orbital frontal cortex (OFC). Reversal learning is likewise impaired by genetic or pharmacological inactivation of GluN2B subunit-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). In the current study, we tested the hypothesis that moderate PAE persistently alters the number and function of GluN2B subunit-containing NMDARs in OFC pyramidal neurons of adult mice. METHODS We used a rodent model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and left offspring undisturbed until adulthood. Using whole-cell, patch-clamp recordings, we assessed NMDAR function in slices from 90- to 100-day-old male and female PAE and control mice. Pharmacologically isolated NMDA receptor-mediated evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (NMDA-eEPSCs) were recorded in the absence and presence of the GluN2B antagonist, Ro25-6981(1 µM). In a subset of littermates, we evaluated the level of GluN2B protein expression in the synaptic fraction using Western blotting technique. RESULTS Our results indicate that PAE females show significantly larger (~23%) NMDA-eEPSC amplitudes than controls, while PAE induced a significant decrease (~17%) in NMDA-eEPSC current density of pyramidal neurons recorded in slices from male mice. NMDA-eEPSC decay time was not affected in PAE-exposed mice from either sex. The contribution of GluN2B subunit-containing NMDARs to the eEPSCs was not significantly altered by PAE. Moreover, there were no significant changes in protein expression in the synaptic fraction of either PAE males or females. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that low-to-moderate PAE modulates NMDAR function in pyramidal neurons in a sex-specific manner, although we did not find evidence that the effect is mediated by dysfunction of synaptic GluN2B subunit-containing NMDARs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Licheri
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico
School of Medicine, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | | | - Clark W. Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico
School of Medicine, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - C. Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico
School of Medicine, Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences
Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico
School of Medicine, Albuquerque NM, USA
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences
Center, Albuquerque NM, USA
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20
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Cavanagh JF, Gregg D, Light GA, Olguin SL, Sharp RF, Bismark AW, Bhakta SG, Swerdlow NR, Brigman JL, Young JW. Electrophysiological biomarkers of behavioral dimensions from cross-species paradigms. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:482. [PMID: 34535625 PMCID: PMC8448772 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01562-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been a fundamental failure to translate preclinically supported research into clinically efficacious treatments for psychiatric disorders. One of the greatest impediments toward improving this species gap has been the difficulty of identifying translatable neurophysiological signals that are related to specific behavioral constructs. Here, we present evidence from three paradigms that were completed by humans and mice using analogous procedures, with each task eliciting candidate a priori defined electrophysiological signals underlying effortful motivation, reinforcement learning, and cognitive control. The effortful motivation was assessed using a progressive ratio breakpoint task, yielding a similar decrease in alpha-band activity over time in both species. Reinforcement learning was assessed via feedback in a probabilistic learning task with delta power significantly modulated by reward surprise in both species. Additionally, cognitive control was assessed in the five-choice continuous performance task, yielding response-locked theta power seen across species, and modulated by difficulty in humans. Together, these successes, and also the teachings from these failures, provide a roadmap towards the use of electrophysiology as a method for translating findings from the preclinical assays to the clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- James F. Cavanagh
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Psychology Department, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - David Gregg
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USA
| | - Gregory A. Light
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA ,grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708VISN-22 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Sarah L. Olguin
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USA
| | - Richard F. Sharp
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Andrew W. Bismark
- grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708VISN-22 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Savita G. Bhakta
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Neal R. Swerdlow
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USA
| | - Jared W. Young
- grid.266100.30000 0001 2107 4242Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804 USA ,grid.410371.00000 0004 0419 2708VISN-22 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA USA
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21
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Marquardt K, Sigdel R, Brigman JL. Corrigendum to "Touch-screen visual reversal learning is mediated by value encoding and signal propagation in the orbitofrontal cortex" [Neurobiol. Learn. Mem. 139 (2017) 179-188]. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2021; 180:107380. [PMID: 33509704 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2021.107380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Rahul Sigdel
- New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
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22
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Kenton JA, Ontiveros T, Bird CW, Valenzuela CF, Brigman JL. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure alters the number and function of GABAergic interneurons in the murine orbitofrontal cortex. Alcohol 2020; 88:33-41. [PMID: 32540413 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2020.06.001] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to alcohol during development produces Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), characterized by a wide range of effects that include deficits in multiple cognitive domains. Early identification and treatment of individuals with FASD remain a challenge because neurobehavioral alterations do not become a significant problem until late childhood and early adolescence. Understanding the mechanisms underlying low and moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) effects on behavior and cognition is essential for improved diagnosis and treatment. Here, we examined the functional and morphological changes in an area known to be involved in executive control, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). We found that a moderate PAE model, previously shown to impair behavioral flexibility and to alter OFC activity in vivo, produced moderate functional and morphological changes within the OFC of mice in vitro. Specifically, slice electrophysiological recordings of spontaneous inhibitory post-synaptic currents in OFC pyramidal neurons revealed a significant increase in the amplitude and area in PAE mice relative to controls. Immunohistochemistry uncovered an increase in calretinin-, but not somatostatin- or parvalbumin-expressing cortical interneurons in the OFC of PAE mice. Together, these data suggest that moderate prenatal alcohol exposure alters the disinhibitory function in the OFC, which may contribute to the executive function deficits associated with FASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Tiahna Ontiveros
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Clark W Bird
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - C Fernando Valenzuela
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, University of New Mexico HSC, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States.
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23
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Pinkowski NJ, Guerin J, Zhang H, Carpentier ST, McCurdy KE, Pacheco JM, Mehos CJ, Brigman JL, Morton RA. Repeated mild traumatic brain injuries impair visual discrimination learning in adolescent mice. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2020; 175:107315. [PMID: 32980477 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2020.107315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 09/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive deficits following a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) are common and are associated with learning deficits in school-age children. Some of these deficits include problems with long-term memory, working memory, processing speeds, attention, mental fatigue, and executive function. Processing speed deficits have been associated with alterations in white matter, but the underlying mechanisms of many of the other deficits are unclear. Without a clear understanding of the underlying mechanisms we cannot effectively treat these injuries. The goal of these studies is to validate a translatable touchscreen discrimination/reversal task to identify deficits in executive function following a single or repeated mTBIs. Using a mild closed skull injury model in adolescent mice we were able to identify clear deficits in discrimination learning following repeated injuries that were not present from a single mTBI. The repeated injuries were not associated with any deficits in motor-based behavior but did induce a robust increase in astrocyte activation. These studies provide an essential platform to interrogate the underlying neurological dysfunction associated with these injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie J Pinkowski
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Juliana Guerin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Haikun Zhang
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Sydney T Carpentier
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Kathryn E McCurdy
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Johann M Pacheco
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Carissa J Mehos
- Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States; Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
| | - Russell A Morton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States; Center for Brain Recovery and Repair, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States.
