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Rein B, Raymond K, Boustani C, Tuy S, Zhang J, St. Laurent R, Pomrenze MB, Boroon P, Heifets B, Smith M, Malenka RC. MDMA enhances empathy-like behaviors in mice via 5-HT release in the nucleus accumbens. Sci Adv 2024; 10:eadl6554. [PMID: 38657057 PMCID: PMC11042730 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adl6554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) is a psychoactive drug with powerful prosocial effects. While MDMA is sometimes termed an "empathogen," empirical studies have struggled to clearly demonstrate these effects or pinpoint underlying mechanisms. Here, we paired the social transfer of pain and analgesia-behavioral tests modeling empathy in mice-with region-specific neuropharmacology, optogenetics, and transgenic manipulations to explore MDMA's action as an empathogen. We report that MDMA, given intraperitoneally or infused directly into the nucleus accumbens (NAc), robustly enhances the social transfer of pain and analgesia. Optogenetic stimulation of 5-HT release in the NAc recapitulates the effects of MDMA, implicating 5-HT signaling as a core mechanism. Last, we demonstrate that systemic MDMA or optogenetic stimulation of NAc 5-HT inputs restores deficits in empathy-like behaviors in the Shank3-deficient mouse model of autism. These findings demonstrate enhancement of empathy-related behaviors by MDMA and implicate 5-HT signaling in the NAc as a core mechanism mediating MDMA's empathogenic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Rein
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kendall Raymond
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Cali Boustani
- Department of Neurobiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sabrena Tuy
- Department of Neurobiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Jie Zhang
- Department of Neurobiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Robyn St. Laurent
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Matthew B. Pomrenze
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Parnaz Boroon
- Department of Neurobiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Boris Heifets
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Monique Smith
- Department of Neurobiology, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Robert C. Malenka
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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2
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Pomrenze MB, Vaillancourt S, Llorach P, Rijsketic DR, Casey AB, Gregory N, Salgado JS, Malenka RC, Heifets BD. Opioid receptor expressing neurons of the central amygdala gate behavioral effects of ketamine in mice. bioRxiv 2024:2024.03.03.583196. [PMID: 38496451 PMCID: PMC10942405 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.03.583196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Ketamine has anesthetic, analgesic, and antidepressant properties which may involve multiple neuromodulatory systems. In humans, the opioid receptor (OR) antagonist naltrexone blocks the antidepressant effect of ketamine. It is unclear whether naltrexone blocks a direct effect of ketamine at ORs, or whether normal functioning of the OR system is required to realize the full antidepressant effects of treatment. In mice, the effect of ketamine on locomotion, but not analgesia or the forced swim test, was sensitive to naltrexone and was therefore used as a behavioral readout to localize the effect of naltrexone in the brain. We performed whole-brain imaging of cFos expression in ketamine-treated mice, pretreated with naltrexone or vehicle, and identified the central amygdala (CeA) as the area with greatest difference in cFos intensity. CeA neurons expressing both μOR (MOR) and PKCμ were strongly activated by naltrexone but not ketamine, and selectively interrupting MOR function in the CeA either pharmacologically or genetically blocked the locomotor effects of ketamine. These data suggest that MORs expressed in CeA neurons gate behavioral effects of ketamine but are not direct targets of ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B. Pomrenze
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Sam Vaillancourt
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Pierre Llorach
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Daniel Ryskamp Rijsketic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Austen B. Casey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Nicholas Gregory
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Juliana S. Salgado
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Robert C. Malenka
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Boris D. Heifets
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
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3
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Rijsketic DR, Casey AB, Barbosa DAN, Zhang X, Hietamies TM, Ramirez-Ovalle G, Pomrenze MB, Halpern CH, Williams LM, Malenka RC, Heifets BD. UNRAVELing the synergistic effects of psilocybin and environment on brain-wide immediate early gene expression in mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1798-1807. [PMID: 37248402 PMCID: PMC10579391 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01613-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The effects of context on the subjective experience of serotonergic psychedelics have not been fully examined in human neuroimaging studies, partly due to limitations of the imaging environment. Here, we administered saline or psilocybin to mice in their home cage or an enriched environment, immunofluorescently-labeled brain-wide c-Fos, and imaged iDISCO+ cleared tissue with