Article
Neurosciences
Maxine K. Loh, J. Amiel Rosenkranz
Summary: Nucleus accumbens (NAc) neurons integrate excitatory inputs from cortical and limbic structures, contributing to critical cognitive functions, including decision-making. These inputs may summate differently in NAc between different age groups. Decision-making involves both reward and risk assessment, indicating an interplay between reward- and risk-related circuits. Medial orbitofrontal cortex (MO)-NAc circuits are responsible for risk assessment behaviors and likely play a role in risk information incorporation. However, adolescents tend to make reward-centric choices regardless of risk, suggesting that MO activity may alter reward-related NAc circuits differently based on age. Using single-unit electrophysiology, MO train stimulation was found to change the strength but not the timing of interactions between the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and NAc in an age-dependent manner. In adults, MO train stimulation had a frequency-dependent, bidirectional effect on BLA-evoked NAc action potential probability. On the other hand, MO train stimulation uniformly attenuated BLA-NAc interactions in adolescents. The findings suggest that while the mature MO can modulate reward-related circuits in response to decision outcomes, the adolescent MO may have a limited ability to bidirectionally impact these circuits, resulting in biased decision-making.
Article
Neurosciences
Caesar M. Hernandez, Joseph A. McQuail, Tyler W. Ten Eyck, Alexa-Rae Wheeler, Chase C. Labiste, Barry Setlow, Jennifer L. Bizon
Summary: The ability to choose between immediate and delayed gratification is crucial for well-being. This study investigates the neural mechanisms underlying age differences in intertemporal choice using a rat model. The findings suggest that GABA(B) receptors in the prelimbic cortex and basolateral amygdala contribute to these age differences, and the expression of GABA(B)R subunits differs in these brain regions among aged rats.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Svetlana Shikhevich, Irina Chadaeva, Bato Khandaev, Rimma Kozhemyakina, Karina Zolotareva, Anna Kazachek, Dmitry Oshchepkov, Anton Bogomolov, Natalya V. Klimova, Vladimir A. Ivanisenko, Pavel Demenkov, Zakhar Mustafin, Arcady Markel, Ludmila Savinkova, Nikolay A. Kolchanov, Vladimir Kozlov, Mikhail Ponomarenko
Summary: Mainstream transcriptome profiling of susceptibility versus resistance to age-related diseases (ARDs) focuses on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) specific to gender, age, and pathogeneses. In this study, the periaqueductal gray (PAG) transcriptome of tame versus aggressive rats was sequenced and compared with known ARD-linked DEGs in animals. The analysis revealed significant correlations between behavior-related DEGs and ARD-susceptibility-related DEGs. With human ARD susceptibility and resistance DEGs as controls, a common molecular marker for ARDs was identified: excess expression of Fc gamma receptor IIb suppressing immune cell hyperactivation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Kathryn R. Przybysz, Meredith E. Gamble, Marvin R. Diaz
Summary: The study reveals that adolescent alcohol exposure may result in long-term sex-dependent effects on BLA physiology and KOR function in adulthood, impacting the modulation of GABAergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission.
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Brooke N. Dulka, Sydney Trask, Fred J. Helmstetter
Summary: The study found that age and sex have different effects on memory in rats, with aged males showing behavioral deficits in memory retrieval. The markers of UPS function are differently affected by age and sex in various brain regions, indicating circuit-level differences in aging males and females.
FRONTIERS IN AGING NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Yuki Higuchi, Tomoaki Tada, Taiga Nakachi, Hiroyuki Arakawa
Summary: This study investigated the alterations in 5-HT signaling and functionality in BTBR mice and their contribution to abnormal behaviors. Results showed a reduced number of 5-HT neurons in the median raphe of BTBR mice and decreased responsiveness to the 5-HT1A receptor agonist buspirone. Additionally, blunted c-Fos responses in the BLA and Hipp regions of BTBR mice were associated with a lack of anxiety-like behavior.
Article
Neurosciences
Sudarat Nimitvilai-Roberts, Dominic Gioia, Marcelo F. Lopez, Christina M. Glaser, John J. Woodward
Summary: Alcohol use disorder is associated with altered neuron function in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA), which send inputs to dorsal striatum (DS). Chronic intermittent exposure to ethanol alters electrophysiological properties of OFC and BLA neurons. DS-projecting OFC neurons become hyperexcitable 3- and 7-days following ethanol exposure, while DS-projecting BLA neurons show decreased firing at 3-days withdrawal and increased firing at 7- and 14-days. CIE exposure enhances the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) in DS-projecting OFC neurons.