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24
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Sharma G, Hu C, Staquicini DI, Brigman JL, Liu M, Mauvais-Jarvis F, Pasqualini R, Arap W, Arterburn JB, Hathaway HJ, Prossnitz ER. Preclinical efficacy of the GPER-selective agonist G-1 in mouse models of obesity and diabetes. Sci Transl Med 2020; 12:12/528/eaau5956. [PMID: 31996464 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aau5956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Human obesity has become a global health epidemic, with few safe and effective pharmacological therapies currently available. The systemic loss of ovarian estradiol (E2) in women after menopause greatly increases the risk of obesity and metabolic dysfunction, revealing the critical role of E2 in this setting. The salutary effects of E2 are traditionally attributed to the classical estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ, with the contribution of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) still largely unknown. Here, we used ovariectomy- and diet-induced obesity (DIO) mouse models to evaluate the preclinical activity of GPER-selective small-molecule agonist G-1 (also called Tespria) against obesity and metabolic dysfunction. G-1 treatment of ovariectomized female mice (a model of postmenopausal obesity) reduced body weight and improved glucose homeostasis without changes in food intake, fuel source usage, or locomotor activity. G-1-treated female mice also exhibited increased energy expenditure, lower body fat content, and reduced fasting cholesterol, glucose, insulin, and inflammatory markers but did not display feminizing effects on the uterus (imbibition) or beneficial effects on bone health. G-1 treatment of DIO male mice did not elicit weight loss but prevented further weight gain and improved glucose tolerance, indicating that G-1 improved glucose homeostasis independently of its antiobesity effects. However, in ovariectomized DIO female mice, G-1 continued to elicit weight loss, reflecting possible sex differences in the mechanisms of G-1 action. In conclusion, this work demonstrates that GPER-selective agonism is a viable therapeutic approach against obesity, diabetes, and associated metabolic abnormalities in multiple preclinical male and female models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetanjali Sharma
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Chelin Hu
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Daniela I Staquicini
- Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.,Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Meilian Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.,Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Franck Mauvais-Jarvis
- Diabetes Discovery and Sex-Based Medicine Laboratory, Section of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Tulane University Health Sciences Center, School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.,Section of Endocrinology, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Administration Health Care System, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Renata Pasqualini
- Division of Cancer Biology, Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.,Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Wadih Arap
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Jeffrey B Arterburn
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, 88003, USA
| | - Helen J Hathaway
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.,University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Eric R Prossnitz
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. .,Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.,University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Science Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
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25
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Kenton JA, Castillo VK, Kehrer PE, Brigman JL. Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Impairs Visual-Spatial Discrimination in a Sex-Specific Manner: Effects of Testing Order and Difficulty on Learning Performance. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2020; 44:2008-2018. [PMID: 32772384 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Exposure to high levels of alcohol during development leads to alterations in neurogenesis and deficits in hippocampal-dependent learning. Evidence suggests that even more moderate alcohol consumption during pregnancy can have negative impacts on the cognitive function of offspring. Methods for assessing impairments differ greatly across species, complicating translation of preclinical findings into potential therapeutics. We have demonstrated the utility of a touchscreen operant measure for assessing hippocampal function in mice. METHODS Here, we integrated a well-established "drinking-in-the-dark" exposure model that produces reliable, but more moderate, levels of maternal intoxication with a trial-unique, delayed nonmatching-to-location (TUNL) task to examine the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on hippocampal-sensitive behavior directly analogous to those used in clinical assessment. PAE and SAC offspring mice were trained to touch a single visual stimulus ("sample phase") in one of 10 possible spatial locations (2 × 5 grid) in a touchscreen operant system. After a delay, animals were simultaneously presented with the original stimulus and a rewarded stimulus in a novel location ("choice phase"). PAE and saccharin (SAC) control mice were trained on a series of problems that systematically increased the difficulty by decreasing the separation between the sample and choice stimuli. Next, a separate cohort of PAE and SAC animals were given a brief training and then tested on a challenging variant where both the separation and delay varied with each trial. RESULTS We found that PAE mice were generally able to perform at levels similar to SAC control mice at progressively more difficult separations. When tested on the most difficult unpredictable variant immediately, PAE showed a sex-specific deficit with PAE females performing worse during long delays. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these data demonstrate the utility of the TUNL task for examining PAE related alterations in hippocampal function and underline the need to examine sex-by-treatment interactions in these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny A Kenton
- From the Department of Neurosciences, (JAK, VC, PK, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Victoria K Castillo
- From the Department of Neurosciences, (JAK, VC, PK, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Penelope E Kehrer
- From the Department of Neurosciences, (JAK, VC, PK, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- From the Department of Neurosciences, (JAK, VC, PK, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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26
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Olguin SL, Thompson SM, Young JW, Brigman JL. Moderate prenatal alcohol exposure impairs cognitive control, but not attention, on a rodent touchscreen continuous performance task. Genes Brain Behav 2020; 20:e12652. [PMID: 32144885 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A common feature associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders is the inability to concentrate on a specific task while ignoring distractions. Human continuous performance tasks (CPT), measure vigilance and cognitive control simultaneously while these processes are traditionally measured separately in rodents. We recently established a touchscreen 5-choice CPT (5C-CPT) that measures vigilance and cognitive control simultaneously by incorporating both target and nontargets and showed it was sensitive to amphetamine-induced improvement in humans and mice. Here, we examined the effects of moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) in male and female mice on performance of the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), which contained only target trials, and the 5C-CPT which incorporated both target and nontarget trials. In addition, we assessed gait and fine motor coordination in behavioral naïve PAE and control animals. We found that on the 5-CSRTT mice were able to respond to target presentations with similar hit rates regardless of sex or treatment. However, on the 5C-CPT PAE mice made significantly more false alarm responses vs controls. Compared with control animals, PAE mice had a significantly lower sensitivity index, a measure of ability to discriminate appropriate responses to stimuli types. During 5C-CPT, female mice, regardless of treatment, also had increased mean latency to respond when correct and omitted more target trials. Gait assessment showed no significant differences in PAE and SAC mice on any measure. These findings suggest that moderate exposure to alcohol during development can have long lasting effects on cognitive control unaffected by gross motor alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Shannon M Thompson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.,Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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27