light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) to examine the impact of environmental context on psilocybin-elicited neural activity at cellular resolution. Voxel-wise analysis of c-Fos-immunofluorescence revealed clusters of neural activity associated with main effects of context and psilocybin-treatment, which were validated with c-Fos+ cell density measurements. Psilocybin increased c-Fos expression in subregions of the neocortex, caudoputamen, central amygdala, and parasubthalamic nucleus while it decreased c-Fos in the hypothalamus, cortical amygdala, striatum, and pallidum in a predominantly context-independent manner. To gauge feasibility of future mechanistic studies on ensembles activated by psilocybin, we confirmed activity- and Cre-dependent genetic labeling in a subset of these neurons using TRAP2+/-;Ai14+ mice. Network analyses treating each psilocybin-sensitive cluster as a node indicated that psilocybin disrupted co-activity between highly correlated regions, reduced brain modularity, and dramatically attenuated intermodular co-activity. Overall, our results indicate that main effects of context and psilocybin were robust, widespread, and reorganized network architecture, whereas context×psilocybin interactions were surprisingly sparse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ryskamp Rijsketic
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Austen B Casey
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Daniel A N Barbosa
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Tuuli M Hietamies
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Grecia Ramirez-Ovalle
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Matthew B Pomrenze
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Casey H Halpern
- Department of Neurosurgery, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Leanne M Williams
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Sierra-Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Robert C Malenka
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Boris D Heifets
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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Martinez Damonte V, Pomrenze MB, Manning CE, Casper C, Wolfden AL, Malenka RC, Kauer JA. Somatodendritic Release of Cholecystokinin Potentiates GABAergic Synapses Onto Ventral Tegmental Area Dopamine Cells. Biol Psychiatry 2023; 93:197-208. [PMID: 35961792 PMCID: PMC9976994 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2022.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuropeptides are contained in nearly every neuron in the central nervous system and can be released not only from nerve terminals but also from somatodendritic sites. Cholecystokinin (CCK), among the most abundant neuropeptides in the brain, is expressed in the majority of midbrain dopamine neurons. Despite this high expression, CCK function within the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is not well understood. METHODS We confirmed CCK expression in VTA dopamine neurons through immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization and detected optogenetically induced CCK release using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To investigate whether CCK modulates VTA circuit activity, we used whole-cell patch clamp recordings in mouse brain slices. We infused CCK locally in vivo and tested food intake and locomotion in fasted mice. We also used in vivo fiber photometry to measure Ca2+ transients in dopamine neurons during feeding. RESULTS Here we report that VTA dopamine neurons release CCK from somatodendritic regions, where it triggers long-term potentiation of GABAergic (gamma-aminobutyric acidergic) synapses. The somatodendritic release occurs during trains of optogenetic stimuli or prolonged but modest depolarization and is dependent on synaptotagmin-7 and T-type Ca2+ channels. Depolarization-induced long-term potentiation is blocked by a CCK2 receptor antagonist and mimicked by exogenous CCK. Local infusion of CCK in vivo inhibits food consumption and decreases distance traveled in an open field test. Furthermore, intra-VTA-infused CCK reduced dopamine cell Ca2+ signals during food consumption after an overnight fast and was correlated with reduced food intake. CONCLUSIONS Our experiments introduce somatodendritic neuropeptide release as a previously unknown feedback regulator of VTA dopamine cell excitability and dopamine-related behaviors.
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Pomrenze MB, Cardozo Pinto DF, Neumann PA, Llorach P, Tucciarone JM, Morishita W, Eshel N, Heifets BD, Malenka RC. Modulation of 5-HT release by dynorphin mediates social deficits during opioid withdrawal. Neuron 2022; 110:4125-4143.e6. [PMID: 36202097 PMCID: PMC9789200 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2022.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Social isolation during opioid withdrawal is a major contributor to the current opioid addiction crisis. We find that sociability deficits during protracted opioid withdrawal in mice require activation of kappa opioid receptors (KORs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) medial shell. Blockade of release from dynorphin (Pdyn)-expressing dorsal raphe neurons (DRPdyn), but not from NAcPdyn neurons, prevents these deficits in prosocial behaviors. Conversely, optogenetic activation of DRPdyn neurons reproduced NAc KOR-dependent decreases in sociability. Deletion of KORs from serotonin (5-HT) neurons, but not from NAc neurons or dopamine (DA) neurons, prevented sociability deficits during withdrawal. Finally, measurements with the genetically encoded GRAB5-HT sensor revealed that during withdrawal KORs block the NAc 5-HT release that normally occurs during social interactions. These results define a neuromodulatory mechanism that is engaged during protracted opioid withdrawal to induce maladaptive deficits in prosocial behaviors, which in humans contribute to relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Pomrenze
