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Fernández-Teruel A, Cañete T, Sampedro-Viana D, Oliveras I, Torrubia R, Tobeña A. Contribution of the Roman rat lines/strains to personality neuroscience: neurobehavioral modeling of internalizing/externalizing psychopathologies. Personal Neurosci 2023; 6:e8. [PMID: 38107777 PMCID: PMC10725777 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2023.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The Roman high-avoidance (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rat lines/strains were established in Rome through bidirectional selection of Wistar rats for rapid (RHA) or extremely poor (RLA) acquisition of a two-way active avoidance task. Relative to RHAs, RLA rats exhibit enhanced threat sensitivity, anxiety, fear and vulnerability to stress, a passive coping style and increased sensitivity to frustration. Thus, RLA rats' phenotypic profile falls well within the "internalizing" behavior spectrum. Compared with RLAs and other rat strains/stocks, RHAs present increased impulsivity and reward sensitivity, deficits in social behavior and attentional/cognitive processes, novelty-induced hyper-locomotion and vulnerability to psychostimulant sensitization and drug addiction. Thus, RHA rats' phenotypes are consistent with a "disinhibiting externalizing" profile. Many neurobiological/molecular traits differentiate both rat lines/strains. For example, relative to RLA rats, RHAs exhibit decreased function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus and amygdala, increased functional tone of the mesolimbic dopamine system, a deficit of central metabotropic glutamate-2 (mGlu2) receptors, increased density of serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the PFC, impairment of GABAergic transmission in the PFC, alterations of several synaptic markers and increased density of pyramidal immature dendrític spines in the PFC. These characteristics suggest an immature brain of RHA rats and are reminiscent of schizophrenia features like hypofrontality and disruption of the excitation/inhibition cortical balance. We review evidence supporting RLA rats as a valid model of anxiety/fear, stress and frustration vulnerability, whereas RHA rats represent a promising translational model of neurodevelopmental alterations related to impulsivity, schizophrenia-relevant features and comorbidity with drug addiction vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Torrubia
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Serra MP, Sanna F, Boi M, Trucas M, Fernández-Teruel A, Corda MG, Giorgi O, Quartu M. Effects of Tail Pinch on BDNF and trkB Expression in the Hippocampus of Roman Low- (RLA) and High-Avoidance (RHA) Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119498. [PMID: 37298449 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In this article, we describe the effects of tail pinch (TP), a mild acute stressor, on the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its tyrosine kinase receptor B (trkB) proteins in the hippocampus (HC) of the outbred Roman High- (RHA) and Low-Avoidance (RLA) rats, one of the most validated genetic models for the study of fear/anxiety- and stress-related behaviors. Using Western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry assays, we show for the first time that TP induces distinct changes in the levels of BDNF and trkB proteins in the dorsal (dHC) and ventral (vHC) HC of RHA and RLA rats. The WB assays showed that TP increases BDNF and trkB levels in the dHC of both lines but induces opposite changes in the vHC, decreasing BDNF levels in RHA rats and trkB levels in RLA rats. These results suggest that TP may enhance plastic events in the dHC and hinder them in the vHC. Immunohistochemical assays, carried out in parallel to assess the location of changes revealed by the WB, showed that, in the dHC, TP increases BDNF-like immunoreactivity (LI) in the CA2 sector of the Ammon's horn of both Roman lines and in the CA3 sector of the Ammon's horn of RLA rats while, in the dentate gyrus (DG), TP increases trkB-LI in RHA rats. In contrast, in the vHC, TP elicits only a few changes, represented by decreases of BDNF- and trkB-LI in the CA1 sector of the Ammon's horn of RHA rats. These results support the view that the genotypic/phenotypic features of the experimental subjects influence the effects of an acute stressor, even as mild as TP, on the basal BDNF/trkB signaling, leading to different changes in the dorsal and ventral subdivisions of the HC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pina Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Francesco Sanna
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Marianna Boi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Marcello Trucas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Giuseppa Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy
| | - Marina Quartu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
