Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Xiaoyan Ding, Mengdie Yang, Ning Wu, Jin Li, Rui Song
Summary: Abnormal fear memory can lead to stress disorders such as PTSD. Therefore, intervention in the formation of abnormal fear memory can be a new strategy for preventing and treating PTSD.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Laszlo Peczely, Tamas Ollmann, Kristof Laszlo, Laszlo Lenard, Anthony A. Grace
Summary: Quinpirole dose dependently regulates VTA dopaminergic activity and influences motivation and motor behavior in rats at the level of the ventral pallidum.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Qi Zhang, Shun-Heng Gao, Zhong-Shan Shen, Yun Wang, Su-Wan Hu, Guang-Bing Duan, Ye Liu, Dan-Ya Zhong, Jing Liu, Meng-Han Sun, Xin Zhang, Tian-Yu Cao, Jun-Li Cao, Qiong-Yao Tang, Zhe Zhang
Summary: Anxiety disorders are mental disorders characterized by anxiety and fear, and their molecular basis is still unclear. The study reveals the role of Slack channels in controlling anxious behaviors by decreasing the excitability of BLA-vHPC glutamatergic projections. This provides a potential target for anxiolytic therapies.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Baovi N. Vo, Ezequiel Marron Fernandez de Velasco, Timothy R. Rose, Hannah Oberle, Haichang Luo, Corey R. Hopkins, Kevin Wickman
Summary: Systemic administration of ML297 suppressed avoidance behavior in male C57BL/6J mice by activating GIRK channels, with the neuronal activation patterns, administration site, and neuron types playing crucial roles in influencing the behavioral outcomes.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Eric Casey, Maria Elena Avale, Alexxai Kravitz, Marcelo Rubinstein
Summary: The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is involved in fear and anxiety disorders. The CeA has three divisions: medial (CeM), lateral (CeL), and capsular (CeC). Dopaminergic projections from the ventral periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe (vPAG/DR) and ventral tegmental area (VTA) innervate the CeA. However, the control of dopamine (DA) over the CeA and its subdivisions remain unknown. This study found that DAergic innervations from the PAG/DR and VTA are distinct and non-overlapping, with different dopamine transporter expression. Six functionally distinct regions were identified in the CeA, highlighting the need for more precise neuroanatomical specificity in future studies.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Loic Broussot, Thomas Contesse, Renan Costa-Campos, Christelle Glangetas, Lea Royon, Hugo Fofo, Thomas Lorivel, Francois Georges, Sebastian P. Fernandez, Jacques Barik
Summary: Freezing is a conserved defensive behavior, and the neural circuitry linking the LDTg-VTA-amygdala regions plays a crucial role in pathological freezing states such as post-traumatic stress disorders, panic attacks and social phobias.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Elizabeth M. Avegno, Nicholas W. Gilpin
Summary: Alcohol dependence is characterized by a shift in motivation from positive reinforcement to negative reinforcement, involving neural adaptations in VTA and extended amygdala, particularly in chronic alcohol responses. The exact mechanisms of this transition are not fully understood, but preclinical models play a significant role in studying this phenomenon.
Article
Neurosciences
Cuola Deji, Peng Yan, Yuanyuan Ji, Xinyue Yan, Yue Feng, Jincen Liu, Yige Liu, Shuguang Wei, Yongsheng Zhu, Jianghua Lai
Summary: Anxiety is a common comorbid condition in individuals with opioid dependence. This study used a mouse model to investigate the circuitry and molecular basis of anxiety associated with chronic opioid use. The researchers found that anxiety-like behaviors appeared during morphine withdrawal and identified the specific brain regions and circuits involved. They also discovered that inhibiting a specific circuit using optogenetics/chemogenetics improved anxiety-like behaviors, and using KOR antagonists prevented anxiety behavior relapse.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Biological
F. Z. Seno, R. F. Sgobbi, M. J. Nobre
Summary: Morphine withdrawal can disrupt neuronal pathways involved in anxiety and fear-related behaviors, particularly those related to associative learning. This study found that GABA mechanisms in the prefrontal cortex and baso-lateral nucleus can reverse contextual fear caused by morphine withdrawal.
PHYSIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Moises dos Santos Correa, Gabriel David Vieira Grisanti, Isabelle Anjos Fernandes Franciscatto, Tatiana Suemi Anglas Tarumoto, Paula Ayako Tiba, Tatiana Lima Ferreira, Raquel Vecchio Fornari
Summary: The ability to retrieve contextual fear memories relies on coordinated activation of brain circuitry. Training intensity and stress levels may influence the consolidation processes of emotional memories, leading to differential activation patterns and functional connectivity of key brain regions associated with fear conditioning retrieval.
NEUROBIOLOGY OF STRESS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zi-Jun Wang, Treefa Shwani, Junting Liu, Ping Zhong, Fengwei Yang, Kelcie Schatz, Freddy Zhang, Arnd Pralle, Zhen Yan
Summary: Chronic social isolation stress during adolescence increases susceptibility to neuropsychiatric disorders. This study demonstrates that post-weaning isolation stress induces sex-specific behavioral abnormalities and changes in neuronal activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), basal lateral amygdala (BLA), and ventral tegmental area (VTA). The PFC to BLA pathway is causally linked to heightened aggression in stressed males, while the PFC to VTA pathway is causally linked to social withdrawal in stressed females. Furthermore, isolation stress leads to genome-wide transcriptional alterations, with upregulated genes in the BLA of stressed males controlled by the transcription factor CREB, and downregulated neuropeptide Hcrt (Hypocretin/Orexin) in the VTA of stressed females, which can be rescued by Orexin-A treatment.
MOLECULAR PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Kylie A. Huckleberry, Roberto Calitri, Anna J. Li, Mackenna Mejdell, Ashna Singh, Vasvi Bhutani, Mikaela A. Laine, Andrei S. Nastase, Maria Morena, Matthew N. Hill, Rebecca M. Shansky
Summary: Increasing evidence suggests that there may be differences in the neurobiological processes underlying learning and memory in males and females, but the specific mechanisms are not fully understood. This study explored the potential sex differences in the modulation of fear conditioning and extinction by endocannabinoids (eCBs). The results showed that females classified as "Darters" responded differently to the administration of eCB receptor drugs compared to those classified as "Non-darters". These findings suggest that there may be a sex-specific dependence on CB1Rs for context processing in females that is sensitive to disruption by TRPV1.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Erin B. Lind, Brian M. Sweis, Anders J. Asp, Manuel Esguerra, Keelia A. Silvis, A. David Redish, Mark J. Thomas
Summary: An optogenetic spatial self-stimulation task in mice reveals how different excitatory inputs to the nucleus accumbens shell integrate information and drive behavioral responses during reinforcement learning. Each input provides distinct information, reflecting reinforcement of different credit assignment functions, and contributes to driving situationally appropriate behavioral responses.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Isabella Maita, Allyson Bazer, Kiyeon Chae, Amlaan Parida, Mikyle Mirza, Jillian Sucher, Mimi Phan, Tonia Liu, Pu Hu, Ria Soni, Troy A. Roepke, Benjamin Adam Samuels
Summary: In this study, chemogenetics was used to activate selectively the CRF+ neurons in the anterior bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (aBNST) in mice. It was found that the activation of these neurons inhibited high value reward behavior in both an effort-related choice task and a concurrent choice task. These findings suggest a novel role for CRF+ aBNST neurons in decision-making and motivation behaviors.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Mickael Puaud, Alejandro Higuera-Matas, Paul Brunault, Barry J. Everitt, David Belin
Summary: This study demonstrates that the direct projections from the BLA to the NAcC are essential for the acquisition of cue-controlled cocaine-seeking behavior.
BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Marcus L. Brandao, Norberto C. Coimbra
REVIEWS IN THE NEUROSCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Nayara C. B. Barroca, Mariana D. Guarda, Naiara T. da Silva, Ana C. Colombo, Adriano E. Reimer, Marcus L. Brandao, Amanda R. de Oliveira
BEHAVIOURAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2019)
Review
Psychiatry
M. L. Brandao, T. A. Lovick
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2019)
Article
Neurosciences
Thiago Oliari Ribeiro, Leticia Morais Bueno-de-Camargo, Ana Paula Farias Waltrick, Amanda Ribeiro de Oliveira, Marcus Lira Brandao, Carolina Demarchi Munhoz, Janaina Menezes Zanoveli
PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura A. Leon, Marcus L. Brandao, Fernando P. Cardenas, Diana Parra, Thomas E. Krahe, Antonio Pedro Mello Cruz, J. Landeira-Fernandez
Article
Neurosciences
Geiza Fernanda Antunes, Flavia Venetucci Gouveia, Fabiana Strambio Rezende, Midia Dias de Jesus Seno, Milene Cristina de Carvalho, Caroline Cruz de Oliveira, Lennon Cardoso Tosati dos Santos, Marina Correia de Castro, Mayra Akemi Kuroki, Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira, Jose Pinhata Otoch, Marcus Lira Brandao, Erich Talamoni Fonoff, Raquel Chacon Ruiz Martinez
NEUROBIOLOGY OF STRESS
(2020)
Review
Neurosciences
Isabelle Waku, Mylena S. Magalhaes, Camila O. Alves, Amanda R. de Oliveira
Summary: This systematic review aimed to identify publications that used the haloperidol-induced catalepsy model for parkinsonism and explore methodological characteristics and main questions addressed in these studies. Most studies utilized the model to investigate potential treatments for parkinsonism.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Vivian M. de Vita, Heloisa R. Zapparoli, Adriano E. Reimer, Marcus L. Brandao, Amanda R. de Oliveira
Summary: Dopamine mediates fear conditioning through its action on D2 receptors in the mesolimbic pathway, primarily influencing the expression rather than acquisition of conditioned fear. Sulpiride reduces the expression of fear without affecting extinction recall, while haloperidol has cataleptic and motor-impairing effects.
EXPERIMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Amanda R. de Oliveira, Adriano E. Reimer, Gregory J. Simandl, Sumedh S. Nagrale, Alik S. Widge
Summary: This study aimed to replicate a model of compulsive behavior previously reported in mice in outbred rats, but failed to do so. Although physiological changes in the OFC-VMS circuitry were induced in rats, no compulsive self-grooming or other compulsive behaviors were observed. This suggests possible limitations in translating mouse findings to species higher on the phylogenetic chain.
TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Marcus L. Brandao, Manoel Jorge Nobre, Ruth Estevao
Summary: Fear and anxiety are responses to threatening environments or stimuli, depending on the distance of the threat. This study used virtual reality to examine the effects of threat intensity on behavior and physiological responses in volunteers, revealing a relationship between individual emotional susceptibility and anxiety development.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Debora Fabris, Milene C. Carvalho, Marcus L. Brandao, Wiliam A. Prado, Antonio W. Zuardi, Jose A. Crippa, Amanda R. de Oliveira, Thelma A. Lovick, Karina Genaro
Summary: CBD exhibits anxiolytic effects in both male and female rats, with potential mechanisms involving GABA(A) receptor expression in females and 5-HT1A receptor activation in males. The responsiveness of female rats to CBD is influenced by the stage of the estrous cycle, with higher responsiveness observed in the late diestrus phase. After sub-chronic treatment, female rats in late diestrus maintain their responsiveness to CBD, while those in proestrus remain unresponsive.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Carmem Beatriz Neufeld, Priscila C. Palma, Katia A. S. Caetano, Priscila G. Brust-Renck, Joshua Curtiss, Stefan G. Hofmann
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Andrea Candido dos Reis, Carla Larissa Vidal, Katia Alessandra de Souza Caetano, Haroldo Dutra Dias
JOURNAL OF RELIGION & HEALTH
(2020)