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Daniel F Cardozo Pinto
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Peter A Neumann
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Pierre Llorach
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Jason M Tucciarone
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Wade Morishita
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Neir Eshel
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Boris D Heifets
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Robert C Malenka
- Nancy Pritzker Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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6
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Pomrenze MB, Paliarin F, Maiya R. Friend of the Devil: Negative Social Influences Driving Substance Use Disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:836996. [PMID: 35221948 PMCID: PMC8866771 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.836996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorders in humans have significant social influences, both positive and negative. While prosocial behaviors promote group cooperation and are naturally rewarding, distressing social encounters, such as aggression exhibited by a conspecific, are aversive and can enhance the sensitivity to rewarding substances, promote the acquisition of drug-taking, and reinstate drug-seeking. On the other hand, withdrawal and prolonged abstinence from drugs of abuse can promote social avoidance and suppress social motivation, accentuating drug cravings and facilitating relapse. Understanding how complex social states and experiences modulate drug-seeking behaviors as well as the underlying circuit dynamics, such as those interacting with mesolimbic reward systems, will greatly facilitate progress on understanding triggers of drug use, drug relapse and the chronicity of substance use disorders. Here we discuss some of the common circuit mechanisms underlying social and addictive behaviors that may underlie their antagonistic functions. We also highlight key neurochemicals involved in social influences over addiction that are frequently identified in comorbid psychiatric conditions. Finally, we integrate these data with recent findings on (±)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) that suggest functional segregation and convergence of social and reward circuits that may be relevant to substance use disorder treatment through the competitive nature of these two types of reward. More studies focused on the relationship between social behavior and addictive behavior we hope will spur the development of treatment strategies aimed at breaking vicious addiction cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B. Pomrenze
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Matthew B. Pomrenze Rajani Maiya
| | - Franciely Paliarin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Rajani Maiya
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA, United States
- *Correspondence: Matthew B. Pomrenze Rajani Maiya
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Pomrenze MB, Walker LC, Giardino WJ. Gray areas: Neuropeptide circuits linking the Edinger-Westphal and Dorsal Raphe nuclei in addiction. Neuropharmacology 2021; 198:108769. [PMID: 34481834 PMCID: PMC8484048 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The circuitry of addiction comprises several neural networks including the midbrain - an expansive region critically involved in the control of motivated behaviors. Midbrain nuclei like the Edinger-Westphal (EW) and dorsal raphe (DR) contain unique populations of neurons that synthesize many understudied neuroactive molecules and are encircled by the periaqueductal gray (PAG). Despite the proximity of these special neuron classes to the ventral midbrain complex and surrounding PAG, functions of the EW and DR remain substantially underinvestigated by comparison. Spanning approximately -3.0 to -5.2 mm posterior from bregma in the mouse, these various cell groups form a continuum of neurons that we refer to collectively as the subaqueductal paramedian zone. Defining how these pathways modulate affective behavioral states presents a difficult, yet conquerable challenge for today's technological advances in neuroscience. In this review, we cover the known contributions of different neuronal subtypes of the subaqueductal paramedian zone. We catalogue these cell types based on their spatial, molecular, connectivity, and functional properties and integrate this information with the existing data on the EW and DR in addiction. We next discuss evidence that links the EW and DR anatomically and functionally, highlighting the potential contributions of an EW-DR circuit to addiction-related behaviors. Overall, we aim to derive an integrated framework that emphasizes the contributions of EW and DR nuclei to addictive states and describes how these cell groups function in individuals suffering from substance use disorders. This article is part of the special Issue on 'Neurocircuitry Modulating Drug and Alcohol Abuse'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Pomrenze
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305-5453, USA
| | - Leigh C Walker
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - William J Giardino
- Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305-5453, USA; Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, 94305-5453, USA.