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Serra MP, Sanna F, Boi M, Poddighe L, Secci L, Trucas M, Fernández-Teruel A, Corda MG, Giorgi O, Quartu M. Acute Stress Induces Different Changes on the Expression of BDNF and trkB in the Mesocorticolimbic System of Two Lines of Rats Differing in Their Response to Stressors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314995. [PMID: 36499323 PMCID: PMC9737305 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314995] [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] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The present work was undertaken to investigate the effects of acute forced swimming (FS) on the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tyrosine kinase receptor B (trkB) proteins in: the ventral tegmental area (VTA); the nucleus accumbens (Acb) shell and core compartments; and the anterior cingulate (ACg), prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) territories of the prefrontal cortex of genetic models of vulnerability (RLA, Roman low-avoidance rats) and resistance (RHA, Roman high-avoidance rats) to stress-induced depression. We report for the first time that FS induced very rapid and distinct changes in the levels of BDNF and trkB proteins in different areas of the mesocorticolimbic system of RHA and RLA rats. Thus, (1) in the VTA and Acb core, FS elicited a significant increase of both BDNF- and trkB-LI in RHA but not RLA rats, whereas in the Acb shell no significant changes in BDNF- and trkB-LI across the line and treatment were observed; (2) in RLA rats, the basal levels of BDNF-LI in the IL/PL cortex and of trkB-LI in the ACg cortex were markedly lower than those of RHA rats; moreover, BDNF- and trkB-LI in the IL/PL and ACg cortex were increased by FS in RLA rats but decreased in their RHA counterparts. These results provide compelling evidence that the genetic background influences the effects of stress on BDNF/trkB signaling and support the view that the same stressor may impact differently on the expression of BDNF in discrete brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Pina Serra
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Francesco Sanna
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Marianna Boi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Laura Poddighe
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Secci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Marcello Trucas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine & Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Giuseppa Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Marina Quartu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Cytomorphology, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, 09042 Monserrato, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-070-675-4084
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Fernández-Teruel A, Oliveras I, Cañete T, Rio-Álamos C, Tapias-Espinosa C, Sampedro-Viana D, Sánchez-González A, Sanna F, Torrubia R, González-Maeso J, Driscoll P, Morón I, Torres C, Aznar S, Tobeña A, Corda MG, Giorgi O. Neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental profiles of a heuristic genetic model of differential schizophrenia- and addiction-relevant features: The RHA vs. RLA rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 131:597-617. [PMID: 34571119 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.09.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [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: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The Roman High- (RHA) and Low-(RLA) avoidance rat lines/strains were generated through bidirectional selective breeding for rapid (RHA) vs. extremely poor (RLA) two-way active avoidance acquisition. Compared with RLAs and other rat strains/stocks, RHAs are characterized by increased impulsivity, deficits in social behavior, novelty-induced hyper-locomotion, impaired attentional/cognitive abilities, vulnerability to psychostimulant sensitization and drug addiction. RHA rats also exhibit decreased function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus, increased functional activity of the mesolimbic dopamine system and a dramatic deficit of central metabotropic glutamate-2 (mGlu2) receptors (due to a stop codon mutation at cysteine 407 in Grm2 -cys407*-), along with increased density of 5-HT2A receptors in the PFC, alterations of several synaptic markers and increased density of pyramidal "thin" (immature) dendrític spines in the PFC. These characteristics suggest an immature brain of RHA rats, and are reminiscent of schizophrenia features like hypofrontality and disruption of the excitation/inhibition cortical balance. RHA rats represent a promising heuristic model of neurodevelopmental schizophrenia-relevant features and comorbidity with drug addiction vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Carles Tapias-Espinosa
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Daniel Sampedro-Viana
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Sánchez-González
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesco Sanna
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Rafael Torrubia
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | | | - Ignacio Morón
- Department of Psychobiology and Centre of Investigation of Mind, Brain, and Behaviour (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Spain
| | - Carmen Torres
- Department of Psychology, University of Jaén, 23071, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Susana Aznar
- Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Bispebjerg Copenhagen University Hospital, 2400, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Maria G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy.
| | - Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DiSVA), University of Cagliari, Italy.