Article
Neurosciences
Heather E. Dark, Nathaniel G. Harnett, Danielle R. Hurst, Muriah D. Wheelock, Kimberly H. Wood, Adam M. Goodman, Sylvie Mrug, Marc N. Elliott, Susan Tortolero Emery, Mark A. Schuster, David C. Knight
Summary: The prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, and amygdala play crucial roles in emotional health. Women are more susceptible to depression and anxiety compared to men, possibly due to sex differences in neural processes involved in emotion expression and regulation. This study found sex differences in threat-related brain and psychophysiological activity, suggesting their implications for mental health.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Benjamin A. Hughes, Todd K. O'Buckley, Giorgia Boero, Melissa A. Herman, A. Leslie Morrow
Summary: Long-term alcohol use leads to behavioral deficits in both male and female rats, with differences in effects observed between sexes. Male rats showed enhanced glutamatergic signaling onto deep-layer principal cells after alcohol exposure, while female rats exhibited improved working memory performance. These findings suggest fundamental differences in alcohol effects on cell activity, cortical sub-circuits, and PFC-dependent behaviors between male and female rats.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Tao Liu, Jun Ke, Rongfeng Qi, Li Zhang, Zhiqiang Zhang, Qiang Xu, Yuan Zhong, Guangming Lu, Feng Chen
Summary: The study found that in patients with typhoon-related PTSD, BLA had stronger connectivity with PFC and angular gyrus compared to the TEC group. Additionally, the TEC group showed decreased and increased BLA connectivity with vmPFC and PoCG, respectively, compared to the PTSD and HC groups. The PTSD group exhibited abnormal connectivity between BLA and STG, and connectivity between BLA and vmPFC showed a negative correlation with the severity of PTSD.
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Sarah E. Sizer, Brian C. Parrish, Brian A. McCool
Summary: The study demonstrates that chronic intermittent ethanol exposure can modulate GABA and glutamate inputs in the amygdala through changes in acetylcholine levels, potentially leading to anxiety symptoms.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Zhuo Wang, Chen Li, Jiuyang Ding, Yanning Li, Zhihua Zhou, Yanjun Huang, Xiaohan Wang, Haoliang Fan, Jian Huang, Yitong He, Jianwei Li, Jun Chen, Pingming Qiu
Summary: This study investigated the serotonergic pathway involved in MA-induced emotional disorders using a chronic MA administration mouse model. The findings suggest that abnormal regulation of 5-HT2CR in the basolateral amygdala may contribute to the manifestation of emotional disorder-like symptoms induced by chronic MA use, making it a promising clinical target for treatment.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Fan Hu, Weifeng Liang, Linke Zhang, Huan Wang, Zimu Li, Yifeng Zhou
Summary: The study found that both BPA and BPS exposure in mice can negatively impact emotion and social interaction, and high-dose exposure can lead to abnormal local neuronal activation. Although BPS has less adverse effects on mice at low doses compared to BPA, there are still risks associated with prolonged high-volume exposure.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sara E. Keefer, Utsav Gyawali, Donna J. Calu
Summary: The review discusses the functional projections between the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and its cortical and striatal targets, highlighting their roles in learning, decision-making, choice behaviors, and substance seeking behaviors. It also focuses on the involvement of these projections in motivation disorders, particularly Substance Use Disorder.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Matthew T. C. Manion, Erica R. R. Glasper, Kuan Hong Wang
Summary: The study discovered a sex difference in the dopaminergic circuit from VTA to BLA in mice, which provides a structural foundation for investigating neural circuit mechanisms underlying sex differences in motivational and emotional behaviors and related psychiatric dysfunctions.