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8
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Pomrenze MB, Marinelli M. Love it or Leave it: Differential Modulation of Incentive Motivation by Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Neurons. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:1113-1115. [PMID: 34082887 PMCID: PMC8380042 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.03.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Michela Marinelli
- Department of Neuroscience, College of Natural Sciences, Austin, Texas; Department of Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas; Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
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9
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Maiya R, Pomrenze MB, Tran T, Tiwari GR, Beckham A, Paul MT, Mayfield RD, Messing RO. Differential regulation of alcohol consumption and reward by the transcriptional cofactor LMO4. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:2175-2186. [PMID: 32144357 PMCID: PMC7558853 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-020-0706-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Repeated alcohol exposure leads to changes in gene expression that are thought to underlie the transition from moderate to excessive drinking. However, the mechanisms by which these changes are integrated into a maladaptive response that leads to alcohol dependence are not well understood. One mechanism could involve the recruitment of transcriptional co-regulators that bind and modulate the activity of transcription factors. Our results indicate that the transcriptional regulator LMO4 is one such candidate regulator. Lmo4-deficient mice (Lmo4gt/+) consumed significantly more and showed enhanced preference for alcohol in a 24 h intermittent access drinking procedure. shRNA-mediated knockdown of Lmo4 in the nucleus accumbens enhanced alcohol consumption, whereas knockdown in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) decreased alcohol consumption and reduced conditioned place preference for alcohol. To ascertain the molecular mechanisms that underlie these contrasting phenotypes, we carried out unbiased transcriptome profiling of these two brain regions in wild type and Lmo4gt/+ mice. Our results revealed that the transcriptional targets of LMO4 are vastly different between the two brain regions, which may explain the divergent phenotypes observed upon Lmo4 knockdown. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that Oprk1 and genes related to the extracellular matrix (ECM) are important transcriptional targets of LMO4 in the BLA. Chromatin immunoprecipitation revealed that LMO4 bound Oprk1 promoter elements. Consistent with these results, disruption of the ECM or infusion of norbinaltorphimine, a selective kappa opioid receptor antagonist, in the BLA reduced alcohol consumption. Hence our results indicate that an LMO4-regulated transcriptional network regulates alcohol consumption in the BLA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajani Maiya
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. .,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. .,Department of Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
| | - Matthew B. Pomrenze
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Thi Tran
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Gayatri R. Tiwari
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Andrea Beckham
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Madison T. Paul
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - R. Dayne Mayfield
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Robert O. Messing
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA,Department of Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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10
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Giardino WJ, Pomrenze MB. Extended Amygdala Neuropeptide Circuitry of Emotional Arousal: Waking Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed Nuclei of Stria Terminalis. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:613025. [PMID: 33633549 PMCID: PMC7900561 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.613025] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleep is fundamental to life, and poor sleep quality is linked to the suboptimal function of the neural circuits that process and respond to emotional stimuli. Wakefulness ("arousal") is chiefly regulated by circadian and homeostatic forces, but affective mood states also strongly impact the balance between sleep and wake. Considering the bidirectional relationships between sleep/wake changes and emotional dynamics, we use the term "emotional arousal" as a representative characteristic of the profound overlap between brain pathways that: (1) modulate wakefulness; (2) interpret emotional information; and (3) calibrate motivated behaviors. Interestingly, many emotional arousal circuits communicate using specialized signaling molecules called neuropeptides to broadly modify neural network activities. One major neuropeptide-enriched brain region that is critical for emotional processing and has been recently implicated in sleep regulation is the bed nuclei of stria terminalis (BNST), a core component of the extended amygdala (an anatomical term that also includes the central and medial amygdalae, nucleus accumbens shell, and transition zones betwixt). The BNST encompasses an astonishing diversity of cell types that differ across many features including spatial organization, molecular signature, biological sex and hormonal milieu, synaptic input, axonal output, neurophysiological communication mode, and functional role. Given this tremendous complexity, comprehensive elucidation of the BNST neuropeptide circuit mechanisms underlying emotional arousal presents an ambitious set of challenges. In this review, we describe how rigorous investigation of these unresolved questions may reveal key insights to enhancing psychiatric treatments and global psychological wellbeing.