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Jantzie LL, Maxwell JR, Newville JC, Yellowhair TR, Kitase Y, Madurai N, Ramachandra S, Bakhireva LN, Northington FJ, Gerner G, Tekes A, Milio LA, Brigman JL, Robinson S, Allan A. Prenatal opioid exposure: The next neonatal neuroinflammatory disease. Brain Behav Immun 2020; 84:45-58. [PMID: 31765790 PMCID: PMC7010550 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2019.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [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: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The rates of opioid use disorder during pregnancy have more than quadrupled in the last decade, resulting in numerous infants suffering exposure to opioids during the perinatal period, a critical period of central nervous system (CNS) development. Despite increasing use, the characterization and definition of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of the long-term neurodevelopmental impacts of opioid exposure commencing in utero remains incomplete. Thus, in consideration of the looming public health crisis stemming from the multitude of infants with prenatal opioid exposure entering school age, we undertook an investigation of the effects of perinatal methadone exposure in a novel preclinical model. Specifically, we examined the effects of opioids on the developing brain to elucidate mechanisms of putative neural cell injury, to identify diagnostic biomarkers and to guide clinical studies of outcome and follow-up. We hypothesized that methadone would induce a pronounced inflammatory profile in both dams and their pups, and be associated with immune system dysfunction, sustained CNS injury, and altered cognition and executive function into adulthood. This investigation was conducted using a combination of cellular, molecular, biochemical, and clinically translatable biomarker, imaging and cognitive assessment platforms. Data reveal that perinatal methadone exposure increases inflammatory cytokines in the neonatal peripheral circulation, and reprograms and primes the immune system through sustained peripheral immune hyperreactivity. In the brain, perinatal methadone exposure not only increases chemokines and cytokines throughout a crucial developmental period, but also alters microglia morphology consistent with activation, and upregulates TLR4 and MyD88 mRNA. This increase in neuroinflammation coincides with reduced myelin basic protein and altered neurofilament expression, as well as reduced structural coherence and significantly decreased fractional anisotropy on diffusion tensor imaging. In addition to this microstructural brain injury, adult rats exposed to methadone in the perinatal period have significant impairment in associative learning and executive control as assessed using touchscreen technology. Collectively, these data reveal a distinct systemic and neuroinflammatory signature associated with prenatal methadone exposure, suggestive of an altered CNS microenvironment, dysregulated developmental homeostasis, complex concurrent neural injury, and imaging and cognitive findings consistent with clinical literature. Further investigation is required to define appropriate therapies targeted at the neural injury and improve the long-term outcomes for this exceedingly vulnerable patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren L. Jantzie
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD.,Department of Neurology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD.,Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM.,Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM.,Correspondence: Lauren L. Jantzie, PhD, Johns Hopkins University, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, CMSC Building Room 6-104A, Baltimore, MD 21287,
| | - Jessie R. Maxwell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM.,Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Jessie C. Newville
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM.,Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Tracylyn R. Yellowhair
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Yuma Kitase
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Nethra Madurai
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Sindhu Ramachandra
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Ludmila N. Bakhireva
- Substance Use Research and Education (SURE) Center, University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, Albuquerque, NM
| | | | - Gwendolyn Gerner
- Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Aylin Tekes
- Division of Pediatric Radiology and Pediatric Neuroradiology, Russell Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lorraine A. Milio
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Shenandoah Robinson
- Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Andrea Allan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
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Zimmerman AJ, Hafez AK, Amoah SK, Rodriguez BA, Dell’Orco M, Lozano E, Hartley BJ, Alural B, Lalonde J, Chander P, Webster MJ, Perlis RH, Brennand KJ, Haggarty SJ, Weick J, Perrone-Bizzozero N, Brigman JL, Mellios N. A psychiatric disease-related circular RNA controls synaptic gene expression and cognition. Mol Psychiatry 2020; 25:2712-2727. [PMID: 31988434 PMCID: PMC7577899 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0653-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Revised: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Although circular RNAs (circRNAs) are enriched in the mammalian brain, very little is known about their potential involvement in brain function and psychiatric disease. Here, we show that circHomer1a, a neuronal-enriched circRNA abundantly expressed in the frontal cortex, derived from Homer protein homolog 1 (HOMER1), is significantly reduced in both the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neuronal cultures from patients with schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). Moreover, alterations in circHomer1a were positively associated with the age of onset of SCZ in both the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). No correlations between the age of onset of SCZ and linear HOMER1 mRNA were observed, whose expression was mostly unaltered in BD and SCZ postmortem brain. Using in vivo circRNA-specific knockdown of circHomer1a in mouse PFC, we show that it modulates the expression of numerous alternative mRNA transcripts from genes involved in synaptic plasticity and psychiatric disease. Intriguingly, in vivo circHomer1a knockdown in mouse OFC resulted in specific deficits in OFC-mediated cognitive flexibility. Lastly, we demonstrate that the neuronal RNA-binding protein HuD binds to circHomer1a and can influence its synaptic expression in the frontal cortex. Collectively, our data uncover a novel psychiatric disease-associated circRNA that regulates synaptic gene expression and cognitive flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber J. Zimmerman
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Alexander K. Hafez
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Stephen K. Amoah
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA ,Autophagy inflammation and metabolism (AIM) center, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Brian A. Rodriguez
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Michela Dell’Orco
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Evelyn Lozano
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Brigham J. Hartley
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Begüm Alural
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Center for Genomic Medicine, Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Jasmin Lalonde
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Center for Genomic Medicine, Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA ,grid.34429.380000 0004 1936 8198Present Address: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON Canada
| | - Praveen Chander
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Maree J. Webster
- grid.453353.70000 0004 0473 2858Laboratory of Brain Research, Stanley Medical Research Institute, Chevy Chase, MD USA
| | - Roy H. Perlis
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA ,grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Center for Experimental Drugs and Diagnostics, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA USA
| | - Kristen J. Brennand
- grid.59734.3c0000 0001 0670 2351Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY USA
| | - Stephen J. Haggarty
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Center for Genomic Medicine, Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA
| | - Jason Weick
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Nora Perrone-Bizzozero
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Jonathan L. Brigman
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Nikolaos Mellios
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA. .,Autophagy inflammation and metabolism (AIM) center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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29
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Maxwell JR, Zimmerman AJ, Pavlik N, Newville JC, Carlin K, Robinson S, Brigman JL, Northington FJ, Jantzie LL. Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Yields Permanent Deficits in Learning Acquisition: A Preclinical Touchscreen Assessment. Front Pediatr 2020; 8:289. [PMID: 32582593 PMCID: PMC7291343 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2020.00289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) remains a common problem world-wide for infants born at term. The impact of HIE on long-term outcomes, especially into adulthood, is not well-described. To facilitate identification of biobehavioral biomarkers utilizing a translational platform, we sought to investigate the impact of HIE on executive function and cognitive outcomes into adulthood utilizing a murine model of HIE. HIE mice (unilateral common carotid artery occlusion to induce ischemia, followed by hypoxia with a FiO2 of 0.08 for 45 min) and control mice were tested on discrimination and reversal touchscreen tasks (using their noses) shown to be sensitive to loss of basal ganglia or cortical function, respectively. We hypothesized that the HIE injury would result in deficits in reversal learning, revealing complex cognitive and executive functioning impairments. Following HIE, mice had a mild discrimination impairment as measured by incorrect responses but were able to learn the paradigm to similar levels as controls. During reversal, HIE mice required significantly more total trials, errors and correction trials across the paradigm. Analysis of specific stages showed that reversal impairments in HIE were driven by significant increases in all measured parameters during the late learning, striatal-mediated portion of the task. Together, these results support the concept that HIE occurring during the neonatal period results in abnormal neurodevelopment that persists into adulthood, which can impact efficient associated learning. Further, these data show that utilization of an established model of HIE coupled with touchscreen learning provides valuable information for screening therapeutic interventions that could mitigate these deficits to improve the long-term outcomes of this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie R Maxwell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.,Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Amber J Zimmerman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nathaniel Pavlik