BIOLOGY OF SEX DIFFERENCES
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Marianne L. Seney, Jill Glausier, Etienne Sibille
Summary: The text discusses the impact of gender differences in major depressive disorder (MDD), including differences in incidence, symptoms, severity, and response to antidepressants, as well as the possible biological basis. It also focuses on the findings from human postmortem studies on molecular changes in the brains of depressed men and women, and suggests approaches to address research challenges and future directions.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Ryan W. Logan, Xiangning Xue, Kyle D. Ketchesin, Gabriel Hoffman, Panos Roussos, George Tseng, Colleen A. McClung, Marianne L. Seney
Summary: The study found similar amplitude and phase of diurnal rhythms in canonical circadian genes in both sexes, but significant sex differences in transcriptional rhythms when the analyses were expanded to the entire transcriptome. There were nearly twice as many rhythmic transcripts in the DLPFC in males and nearly 4 times as many in the ACC in females, suggesting a sex-specific diurnal rhythm in synaptic transmission in the ACC.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Marianne L. Seney, Eric J. Nestler
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Xiangning Xue, Wei Zong, Jill R. Glausier, Sam-Moon Kim, Micah A. Shelton, BaDoi N. Phan, Chaitanya Srinivasan, Andreas R. Pfenning, George C. Tseng, David A. Lewis, Marianne L. Seney, Ryan W. Logan
Summary: Severe disruptions to sleep and circadian rhythms are common in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). This study investigates molecular rhythm changes in the brains of individuals with OUD compared to unaffected subjects. The results suggest that transcriptional rhythms in key brain areas involved in OUD are disrupted, and these disruptions are associated with altered neurotransmission and sleep-related traits in opioid addiction.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Kyle D. Ketchesin, Wei Zong, Mariah A. Hildebrand, Madeline R. Scott, Marianne L. Seney, Kelly M. Cahill, Vaishnavi G. Shankar, Jill R. Glausier, David A. Lewis, George C. Tseng, Colleen A. McClung
Summary: Psychosis is a defining feature of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and it is associated with disruptions in sleep and circadian rhythms. This study investigated the diurnal alterations in gene expression in the striatum of subjects with psychosis using RNA sequencing and differential expression and rhythmicity analyses. The findings revealed differential expression of immune-related transcripts and a loss of rhythmicity in core circadian clock genes in subjects with psychosis, as well as specific changes in mitochondrial-related transcripts, small nucleolar RNAs, and glutamatergic signaling in the nucleus accumbens.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Stephanie Puig, Micah A. Shelton, Kelly Barko, Marianne L. Seney, Ryan W. Logan
Summary: Opioids like fentanyl are commonly used for chronic pain treatment, but their high dependence potential has led to a current crisis. Long-term use of opioids can result in side effects such as analgesic tolerance and physical dependence, as well as disruptions to sleep and circadian rhythms. The mechanisms underlying the relationship between circadian rhythms and opioids are still largely unknown.
GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Kelly Barko, Micah Shelton, Xiangning Xue, Yvette Afriyie-Agyemang, Stephanie Puig, Zachary Freyberg, George C. Tseng, Ryan W. Logan, Marianne L. Seney
Summary: Microglia exhibit regional and sex-specific transcriptional profiles, suggesting diverse functions in different brain regions and based on sex.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Xiangning Xue, Wei Zong, Zhiguang Huo, Kyle D. Ketchesin, Madeline R. Scott, Kaitlyn A. Petersen, Ryan W. Logan, Marianne L. Seney, Colleen McClung, George Tseng
Summary: Daily physiological processes are regulated by circadian oscillations of gene expression, and their disruption is associated with various diseases. Different circadian rhythms can be disrupted in terms of phase, amplitude, and rhythm fitness. However, there is currently no available workflow for systematically detecting multifaceted differential circadian characteristics with accurate false positive control.
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
Kyle Ketchesin, Wei Zong, Mariah Hildebrand, Madeline Scott, Marianne Seney, Kelly Cahill, Vaishnavi Shankar, Jill Glausier, David Lewis, George Tseng, Colleen McClung
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
Stephanie Puig, Ryan Salisbury, Anastasia Yocum, Jill Glausier, David Lewis, Zachary Freyberg, Marianne Seney, Matthew MacDonald, Ryan Logan
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
Madeline Scott, Wei Zong, Kyle Ketchesin, Marianne Seney, Bokai Zhu, George Tseng, Colleen McClung
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
Marianne Seney, Tyler Myers, David Volk, Kenneth Fish
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
Madelyn Ray, Badoi Phan, Marianne Seney, Jill Glausier, Allison Tipton, Shelley Russek, David Lewis, Andreas Pfenning, Ryan Logan
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
Ryan Logan, Stephanie Puig, Ryan Salisbury, Anastasia Yocum, David Lewis, Bernie Devlin, Zachary Freyberg, Marianne Seney, Matthew MacDonald
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Meeting Abstract
Neurosciences
Colleen McClung, Kyle Ketchesin, Wei Zhong, Mariah Hildebrand, Kelly Cahill, Madeline Scott, Vaish Shankar, Jill Glausier, Marianne Seney, David Lewis, George Tseng
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)