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11
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Pomrenze MB, Giovanetti SM, Maiya R, Gordon AG, Kreeger LJ, Messing RO. Dissecting the Roles of GABA and Neuropeptides from Rat Central Amygdala CRF Neurons in Anxiety and Fear Learning. Cell Rep 2020; 29:13-21.e4. [PMID: 31577943 PMCID: PMC6879108 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [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: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Central amygdala (CeA) neurons that produce corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) regulate anxiety and fear learning. These CeACRF neurons release GABA and several neuropeptides predicted to play important yet opposing roles in these behaviors. We dissected the relative roles of GABA, CRF, dynorphin, and neurotensin in CeACRF neurons in anxiety and fear learning by disrupting their expression using RNAi in male rats. GABA, but not CRF, dynorphin, or neurotensin, regulates baseline anxiety-like behavior. In contrast, chemogenetic stimulation of CeACRF neurons evokes anxiety-like behavior dependent on CRF and dynorphin, but not neurotensin. Finally, knockdown of CRF and dynorphin impairs fear learning, whereas knockdown of neurotensin enhances it. Our results demonstrate distinct behavioral roles for GABA, CRF, dynorphin, and neurotensin in a subpopulation of CeA neurons. These results highlight the importance of considering the repertoire of signaling molecules released from a given neuronal population when studying the circuit basis of behavior. Pomrenze et al. demonstrate that CRF neurons of the central amygdala differentially regulate fear and anxiety through the release of GABA and different neuropeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Pomrenze
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Simone M Giovanetti
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Rajani Maiya
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Adam G Gordon
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Lauren J Kreeger
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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12
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Wang J, Blasio A, Chapman HL, Doebelin C, Liaw V, Kuryatov A, Giovanetti SM, Lindstrom J, Lin L, Cameron MD, Kamenecka TM, Pomrenze MB, Messing RO. Promoting activity of (α4) 3(β2) 2 nicotinic cholinergic receptors reduces ethanol consumption. Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:301-308. [PMID: 31394567 PMCID: PMC6901472 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-019-0475-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 07/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing interest in developing drugs that act at α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) to treat alcohol use disorder. The smoking cessation agent varenicline, a partial agonist of α4β2 nAChRs, reduces alcohol intake, but its use can be limited by side effects at high therapeutic doses. There are two stoichiometric forms of α4β2 nAChRs, (α4)3(β2)2 and (α4)2(β2)3. Here we investigated the hypothesis that NS9283, a positive allosteric modulator selective for the (α4)3(β2)2 form, reduces ethanol consumption. NS9283 increased the potency of varenicline to activate and desensitize (α4)3(β2)2 nAChRs in vitro without affecting other known targets of varenicline. In male and female C57BL/6J mice, NS9283 (10 mg/kg) reduced ethanol intake in a two-bottle choice, intermittent drinking procedure without affecting saccharin intake, ethanol-induced incoordination or ethanol-induced loss of the righting reflex. Subthreshold doses of NS9283 (2.5 mg/kg) plus varenicline (0.1 mg/kg) synergistically reduced ethanol intake in both sexes. Finally, despite having no aversive valence of its own, NS9283 enhanced ethanol-conditioned place aversion. We conclude that compounds targeting the (α4)3(β2)2 subtype of nAChRs can reduce alcohol consumption, and when administered in combination with varenicline, may allow use of lower varenicline doses to decrease varenicline side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Wang
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Angelo Blasio
- 0000 0004 1936 9924grid.89336.37Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Holly L. Chapman
- 0000 0004 1936 9924grid.89336.37Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Christelle Doebelin
- 0000000122199231grid.214007.0Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL USA
| | - Victor Liaw
- 0000 0004 1936 9924grid.89336.37Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Alexander Kuryatov
- 0000 0004 1936 8972grid.25879.31Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Simone M. Giovanetti
- 0000 0004 1936 9924grid.89336.37Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Jon Lindstrom
- 0000 0004 1936 8972grid.25879.31Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Li Lin
- 0000000122199231grid.214007.0DMPK core, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL USA
| | - Michael D. Cameron
- 0000000122199231grid.214007.0DMPK core, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL USA
| | - Theodore M. Kamenecka
- 0000000122199231grid.214007.0Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL USA
| | - Matthew B. Pomrenze
- 0000 0004 1936 9924grid.89336.37Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
| | - Robert O. Messing
- 0000 0004 1936 9924grid.89336.37Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX USA
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13
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Tovar-Díaz J, Pomrenze MB, Kan R, Pahlavan B, Morikawa H. Cooperative CRF and α1 Adrenergic Signaling in the VTA Promotes NMDA Plasticity and Drives Social Stress Enhancement of Cocaine Conditioning. Cell Rep 2019. [PMID: 29514102 PMCID: PMC5877815 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.02.039] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Stressful events rapidly trigger activity-dependent synaptic plasticity, driving the formation of aversive memories. However, it remains unclear how stressful experience affects plasticity mechanisms to regulate appetitive learning, such as intake of addictive drugs. Using rats, we show that corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and α1 adrenergic receptor (α1AR) signaling enhance the plasticity of NMDA-receptor-mediated glutamatergic transmission in ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons through distinct effects on inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3)-dependent Ca2+ signaling. We find that CRF amplifies IP3-Ca2+ signaling induced by stimulation of α1ARs, revealing a cooperative mechanism that promotes glutamatergic plasticity. In line with this, acute social defeat stress engages similar cooperative CRF and α1AR signaling in the VTA to enhance learning of cocaine-paired cues. These data provide evidence that CRF and α1ARs act in concert to regulate IP3-Ca2+ signaling in the VTA and promote learning of drug-associated cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Tovar-Díaz