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Giorgi O, Corda MG, Fernández-Teruel A. A Genetic Model of Impulsivity, Vulnerability to Drug Abuse and Schizophrenia-Relevant Symptoms With Translational Potential: The Roman High- vs. Low-Avoidance Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:145. [PMID: 31333426 PMCID: PMC6624787 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [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: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The bidirectional selective breeding of Roman high- (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rats for respectively rapid vs. poor acquisition of active avoidant behavior has generated two lines/strains that differ markedly in terms of emotional reactivity, with RHA rats being less fearful than their RLA counterparts. Many other behavioral traits have been segregated along the selection procedure; thus, compared with their RLA counterparts, RHA rats behave as proactive copers in the face of aversive conditions, display a robust sensation/novelty seeking (SNS) profile, and show high impulsivity and an innate preference for natural and drug rewards. Impulsivity is a multifaceted behavioral trait and is generally defined as a tendency to express actions that are poorly conceived, premature, highly risky or inappropriate to the situation, that frequently lead to unpleasant consequences. High levels of impulsivity are associated with several neuropsychiatric conditions including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and drug addiction. Herein, we review the behavioral and neurochemical differences between RHA and RLA rats and survey evidence that RHA rats represent a valid genetic model, with face, construct, and predictive validity, to investigate the neural underpinnings of behavioral disinhibition, novelty seeking, impulsivity, vulnerability to drug addiction as well as deficits in attentional processes, cognitive impairments and other schizophrenia-relevant traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria G Corda
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Oliveras I, Sánchez-González A, Sampedro-Viana D, Piludu MA, Río-Alamos C, Giorgi O, Corda MG, Aznar S, González-Maeso J, Gerbolés C, Blázquez G, Cañete T, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Differential effects of antipsychotic and propsychotic drugs on prepulse inhibition and locomotor activity in Roman high- (RHA) and low-avoidance (RLA) rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:957-75. [PMID: 28154892 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4534-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [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: 07/31/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Animal models with predictive and construct validity are necessary for developing novel and efficient therapeutics for psychiatric disorders. OBJECTIVES We have carried out a pharmacological characterization of the Roman high- (RHA-I) and low-avoidance (RLA-I) rat strains with different acutely administered propsychotic (DOI, MK-801) and antipsychotic drugs (haloperidol, clozapine), as well as apomorphine, on prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle and locomotor activity (activity cages). RESULTS RHA-I rats display a consistent deficit of PPI compared with RLA-I rats. The typical antipsychotic haloperidol (dopamine D2 receptor antagonist) reversed the PPI deficit characteristic of RHA-I rats (in particular at 65 and 70 dB prepulse intensities) and reduced locomotion in both strains. The atypical antipsychotic clozapine (serotonin/dopamine receptor antagonist) did not affect PPI in either strain, but decreased locomotion in a dose-dependent manner in both rat strains. The mixed dopamine D1/D2 agonist, apomorphine, at the dose of 0.05 mg/kg, decreased PPI in RHA-I, but not RLA-I rats. The hallucinogen drug DOI (5-HT2A agonist; 0.1-1.0 mg/kg) disrupted PPI in RLA-I rats in a dose-dependent manner at the 70 dB prepulse intensity, while in RHA-I rats, only the 0.5 mg/kg dose impaired PPI at the 80 dB prepulse intensity. DOI slightly decreased locomotion in both strains. Finally, clozapine attenuated the PPI impairment induced by the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 only in RLA-I rats. CONCLUSIONS These results add experimental evidence to the view that RHA-I rats represent a model with predictive and construct validity of some dopamine and 5-HT2A receptor-related features of schizophrenia.
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Río-Álamos C, Oliveras I, Piludu MA, Gerbolés C, Cañete T, Blázquez G, Lope-Piedrafita S, Martínez-Membrives E, Torrubia R, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Neonatal handling enduringly decreases anxiety and stress responses and reduces hippocampus and amygdala volume in a genetic model of differential anxiety: Behavioral-volumetric associations in the Roman rat strains. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2017; 27:146-158. [PMID: 28049558 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2016.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [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: 06/14/2016] [Revised: 12/12/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The hippocampus and amygdala have been proposed as key neural structures related to anxiety. A more active hippocampus/amygdala system has been related to greater anxious responses in situations involving conflict/novelty. The Roman Low- (RLA) and High-avoidance (RHA) rat lines/strains constitute a genetic model of differential anxiety. Relative to RHA rats, RLA rats exhibit enhanced anxiety/fearfulness, augmented hippocampal/amygdala c-Fos expression following exposure to novelty/conflict, increased hippocampal neuronal density and higher endocrine responses to stress. Neonatal handling (NH) is an environmental treatment with long-lasting anxiety/stress-reducing effects in rodents. Since hippocampus and amygdala volume are supposed to be related to anxiety/fear, we hypothesized a greater volume of both areas in RLA than in RHA rats, as well as that NH treatment would reduce anxiety and the volume of both structures, in particular in the RLA strain. Adult untreated and NH-treated RHA and RLA rats were tested for anxiety, sensorimotor gating (PPI), stress-induced corticosterone and prolactin responses, two-way active avoidance acquisition and in vivo 7 T 1H-Magnetic resonance image. As expected, untreated RLA rats showed higher anxiety and post-stress hormone responses, as well as greater hippocampus and amygdala volumes than untreated RHA rats. NH decreased anxiety/stress responses, especially in RLA rats, and significantly reduced hippocampus and amygdala volumes in this strain. Dorsal striatum volume was not different between the strains nor it was affected by NH. Finally, there were positive associations (as shown by correlations, factor analysis and multiple regression) between anxiety and PPI and hippocampus/amygdala volumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal Río-Álamos