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jessie C Newville
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Katherine Carlin
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shenandoah Robinson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Frances J Northington
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.,Department of Neurology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
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30
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Marquardt K, Cavanagh JF, Brigman JL. Alcohol exposure in utero disrupts cortico-striatal coordination required for behavioral flexibility. Neuropharmacology 2019; 162:107832. [PMID: 31678398 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.107832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [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: 08/30/2019] [Revised: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Deficits in behavioral flexibility are a hallmark of multiple psychiatric, neurological, and substance use disorders. These deficits are often marked by decreased function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC); however, the genesis of such executive deficits remains understudied. Here we report how the most preventable cause of developmental disability, in utero exposure to alcohol, alters cortico-striatal circuit activity leading to impairments in behavioral flexibility in adulthood. We utilized a translational touch-screen task coupled with in vivo electrophysiology in adult mice to examine single unit and coordinated activity of the lateral orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and dorsolateral striatum (DS) during flexible behavior. Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) decreased OFC, and increased DS, single unit activity during reversal learning and altered the number of choice responsive neurons in both regions. PAE also decreased coordinated activity within the OFC and DS as measured by oscillatory field activity and altered spike-field coupling. Furthermore, PAE led to sustained connectivity between regions past what was seen in control animals. These findings suggest that PAE causes altered coordination within and between the OFC and DS, promoting maladaptive perseveration. Our model suggests that in optimally functioning mice OFC disengages the DS and updates the newly changed reward contingency, whereas in PAE animals, aberrant and persistent OFC to DS signaling drives behavioral inflexibility during early reversal sessions. Together, these findings demonstrate how developmental exposure alters circuit-level activity leading to behavioral deficits and suggest a critical role for coordination of neural timing during behaviors requiring executive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - James F Cavanagh
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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31
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Olguin SL, Zimmerman A, Zhang H, Allan A, Caldwell KC, Brigman JL. Increased Maternal Care Rescues Altered Reinstatement Responding Following Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2019; 43:1949-1956. [PMID: 31318985 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [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: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) commonly include deficits in learning, memory, and executive control that can have a severe negative impact on quality of life across the life span. It is still unclear how prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects executive control processes, such as control over reward seeking, that lead to inappropriate behavior later in life. Learning and reinstatement of a previously learned response after extinction is a simple, well-validated measure of both acquisition of a rewarded instrumental response and sensitivity to reward and reward-associated cues. We investigated the effects of PAE on learning, extinction, and reinstatement of a simple instrumental response for food reward. Next, we assessed the effectiveness of an early intervention, communal nest (CN) housing, on increased reinstatement of an extinguished response seen after PAE. METHODS To assess the effects of PAE on control over reward seeking, we tested male and female PAE and saccharine (SAC) controls raised in a standard nest (SN) on the acquisition, extinction, and food reward-induced reinstatement of an instrumental response utilizing a touch screen-based paradigm. Next, in order to examine the effects of an early-life intervention on these behaviors, we tested PAE and SAC mice raised in a CN early-life environment on these behaviors. RESULTS PAE mice readily acquired and extinguished a simple touch response to a white square stimulus. However, PAE mice showed significantly increased and persistent reinstatement compared to controls. Increased maternal care via rearing in CN slowed acquisition and sped extinction learning and rescued the significantly increased reinstatement responding in PAE mice. CONCLUSIONS Together these results demonstrate that even moderate PAE is sufficient to alter control over reward seeking as measured by reinstatement. Importantly, an early-life intervention previously shown to improve cognitive outcomes in PAE mice was sufficient to ameliorate this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Olguin
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (SLO, AA, KCC, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Amber Zimmerman
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Haikun Zhang
- Center for Brain Repair and Recovery, (HZ, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Andrea Allan
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (SLO, AA, KCC, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Kevin C Caldwell
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (SLO, AA, KCC, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, (SLO, AZ, AA, KCC, JLB), University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, (SLO, AA, KCC, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico.,Center for Brain Repair and Recovery, (HZ, JLB), UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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32
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Marquardt K, Josey M, Kenton JA, Cavanagh JF, Holmes A, Brigman JL. Impaired cognitive flexibility following NMDAR-GluN2B deletion is associated with altered orbitofrontal-striatal function. Neuroscience 2019; 404:338-352. [PMID: 30742964 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2019.01.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [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: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
A common feature across neuropsychiatric disorders is inability to discontinue an action or thought once it has become detrimental. Reversal learning, a hallmark of executive control, requires plasticity within cortical, striatal and limbic circuits and is highly sensitive to disruption of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function. In particular, selective deletion or antagonism of GluN2B containing NMDARs in cortical regions including the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), promotes maladaptive perseveration. It remains unknown whether GluN2B functions to maintain local cortical activity necessary for reversal learning, or if it exerts a broader influence on the integration of neural activity across cortical and subcortical systems. To address this question, we utilized in vivo electrophysiology to record neuronal activity and local field potentials (LFP) in the orbitofrontal cortex and dorsal striatum (dS) of mice with deletion of GluN2B in neocortical and hippocampal principal cells while they performed touchscreen reversal learning. Reversal impairment produced by corticohippocampal GluN2B deletion was paralleled by an aberrant increase in functional connectivity between the OFC and dS. These alterations in coordination were associated with alterations in local OFC and dS firing activity. These data demonstrate highly dynamic patterns of cortical and striatal activity concomitant with reversal learning, and reveal GluN2B as a molecular mechanism underpinning the timing of these processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New, Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Megan Josey
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New, Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | - Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New, Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM
| | | | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New, Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM; New, Mexico, Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM.