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Matthew B Pomrenze
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Russell Kan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Bahram Pahlavan
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Hitoshi Morikawa
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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14
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de Guglielmo G, Kallupi M, Pomrenze MB, Crawford E, Simpson S, Schweitzer P, Koob GF, Messing RO, George O. Inactivation of a CRF-dependent amygdalofugal pathway reverses addiction-like behaviors in alcohol-dependent rats. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1238. [PMID: 30886240 PMCID: PMC6423296 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09183-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [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: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The activation of a neuronal ensemble in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) during alcohol withdrawal has been hypothesized to induce high levels of alcohol drinking in dependent rats. In the present study we describe that the CeA neuronal ensemble that is activated by withdrawal from chronic alcohol exposure contains ~80% corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons and that the optogenetic inactivation of these CeA CRF+ neurons prevents recruitment of the neuronal ensemble, decreases the escalation of alcohol drinking, and decreases the intensity of somatic signs of withdrawal. Optogenetic dissection of the downstream neuronal pathways demonstrates that the reversal of addiction-like behaviors is observed after the inhibition of CeA CRF projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and that inhibition of the CRFCeA-BNST pathway is mediated by inhibition of the CRF-CRF1 system and inhibition of BNST cell firing. These results suggest that the CRFCeA-BNST pathway could be targeted for the treatment of excessive drinking in alcohol use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giordano de Guglielmo
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Marsida Kallupi
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Matthew B Pomrenze
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology and the Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Elena Crawford
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Sierra Simpson
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Paul Schweitzer
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - George F Koob
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology and the Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA.
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15
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Pomrenze MB, Giovanetti SM. DREADD to the Core. Commentary on Purohit et al. (2018): Pharmacogenetic Manipulation of the Nucleus Accumbens Alters Binge‐Like Alcohol Drinking in Mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2018; 42:1623-1626. [DOI: 10.1111/acer.13822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B. Pomrenze
- Department of Neuroscience The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas
| | - Simone M. Giovanetti
- Department of Neuroscience The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research The University of Texas at Austin Austin Texas
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16
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Pomrenze MB, Fetterly TL, Winder DG, Messing RO. The Corticotropin Releasing Factor Receptor 1 in Alcohol Use Disorder: Still a Valid Drug Target? Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1986-1999. [PMID: 28940382 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [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: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) is a neuropeptide that plays a key role in behavioral and physiological responses to stress. A large body of animal literature implicates CRF acting at type 1 CRF receptors (CRFR1) in consumption by alcohol-dependent subjects, stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, and possibly binge alcohol consumption. These studies have encouraged recent pilot studies of CRFR1 antagonists in humans with alcohol use disorder (AUD). It was a great disappointment to many in the field that these studies failed to show an effect of these compounds on stress-induced alcohol craving. Here, we examine these studies to explore potential limitations and discuss preclinical and human literature to ask whether CRFR1 is still a valid drug target to pursue for the treatment of AUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Pomrenze
- Institute for Neuroscience, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Tracy L Fetterly
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.,Vanderbilt Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Danny G Winder
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.,Vanderbilt Neuroscience Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.,Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Robert O Messing
- Institute for Neuroscience, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.,Departments of Neuroscience and Neurology, the University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
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17
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Messing RO, Pomrenze MB, de Guglielmo G, Kallupi M, Koob GF, George O. A distributed CRF network in rat extended amygdala regulates anxiety and excessive alcohol drinking. Alcohol 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2017.02.221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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18