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ignasi Oliveras
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Antonietta Piludu
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Cristina Gerbolés
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy; Servei de RMN, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de investigacion Biomédica en Red - Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain
| | - Toni Cañete
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gloria Blázquez
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Lope-Piedrafita
- Servei de RMN, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de investigacion Biomédica en Red - Bioingenieria, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain
| | - Esther Martínez-Membrives
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rafael Torrubia
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Department of Psychiatry & Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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Oliveras I, Sánchez-González A, Piludu MA, Gerboles C, Río-Álamos C, Tobeña A, Fernández-Teruel A. Divergent effects of isolation rearing on prepulse inhibition, activity, anxiety and hippocampal-dependent memory in Roman high- and low-avoidance rats: A putative model of schizophrenia-relevant features. Behav Brain Res 2016; 314:6-15. [PMID: 27478139 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.07.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Social isolation of rats induces a constellation of behavioral alterations known as "isolation syndrome" that are consistent with some of the positive and cognitive symptoms observed in schizophrenic patients. In the present study we have assessed whether isolation rearing of inbred Roman high-avoidance (RHA-I) and Roman low-avoidance (RLA-I) strains can lead to the appearance of some of the key features of the "isolation syndrome", such as prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits, increased anxious behavior, hyperactivity and memory/learning impairments. Compared to RLA-I rats, the results show that isolation rearing (IR) in RHA-I rats has a more profound impact, as they exhibit isolation-induced PPI deficits, increased anxiety, hyperactivity and long-term reference memory deficits, while isolated RLA-I rats only exhibit deficits in a spatial working memory task. These results give further support to the validity of RHA-I rats as a genetically-based model of schizophrenia relevant-symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignasi Oliveras
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Ana Sánchez-González
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Antonietta Piludu
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Section of Pharmaceutical, Pharmacological and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Cristina Gerboles
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristóbal Río-Álamos
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adolf Tobeña
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, School of Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, Autonomous University of Barcelona 08193-Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
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Giorgi O, Corda MG, Sabariego M, Giugliano V, Piludu MA, Rosas M, Acquas E. Differential effects of cocaine on extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation in nuclei of the extended amygdala and prefrontal cortex of psychogenetically selected Roman high- and low-avoidance rats. J Neurosci Res 2014; 93:714-21. [PMID: 25502299 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.23526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Roman high (RHA)- and low (RLA)-avoidance rats are selectively bred for rapid vs. poor acquisition of active avoidance, respectively, and differ markedly in emotional reactivity, coping style, and behavioral and neurochemical responses to morphine and psychostimulants. Accordingly, acute cocaine induces more robust increments in locomotion and dopamine output in the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh) of RHA than of RLA rats. Cocaine induces short- and long-term neuronal plasticity via activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway. This study compares the effects of acute cocaine on ERK phosphorylation (pERK) in limbic brain areas of Roman rats. In RHA but not RLA rats, cocaine (5 mg/kg) increased pERK in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex and AcbSh, two areas involved in its acute effects, but did not modify pERK in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex and Acb core, which mediate the chronic effects of cocaine. Moreover, cocaine failed to affect pERK immunolabeling in the bed nucleus of stria terminalis pars lateralis and central amygdala of either line but increased it in the basolateral amygdala of RLA rats. These results extend to pERK expression previous findings on the greater sensitivity to acute cocaine of RHA vs. RLA rats and confirm the notion that genetic factors influence the differential responses of the Roman lines to addictive drugs. Moreover, they support the view that the Roman lines are a useful tool to investigate the molecular underpinnings of individual vulnerability to drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvaldo Giorgi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
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