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33
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Kenton JA, Castillo R, Holmes A, Brigman JL. Cortico-hippocampal GluN2B is essential for efficient visual-spatial discrimination learning in a touchscreen paradigm. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 156:60-67. [PMID: 30394331 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Discrimination of similar spatial locations, an important feature of episodic memory, has traditionally been measured via delayed nonmatching-to-location tasks. Recently, we and others have demonstrated that touchscreen-based Trial Unique Nonmatching-to-Location (TUNL) tasks are sensitive to lesions of the dorsal hippocampus in the mouse. Previously we have shown that loss of the GluN2B subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor in the dorsal CA1 and throughout the cortex impairs hippocampal-dependent water maze and fear conditioning paradigms. We investigated whether loss of GluN2B would alter performance of visual-spatial discrimination learning in a delay- or separation-dependent manner. GluN2B null mutants displayed initial impairments in accuracy on the easiest training variant of TUNL that were overcome with training. Loss of GluN2B also impaired performance on a problem series where delay and separation were systematically varied. We also observed a training-dependent effect on performance. Mutant mice that received extensive training performed similar to control mice when challenged on a variable delay and variable separation problem, while those that received minimal training were impaired across all delays and separations. Together, these data demonstrate that GluN2B in the dorsal CA1 and cortex are essential for efficient visual-spatial discrimination learning on the TUNL task. Further, training effects on performance in mutant mice suggest that alterations in synaptic plasticity after GluN2B loss may underlie intra- versus inter-session learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny A Kenton
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Rebecca Castillo
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
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34
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Robinson S, Winer JL, Chan LAS, Oppong AY, Yellowhair TR, Maxwell JR, Andrews N, Yang Y, Sillerud LO, Meehan WP, Mannix R, Brigman JL, Jantzie LL. Extended Erythropoietin Treatment Prevents Chronic Executive Functional and Microstructural Deficits Following Early Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Rats. Front Neurol 2018; 9:451. [PMID: 29971038 PMCID: PMC6018393 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2018.00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Survivors of infant traumatic brain injury (TBI) are prone to chronic neurological deficits that impose lifelong individual and societal burdens. Translation of novel interventions to clinical trials is hampered in part by the lack of truly representative preclinical tests of cognition and corresponding biomarkers of functional outcomes. To address this gap, the ability of a high-dose, extended, post-injury regimen of erythropoietin (EPO, 3000U/kg/dose × 6d) to prevent chronic cognitive and imaging deficits was tested in a postnatal day 12 (P12) controlled-cortical impact (CCI) model in rats, using touchscreen operant chambers and regional analysis of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Results indicate that EPO prevents functional injury and MRI injury after infant TBI. Specifically, subacute DTI at P30 revealed widespread microstructural damage that is prevented by EPO. Assessment of visual discrimination on a touchscreen operant chamber platform demonstrated that all groups can perform visual discrimination. However, CCI rats treated with vehicle failed to pass reversal learning, and perseverated, in contrast to sham and CCI-EPO rats. Chronic DTI at P90 showed EPO treatment prevented contralateral white matter and ipsilateral lateral prefrontal cortex damage. This DTI improvement correlated with cognitive performance. Taken together, extended EPO treatment restores executive function and prevents microstructural brain abnormalities in adult rats with cognitive deficits in a translational preclinical model of infant TBI. Sophisticated testing with touchscreen operant chambers and regional DTI analyses may expedite translation and effective yield of interventions from preclinical studies to clinical trials. Collectively, these data support the use of EPO in clinical trials for human infants with TBI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenandoah Robinson
- Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.,F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jesse L Winer
- Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lindsay A S Chan
- Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Akosua Y Oppong
- Neurosurgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Jessie R Maxwell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Nicholas Andrews
- F.M. Kirby Center for Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yirong Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Laurel O Sillerud
- Department of Neurology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - William P Meehan
- Sports Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rebekah Mannix
- Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Lauren L Jantzie
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States.,Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, United States
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35
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Oliver RJ, Brigman JL, Bolognani F, Allan AM, Neisewander JL, Perrone-Bizzozero NI. Neuronal RNA-binding protein HuD regulates addiction-related gene expression and behavior. Genes Brain Behav 2018; 17:e12454. [PMID: 29283498 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2017] [Revised: 12/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The neuronal RNA-binding protein HuD is involved in synaptic plasticity and learning and memory mechanisms. These effects are thought to be due to HuD-mediated stabilization and translation of target mRNAs associated with plasticity. To investigate the potential role of HuD in drug addiction, we first used bioinformatics prediction algorithms together with microarray analyses to search for specific genes and functional networks upregulated within the forebrain of HuD overexpressing mice (HuDOE ). When this set was further limited to genes in the knowledgebase of addiction-related genes database (KARG) that contains predicted HuD-binding sites in their 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs), we found that HuD regulates networks that have been associated with addiction-like behavior. These genes included Bdnf and Camk2a, 2 previously validated HuD targets. Since addiction is hypothesized to be a disorder stemming from altered gene expression causing aberrant plasticity, we sought to test the role of HuD in cocaine conditioned placed preference (CPP), a model of addiction-related behaviors. HuD mRNA and protein were upregulated by CPP within the nucleus accumbens of wild-type C57BL/6J mice. These changes were associated with increased expression of Bdnf and Camk2a mRNA and protein. To test this further, we trained HuDOE and wild-type mice in CPP and found that HuDOE mice showed increased cocaine CPP compared with controls. This was also associated with elevated expression of HuD target mRNAs and proteins, CaMKIIα and BDNF. These findings suggest HuD involvement in addiction-related behaviors such as cocaine conditioning and seeking, through increased plasticity-related gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- R J Oliver
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - J L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - F Bolognani
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development; Neuroscience, Ophthalmology and Rare Diseases, Roche Innovation Center, Basel, Switzerland
| | - A M Allan
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
| | - J L Neisewander
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona
| | - N I Perrone-Bizzozero
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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36
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Marquardt K, Sigdel R, Brigman JL. Touch-screen visual reversal learning is mediated by value encoding and signal propagation in the orbitofrontal cortex. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2017; 139:179-188. [PMID: 28111339 PMCID: PMC5372695 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral inflexibility is a common symptom of neuropsychiatric disorders which can have a major detrimental impact on quality of life. While the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has been strongly implicated in behavioral flexibility in rodents across paradigms, our understanding of how the OFC mediates these behaviors is rapidly adapting. Here we examined neuronal activity during reversal learning by coupling in vivo electrophysiological recording with a mouse touch-screen learning paradigm to further elucidate the role of the OFC in updating reward value. Single unit and oscillatory activity was recorded during well-learned discrimination and 3 distinct phases of reversal (early, chance and well-learned). During touch-screen performance, OFC neuronal firing tracked rewarded responses following a previous rewarded choice when behavior was well learned, but shifted to primarily track repeated errors following a previous error in early reversal. Spike activity tracked rewarded choices independent of previous trial outcome during chance reversal, and returned to the initial pattern of reward response at criterion. Analysis of spike coupling to oscillatory local field potentials showed that less frequently occurring behaviors had significantly fewer neurons locked to any oscillatory frequency. Together, these data support the role of the OFC in tracking the value of individual choices to inform future responses and suggests that oscillatory signaling may be involved in propagating responses to increase or decrease the likelihood that action is taken in the future. They further support the use of touch-screen paradigms in preclinical studies to more closely model clinical approaches to measuring behavioral flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Rahul Sigdel
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, United States; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States.