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Stelly CE, Pomrenze MB, Cook JB, Morikawa H. Repeated social defeat stress enhances glutamatergic synaptic plasticity in the VTA and cocaine place conditioning. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27374604 PMCID: PMC4931908 DOI: 10.7554/elife.15448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [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: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Enduring memories of sensory cues associated with drug intake drive addiction. It is well known that stressful experiences increase addiction vulnerability. However, it is not clear how repeated stress promotes learning of cue-drug associations, as repeated stress generally impairs learning and memory processes unrelated to stressful experiences. Here, we show that repeated social defeat stress in rats causes persistent enhancement of long-term potentiation (LTP) of NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic transmission in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Protein kinase A-dependent increase in the potency of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate-induced Ca2+ signaling underlies LTP facilitation. Notably, defeated rats display enhanced learning of contextual cues paired with cocaine experience assessed using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Enhancement of LTP in the VTA and cocaine CPP in behaving rats both require glucocorticoid receptor activation during defeat episodes. These findings suggest that enhanced glutamatergic plasticity in the VTA may contribute, at least partially, to increased addiction vulnerability following repeated stressful experiences. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15448.001 Daily stress increases the likelihood that people who take drugs will become addicted. A very early step in the development of addiction is learning that certain people, places, or paraphernalia are associated with obtaining drugs. These ‘cues’ – drug dealers, bars, cigarette advertisements, etc. – become powerful motivators to seek out drugs and can trigger relapse in recovering addicts. It is thought that learning happens when synapses (the connections between neurons in the brain) that relay information about particular cues become stronger. However, it is not clear how stress promotes the learning of cue-drug associations. Stelly et al. investigated whether repeated episodes of stress make it easier to strengthen synapses on dopamine neurons, which are involved in processing rewards and addiction. For the experiments, rats were repeatedly exposed to a stressful situation – an encounter with an unfamiliar aggressive rat – every day for five days. Stelly et al. found that these stressed rats formed stronger associations between the drug cocaine and the place where they were given the drug (the cue). Furthermore, a mechanism that strengthens synapses was more sensitive in the stressed rats than in unstressed rats. These changes persisted for 10-30 days after the stressful situation, suggesting that stress might begin a period of time during which the individual is more vulnerable to addiction. The experiments also show that a hormone called corticosterone – which is released during stressful experiences – is necessary for stress to trigger the changes in the synapses and behavior of the rats. However, corticosterone must work with other factors because giving this hormone to unstressed rats was not sufficient to trigger the changes seen in the stressed rats. Future experiments will investigate what these other stress factors are and how they work together with corticosterone. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15448.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire E Stelly
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas, Austin, United States.,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas, Austin, United States
| | - Matthew B Pomrenze
- Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas, Austin, United States.,Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas, Austin, United States
| | - Jason B Cook
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas, Austin, United States.,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas, Austin, United States
| | - Hitoshi Morikawa
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas, Austin, United States.,Waggoner Center for Alcohol and Addiction Research, University of Texas, Austin, United States
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19
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Pomrenze MB, Millan EZ, Hopf FW, Keiflin R, Maiya R, Blasio A, Dadgar J, Kharazia V, De Guglielmo G, Crawford E, Janak PH, George O, Rice KC, Messing RO. A Transgenic Rat for Investigating the Anatomy and Function of Corticotrophin Releasing Factor Circuits. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:487. [PMID: 26733798 PMCID: PMC4689854 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [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: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) is a 41 amino acid neuropeptide that coordinates adaptive responses to stress. CRF projections from neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) to the brainstem are of particular interest for their role in motivated behavior. To directly examine the anatomy and function of CRF neurons, we generated a BAC transgenic Crh-Cre rat in which bacterial Cre recombinase is expressed from the Crh promoter. Using Cre-dependent reporters, we found that Cre expressing neurons in these rats are immunoreactive for CRF and are clustered in the lateral CeA (CeL) and the oval nucleus of the BNST. We detected major projections from CeA CRF neurons to parabrachial nuclei and the locus coeruleus, dorsal and ventral BNST, and more minor projections to lateral portions of the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, and lateral hypothalamus. Optogenetic stimulation of CeA CRF neurons evoked GABA-ergic responses in 11% of non-CRF neurons in the medial CeA (CeM) and 44% of non-CRF neurons in the CeL. Chemogenetic stimulation of CeA CRF neurons induced Fos in a similar proportion of non-CRF CeM neurons but a smaller proportion of non-CRF CeL neurons. The CRF1 receptor antagonist R121919 reduced this Fos induction by two-thirds in these regions. These results indicate that CeL CRF neurons provide both local inhibitory GABA and excitatory CRF signals to other CeA neurons, and demonstrate the value of the Crh-Cre rat as a tool for studying circuit function and physiology of CRF neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Pomrenze
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX, USA
| | - E Zayra Millan
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - F Woodward Hopf
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ronald Keiflin
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Rajani Maiya
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX, USA
| | - Angelo Blasio
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jahan Dadgar
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Viktor Kharazia
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Giordano De Guglielmo
- Committee on The Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Elena Crawford
- Committee on The Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Olivier George
- Committee on The Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders, The Scripps Research Institute La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kenner C Rice
- Chemical Biology Research Branch, Drug Design and Synthesis Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Robert O Messing
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at AustinAustin, TX, USA; Department of Neurology, University of California, San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA, USA
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20
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Baratta MV, Pomrenze MB, Nakamura S, Dolzani SD, Cooper DC. Control Over Stress Accelerates Extinction of Drug Seeking Via Prefrontal Cortical Activation. Neurobiol Stress 2015; 2:20-27. [PMID: 25954765 PMCID: PMC4418028 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Extinction is a form of inhibitory learning viewed as an essential process in suppressing conditioned responses to drug cues, yet there is little information concerning experiential variables that modulate its formation. Coping factors play an instrumental role in determining how adverse life events impact the transition from casual drug use to addiction. Here we provide evidence in rat that prior exposure to controllable stress accelerates the extinction of cocaine-seeking behavior relative to uncontrollable or no stress exposure. Subsequent experimentation using high-speed optogenetic tools determined if the infralimbic region (IL) of the ventral medial prefrontal cortex mediates the impact of controllable stress on cocaine-seeking behavior. Photoinhibition of pyramidal neurons in the IL during coping behavior did not interfere with subject's ability to control the stressor, but prevented the later control-induced facilitation of extinction. These results provide strong evidence that the degree of behavioral control over adverse events, rather than adverse events per se, potently modulates the extinction of cocaine-seeking behavior, and that controllable stress engages prefrontal circuitry that primes future extinction learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael V Baratta
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0447, USA ; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0447, USA
| | - Matthew B Pomrenze
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0447, USA
| | - Shinya Nakamura
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0447, USA
| | - Samuel D Dolzani
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0447, USA ; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0447, USA
| | - Donald C Cooper
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0447, USA ; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, 80309-0447, USA
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21
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Pomrenze MB, Baratta MV, Rasmus KC, Cadle BA, Nakamura S, Birnbaumer L, Cooper DC. Cocaine self-administration in mice with forebrain knock-down of trpc5 ion channels. F1000Res 2013; 2:53. [PMID: 24358869 PMCID: PMC3790609 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.2-53.v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channels are a family of non-selective cation channels that play a crucial role in modulating neuronal excitability due to their involvement in intracellular Ca2+ regulation and dendritic growth. TRPC5 channels a) are one of the two most prevalent TRPC channels in the adult rodent brain; b) are densely expressed in deep layer pyramidal neurons of the prefrontal cortex (PFC); and c) modulate neuronal persistent activity necessary for working memory and attention. In order to evaluate the causal role of TRPC5 in motivation/reward-related behaviors, conditional forebrain TRPC5 knock-down (trpc5-KD) mice were generated and trained to nose-poke for intravenous cocaine. Here we present a data set containing the first 6 days of saline or cocaine self-administration in wild type (WT) and trpc5-KD mice. In addition, we also present a data set showing the dose-response to cocaine after both groups had achieved similar levels of cocaine self-administration. Compared to WT mice, trpc5-KD mice exhibited an apparent increase in self-administration on the first day of cocaine testing without prior operant training. There were no apparent differences between WT and trpc5-KD mice for saline responding on the first day of training. Both groups showed similar dose-response sensitivity to cocaine after several days of achieving similar levels of cocaine intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Pomrenze
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Michael V Baratta
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Kristin C Rasmus
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Brian A Cadle
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Shinya Nakamura
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Lutz Birnbaumer
- National Institute of Environmental Health Science, National Institute of Health, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Donald C Cooper
- Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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22
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Abstract
Precise spatial and temporal manipulation of neural activity in specific genetically defined cell populations is now possible with the advent of optogenetics. The emerging field of optogenetics consists of a set of naturally-occurring and engineered light-sensitive membrane proteins that are able to activate (e.g. channelrhodopsin-2, ChR2) or silence (e.g. halorhodopsin, NpHR) neural activity. Here we demonstrate the technique and the feasibility of using novel adeno-associated viral (AAV) tools to activate (AAV-CaMKllα-ChR2-eYFP) or silence (AAV-CaMKllα-eNpHR3.0-eYFP) neural activity of rat prefrontal cortical prelimbic (PL) pyramidal neurons
in vivo.
In vivo single unit extracellular recording of ChR2-transduced pyramidal neurons showed that delivery of brief (10 ms) blue (473 nm) light-pulse trains up to 20 Hz via a custom fiber optic-coupled recording electrode (optrode) induced spiking with high fidelity at 20 Hz for the duration of recording (up to two hours in some cases). To silence spontaneously active neurons, we transduced them with the NpHR construct and administered continuous green (532 nm) light to completely inhibit action potential activity for up to 10 seconds with 100% fidelity in most cases. These versatile photosensitive tools, combined with optrode recording methods, provide experimental control over activity of genetically defined neurons and can be used to investigate the functional relationship between neural activity and complex cognitive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinya Nakamura
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Michael V Baratta
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Matthew B Pomrenze
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Samuel D Dolzani
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
| | - Donald C Cooper
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA
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