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Brigman JL, Young JW, Pletnikov M, Kent S. Dispatches from the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society meeting 2014. Introduction. Behav Brain Res 2016; 295:1-2. [PMID: 26549148 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2015.09.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The International Behavioral Neuroscience Society (IBNS) was founded in 1992 to fill the need for a focused meeting of the international research community to discuss issues important for the development and progress of this scientific discipline. In the 20 plus years since its founding, IBNS has become a hub for the dissemination of new research, development of important research collaborations, support and networking for young investigators, and for outreach and education to the community. This work is covered in part by offering special sessions during the meeting for late-breaking scientific discoveries from a range of disciplines as well as background and seniority level of the presenters. This special issue is a culmination of the late-breaking research presented at the IBNS 2014 meeting. The manuscripts of this Special Issue cover a variety of themes, including, stress, depression, the intersection of monoamine systems and behavior, substance use disorders, attentional processes, and awareness and acceptance of brain training. This wide range of topics and interest as well as range in seniority of presenters demonstrate the driving interest of IBNS in advancing knowledge in behavioral neuroscience as well as supporting scientists at every level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | - Jared W Young
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0804, La Jolla, CA 92093-0804, USA; Research Service, VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mikhail Pletnikov
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA; Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA; Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA; Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Stephen Kent
- School of Psychology & Public Health, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia
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Izquierdo A, Brigman JL, Radke AK, Rudebeck PH, Holmes A. The neural basis of reversal learning: An updated perspective. Neuroscience 2016; 345:12-26. [PMID: 26979052 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 316] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [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: 12/03/2015] [Revised: 02/24/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Reversal learning paradigms are among the most widely used tests of cognitive flexibility and have been used as assays, across species, for altered cognitive processes in a host of neuropsychiatric conditions. Based on recent studies in humans, non-human primates, and rodents, the notion that reversal learning tasks primarily measure response inhibition, has been revised. In this review, we describe how cognitive flexibility is measured by reversal learning and discuss new definitions of the construct validity of the task that are serving as a heuristic to guide future research in this field. We also provide an update on the available evidence implicating certain cortical and subcortical brain regions in the mediation of reversal learning, and an overview of the principal neurotransmitter systems involved.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Izquierdo
- Department of Psychology, The Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - J L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - A K Radke
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - P H Rudebeck
- Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10014, USA
| | - A Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Marquardt K, Brigman JL. The impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on social, cognitive and affective behavioral domains: Insights from rodent models. Alcohol 2016; 51:1-15. [PMID: 26992695 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2015.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2015] [Revised: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 12/11/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) are characterized by deficits in working memory, response inhibition, and behavioral flexibility. However, the combination and severity of impairments are highly dependent upon maternal ethanol consumption patterns, which creates a complex variety of manifestations. Rodent models have been essential in identifying behavioral endpoints of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). However, experimental model outcomes are extremely diverse based on level, pattern, timing, and method of ethanol exposure, as well as the behavioral domain assayed and paradigm used. Therefore, comparisons across studies are difficult and there is currently no clear comprehensive behavioral phenotype of PAE. This lack of defined cognitive and behavioral phenotype is a contributing factor to the difficulty in identifying FASD individuals. The current review aims to critically examine preclinical behavioral outcomes in the social, cognitive, and affective domains in terms of the PAE paradigm, with a special emphasis on dose, timing, and delivery, to establish a working model of behavioral impairment. In addition, this review identifies gaps in our current knowledge and proposes future areas of research that will advance knowledge in the field of PAE outcomes. Understanding the complex behavioral phenotype, which results from diverse ethanol consumption will allow for development of better diagnostic tools and more critical evaluation of potential treatments for FASD.
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Abstract
The ability to attend to appropriate stimuli, to plan actions and then alter those actions when environmental conditions change, is essential for an organism to thrive. There is increasing evidence that these executive control processes are mediated in part by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR). NMDAR subunits confer different physiological properties to the receptor, interact with distinct intracellular postsynaptic scaffolding and signaling molecules and are differentially expressed during development. Recent findings have suggested that the GluN2B subunit may play a unique role in both the acquisition of adaptive choice and the behavioral flexibility required to shift between choices. Here we investigated the role of GluN2B containing NMDARs in the ability to learn, reverse and shift between stimulus dimensions. Mutant mice (floxed-GluN2B x CaMKII-Cre) lacking GluN2B in the dorsal CA1 of the hippocampus and throughout the cortex were tested on an attentional set-shifting task. To explore the role that alterations in motor behavior may have on these behaviors, gross and fine motor behaviors were analyzed in mutant and floxed-control mice. Results show that corticohippocampal loss of GluN2B selectively impaired an initial reversal in a stimulus specific manner and impaired the ability of mutant mice to form an attentional set. Further, GluN2B mice showed normal motor behavior in both overall movement and individual limb behaviors. Together, these results further support the role of NMDAR, and GluN2B in particular, in aspects of executive control including behavioral flexibility and attentional processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon M Thompson
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine
| | - Megan Josey
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine
| | - Andrew Holmes
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institutes of Health
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine
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Hamilton DA, Brigman JL. Behavioral flexibility in rats and mice: contributions of distinct frontocortical regions. Genes Brain Behav 2015; 14:4-21. [PMID: 25561028 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Revised: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 11/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Research examining the contribution of genetics to behavior is increasingly focused on higher order behavioral and cognitive processes including the ability to modify behaviors when environmental demands change. The frontal cortices of mammals, including rodents, subserve a diverse set of behavioral and cognitive functions including motor planning, social behavior, evaluation of expected outcomes and working memory, which may be particularly sensitive to genetic factors and interactions with experience (e.g. stress). Behavioral flexibility is a core attribute of these functions. This review orients readers to the current landscape of the literature on the frontocortical bases of behavioral flexibility in rodent laboratory experiments. Studies are divided into three broad categories: reversal learning, inhibitory learning and set-shifting. Functional dissociations within the broader scope of behavioral flexibility are reviewed, followed by discussion of the associations between specific components of frontal cortex and specific aspects of relevant behavioral processes. Finally, the authors identify open questions that need to be addressed to better establish the constituents of frontal cortex underlying behavioral flexibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- D A Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Marquardt K, Sigdel R, Caldwell K, Brigman JL. Prenatal ethanol exposure impairs executive function in mice into adulthood. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2015; 38:2962-8. [PMID: 25581651 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [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: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite evidence that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) can lead to a wide range of impairments in cognitive, social, and emotional behaviors, drinking during pregnancy remains common. Although there is a general understanding that high levels of drinking during pregnancy are unsafe, conflicting evidence regarding the impact of low intake may account for the persistence of this behavior. METHODS To investigate the effects of PAE on learning and executive control, we utilized a voluntary paradigm where pregnant mice had access to a saccharin-sweetened 10% alcohol solution for 4 hours, during the dark cycle, throughout gestation. Male and female offspring were tested as adults on a touch-screen discrimination and reversal task mediated by corticostriatal circuits. RESULTS Consistent with previous findings, PAE did not lead to gross morphological, motor, or sensory alterations in offspring. Both PAE and saccharin control female mice were slower to acquire the discrimination than males, but PAE did not impair associative learning in either sex. During reversal, PAE led to a specific and significant impairment in the early phase, where cortical control is most required to flexibly alter choice behavior. PAE mice showed a significant increase in maladaptive perseverative responses but showed intact learning of the new association during late reversal. CONCLUSIONS Previously, data from clinical studies have suggested that executive control deficits may underlie cognitive, as well as social, problems seen in adolescents with documented PAE. These data demonstrate that even more moderate alcohol exposure during development can lead to impaired cognitive functioning well into adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Josey M, Brigman JL. Loss of hippocampal function impairs pattern separation on a mouse touch-screen operant paradigm. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2015; 125:85-92. [PMID: 26265370 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 05/06/2015] [Revised: 07/24/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The hippocampus is heavily involved in the learning and memory processes necessary to successfully encode environmental stimuli and representations over time. Impairment of hippocampal function is associated with numerous neuropsychiatric diseases and can lead to detriments in the quality of life. In order to take full advantage of preclinical models of these disorders, there is a need for the development of more refined measures of clinically relevant hippocampal behaviors. While arena-based navigation tasks have provided fundamental information regarding the role of the hippocampus in spatial memory, the development of automated operant variants have had mixed results. Recently, an automated touch-screen paradigm has been shown to be highly sensitive to hippocampal function in the rat and eliminated mediating strategies that arose in previous tasks. Here we show that mice with lesions encompassing the entire ventral portion of the dorsal hippocampus are impaired on pattern separation behavior using a delayed nonmatching-to-location (TUNL) adapted for mice. Lesioned mice readily acquired the task at control rates when separations were maximal and delay periods were short while decreasing separations significantly impaired lesion mice. However, in contrast to previously reported results in the rat, consistently increasing delays did not significantly impair performance in the lesion group. Presentation of a variable delay within a session significantly impaired performance in lesion mice across delay periods. The current results demonstrate the utility of a touch-screen paradigm for measuring hippocampal-dependent pattern separation in the mouse and establish the paradigm as an important platform for future studies in disease models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Josey
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jonathan L Brigman
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA; New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, UNM Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
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Marquardt K, Saha M, Mishina M, Young JW, Brigman JL. Loss of GluN2A-containing NMDA receptors impairs extra-dimensional set-shifting. Genes Brain Behav 2014; 13:611-7. [PMID: 25059550 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Revised: 07/08/2014] [Accepted: 07/21/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate neurotransmission via the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is thought to mediate the synaptic plasticity underlying learning and memory formation. There is increasing evidence that deficits in NMDAR function are involved in the pathophysiology of cognitive dysfunction seen in neuropsychiatric disorders and addiction. NMDAR subunits confer different physiological properties to the receptor, interact with distinct intracellular postsynaptic scaffolding and signaling molecules, and are differentially expressed during development. Despite these known differences, the relative contribution of individual subunit composition to synaptic plasticity and learning is not fully elucidated. We have previously shown that constitutive deletion of GluN2A subunit in the mouse impairs discrimination and re-learning phase of reversal when exemplars are complex picture stimuli, but spares acquisition and extinction of non-discriminative visually cued instrumental response. To investigate the role of GluN2A containing NMDARs in executive control, we tested GluN2A knockout (GluN2A(KO) ), heterozygous (GluN2A(HET) ) and wild-type (WT) littermates on an attentional set-shifting task using species-specific stimulus dimensions. To further explore the nature of deficits in this model, mice were tested on a visual discrimination reversal paradigm using simplified rotational stimuli. GluN2A(KO) were not impaired on discrimination or reversal problems when tactile or olfactory stimuli were used, or when visual stimuli were sufficiently easy to discriminate. GluN2A(KO) showed a specific and significant impairment in ventromedial prefrontal cortex-mediated set-shifting. Together these results support a role for GluN2A containing NMDAR in modulating executive control that can be masked by overlapping deficits in attentional processes during high task demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Marquardt
- Department of Neurosciences, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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Sharma G, Hu C, Brigman JL, Zhu G, Hathaway HJ, Prossnitz ER. GPER deficiency in male mice results in insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and a proinflammatory state. Endocrinology 2013; 154:4136-45. [PMID: 23970785 PMCID: PMC3800768 DOI: 10.1210/en.2013-1357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen is an important regulator of metabolic syndrome, a collection of abnormalities including obesity, insulin resistance/glucose intolerance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and inflammation, which together lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The role of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER/GPR30), particularly in males, in these pathologies remains unclear. We therefore sought to determine whether loss of GPER contributes to aspects of metabolic syndrome in male mice. Although 6-month-old male and female GPER knockout (KO) mice displayed increased body weight compared with wild-type littermates, only female GPER KO mice exhibited glucose intolerance at this age. Weight gain in male GPER KO mice was associated with increases in both visceral and sc fat. GPER KO mice, however, exhibited no differences in food intake or locomotor activity. One-year-old male GPER KO mice displayed an abnormal lipid profile with higher cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Fasting blood glucose levels remained normal, whereas insulin levels were elevated. Although insulin resistance was evident in GPER KO male mice from 6 months onward, glucose intolerance was pronounced only at 18 months of age. Furthermore, by 2 years of age, a proinflammatory phenotype was evident, with increases in the proinflammatory and immunomodulatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, TNFα, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, interferon γ-induced protein 10, and monokine induced by interferon gamma and a concomitant decrease in the adipose-specific cytokine adiponectin. In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time that in male mice, GPER regulates metabolic parameters associated with obesity and diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geetanjali Sharma
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131.
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Brigman JL, Daut RA, Wright T, Gunduz-Cinar O, Graybeal C, Davis MI, Jiang Z, Saksida LM, Jinde S, Pease M, Bussey TJ, Lovinger DM, Nakazawa K, Holmes A. GluN2B in corticostriatal circuits governs choice learning and choice shifting. Nat Neurosci 2013; 16:1101-10. [PMID: 23831965 PMCID: PMC3725191 DOI: 10.1038/nn.3457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2013] [Accepted: 05/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
A choice that reliably produces a preferred outcome can be automated to liberate cognitive resources for other tasks. Should an outcome become less desirable, behavior must adapt in parallel or become perseverative. Corticostriatal systems are known to mediate choice learning and flexibility, but the molecular mechanisms subserving the instantiation of these processes are not well understood. We integrated mouse behavioral, immunocytochemical, in vivo electrophysiological, genetic, and pharmacological approaches to study choice. We found that the dorsal striatum (DS) was increasingly activated with choice learning, whereas reversal of learned choice engaged prefrontal regions. In vivo, DS neurons showed activity associated with reward anticipation and receipt that emerged with learning and relearning. Corticostriatal or striatal GluN2B gene deletion, or DS-restricted GluN2B antagonism, impaired choice learning, whereas cortical GluN2B deletion or OFC GluN2B antagonism impaired shifting. Our convergent data demonstrate how corticostriatal GluN2B circuits govern the ability to learn and shift choice behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Brigman
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse (NIAAA), US National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Graybeal C, Feyder M, Schulman E, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Brigman JL, Holmes A. Paradoxical reversal learning enhancement by stress or prefrontal cortical damage: rescue with BDNF. Nat Neurosci 2011; 14:1507-9. [PMID: 22057192 DOI: 10.1038/nn.2954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2011] [Accepted: 09/12/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Stress affects various forms of cognition. We found that moderate stress enhanced late reversal learning in a mouse touchscreen-based choice task. Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) lesions mimicked the effect of stress, whereas orbitofrontal and dorsolateral striatal lesions impaired reversal. Stress facilitation of reversal was prevented by BDNF infusion into the vmPFC. These findings suggest a mechanism by which stress-induced vmPFC dysfunction disinhibits learning by alternate (for example, striatal) systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn Graybeal
- Laboratory of Behavioral and Genomic Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Brigman JL, Graybeal C, Holmes A. Predictably irrational: assaying cognitive inflexibility in mouse models of schizophrenia. Front Neurosci 2010; 4. [PMID: 20859447 PMCID: PMC2938983 DOI: 10.3389/neuro.01.013.2010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2009] [Accepted: 01/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of sophisticated, translatable mouse-based assays modeling the behavioral manifestations of neuropsychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia, has lagged the advances in molecular and genomic techniques. Our laboratory has made efforts to fill this gap by investing in the development of novel assays, including adapting a touchscreen-based method for measuring cognitive and executive functions for use in mice. As part of these efforts, a recent study by Brigman et al. (2009) investigated the effects of subchronic phencyclidine treatment on mouse touchscreen-based pairwise visual discrimination and reversal learning. Here, we summarize the results of that study, and place them in the larger context of ongoing efforts to develop valid mouse "models" of schizophrenia, with a focus on reversal learning and other measures of cognitive flexibility. Touchscreen-based systems could provide a tractable platform for fully utilizing the mouse to elucidate the pathophysiology of cognitive inflexibility in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Brigman
- Section on Behavioral Science and Genetics, Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism NIH, Rockville, MD, USA
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Brigman JL, Mathur P, Harvey-White J, Izquierdo A, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Fox S, Deneris E, Murphy DL, Holmes A. Pharmacological or genetic inactivation of the serotonin transporter improves reversal learning in mice. Cereb Cortex 2009; 20:1955-63. [PMID: 20032063 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhp266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Growing evidence supports a major contribution of cortical serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) to the modulation of cognitive flexibility and the cognitive inflexibility evident in neuropsychiatric disorders. The precise role of 5-HT and the influence of 5-HT gene variation in mediating this process is not fully understood. Using a touch screen-based operant system, we assessed reversal of a pairwise visual discrimination as an assay for cognitive flexibility. Effects of constitutive genetic or pharmacological inactivation of the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) on reversal were examined by testing 5-HTT null mice and chronic fluoxetine-treated C57BL/6J mice, respectively. Effects of constitutive genetic loss or acute pharmacological depletion of 5-HT were assessed by testing Pet-1 null mice and para-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)-treated C57BL/6J mice, respectively. Fluoxetine-treated C57BL/6J mice made fewer errors than controls during the early phase of reversal when perseverative behavior is relatively high. 5-HTT null mice made fewer errors than controls in completing the reversal task. However, reversal in Pet-1 null and PCPA-treated C57BL/6J mice was not different from controls. These data further support an important role for 5-HT in modulating reversal learning and provide novel evidence that inactivating the 5-HTT improves this process. These findings could have important implications for understanding and treating cognitive inflexibility in neuropsychiatric disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Brigman
- Section on Behavioral Science and Genetics, Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH, MD 20852-9411, USA.
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Brigman JL, Ihne J, Saksida LM, Bussey TJ, Holmes A. Effects of Subchronic Phencyclidine (PCP) Treatment on Social Behaviors, and Operant Discrimination and Reversal Learning in C57BL/6J Mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2009; 3:2. [PMID: 19255630 PMCID: PMC2649201 DOI: 10.3389/neuro.08.002.2009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2008] [Accepted: 01/22/2009] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Subchronic treatment with the psychotomimetic phencyclidine (PCP) has been proposed as a rodent model of the negative and cognitive/executive symptoms of schizophrenia. There has, however, been a paucity of studies on this model in mice, despite the growing use of the mouse as a subject in genetic and molecular studies of schizophrenia. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of subchronic PCP treatment (5 mg/kg twice daily × 7 days, followed by 7 days withdrawal) in C57BL/6J mice on (1) social behaviors using a sociability/social novelty-preference paradigm, and (2) pairwise visual discrimination and reversal learning using a touchscreen-based operant system. Results showed that mice subchronically treated with PCP made more visits to (but did not spend more time with) a social stimulus relative to an inanimate one, and made more visits and spent more time investigating a novel social stimulus over a familiar one. Subchronic PCP treatment did not significantly affect behavior in either the discrimination or reversal learning tasks. These data encourage further analysis of the potential utility of mouse subchronic PCP treatment for modeling the social withdrawal component of schizophrenia. They also indicate that the treatment regimen employed was insufficient to impair our measures of discrimination and reversal learning in the C57BL/6J strain. Further work will be needed to identify alternative methods (e.g., repeated cycles of subchronic PCP treatment, use of different mouse strains) that reliably produce discrimination and/or reversal impairment, as well as other cognitive/executive measures that are sensitive to chronic PCP treatment in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan L Brigman
- Section on Behavioral Science and Genetics, Laboratory for Integrative Neuroscience, National Institute on Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, NIH Rockville, MD, USA.
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