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Aggressive Behavior Jun 2024Aggressive behaviors have been related to approach/avoidance tendencies. In our current study, we investigated whether approach/avoidance tendencies for angry versus...
Aggressive behaviors have been related to approach/avoidance tendencies. In our current study, we investigated whether approach/avoidance tendencies for angry versus fearful emotional expressions were differentially predictive of children's reactive and proactive aggression. A total of 116 children (58 girls, M = 10.90, standard deviation SD = 0.98) completed an approach/avoidance task (AAT) and a stimulus-response compatibility task (SRCT), both measuring the extent to which they tended to approach or avoid angry and fearful facial expressions relative to neutral facial expressions. Children also completed a self-report scale of reactive and proactive aggression. Although none of the approach/avoidance tendency scores correlated significantly with either of the aggression scores, stronger approach tendencies for angry faces and stronger avoidance tendencies for fearful faces in the AAT predicted more reactive aggression. Similar yet nonsignificant results were found for proactive aggression, but no effects were replicated in the SRCT. Our results thus invite the conclusion that reactive aggression is characterized by a tendency to approach angry faces and a tendency to avoid fearful faces. However, the poor discrimination between both types of aggression as well as the lack of convergence between the results of our two measures of approach/avoidance tendencies indicates that further research is needed to establish the role of approach/avoidance tendencies for emotional faces as markers for childhood aggression.
Topics: Humans; Aggression; Female; Male; Child; Facial Expression; Anger; Fear; Avoidance Learning; Child Behavior
PubMed: 38940213
DOI: 10.1002/ab.22162 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jun 2024The objective of this study was to assess the impact of acute and chronic treatment with oxcarbazepine on its anticonvulsant activity, neurological adverse effects, and...
The objective of this study was to assess the impact of acute and chronic treatment with oxcarbazepine on its anticonvulsant activity, neurological adverse effects, and protective index in mice. Oxcarbazepine was administered in four protocols: once or twice daily for one week (7 × 1 or 7 × 2) and once or twice daily for two weeks (14 × 1 or 14 × 2). A single dose of the drug was employed as a control. The anticonvulsant effect was evaluated in the maximal electroshock test in mice. Motor and long-term memory impairment were assessed using the chimney test and the passive avoidance task, respectively. The concentrations of oxcarbazepine in the brain and plasma were determined via high-performance liquid chromatography. Two weeks of oxcarbazepine treatment resulted in a significant reduction in the anticonvulsant (in the 14 × 1; 14 × 2 protocols) and neurotoxic (in the 14 × 2 schedule) effects of this drug. In contrast, the protective index for oxcarbazepine in the 14 × 2 protocol was found to be lower than that calculated for the control. No significant deficits in memory or motor coordination were observed following repeated administration of oxcarbazepine. The plasma and brain concentrations of this anticonvulsant were found to be significantly higher in the one-week protocols. Chronic treatment with oxcarbazepine may result in the development of tolerance to its anticonvulsant and neurotoxic effects, which appears to be dependent on pharmacodynamic mechanisms.
Topics: Animals; Oxcarbazepine; Mice; Anticonvulsants; Electroshock; Male; Disease Models, Animal; Seizures; Brain; Memory, Long-Term; Carbamazepine; Avoidance Learning
PubMed: 38928457
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126751 -
Biological Psychiatry Jun 2024Substance use disorder (SUD) is characterized by long-lasting changes in reward-related brain regions, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Previous work has shown that...
BACKGROUND
Substance use disorder (SUD) is characterized by long-lasting changes in reward-related brain regions, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Previous work has shown that cocaine exposure induces plasticity in broad, genetically-defined cell types in the NAc; however, in response to a stimulus, only a small percent of neurons are transcriptionally active - termed an ensemble. Here, we identify an Arc-expressing neuronal ensemble that has a unique trajectory of recruitment and causally controls drug self-administration after repeated, but not acute, cocaine exposure.
METHOD
Using Arc-CreER transgenic mice, we expressed transgenes in Arc+ ensembles activated by cocaine exposure [either acute (1 x 10mg/kg IP), or repeated (10 x 10mg/kg IP)]. Using genetic, optical, and physiological recording and manipulation strategies, we assessed the contribution of these ensembles to behaviors associated with SUD.
RESULTS
Repeated cocaine exposure reduced the size of the ensemble, while simultaneously increasing its control over behavior. Neurons within the repeated cocaine ensemble were hyperexcitable and their optogenetic excitation was sufficient for reinforcement. Finally, lesioning the repeated cocaine, but not acute cocaine, ensemble blunted cocaine self-administration. Thus, repeated cocaine exposure reduced the size of the ensemble while simultaneously increasing its contributions to drug reinforcement.
CONCLUSIONS
We show that repeated, but not acute, cocaine exposure induces a physiologically distinct ensemble characterized by the expression of the immediate early gene Arc, that is uniquely capable of modulating reinforcement behavior.
PubMed: 38901723
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.06.008 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Jun 2024Heart rate (HR) can be voluntarily regulated when individuals receive real-time feedback. In a rat model of HR biofeedback, the neocortex and medial forebrain bundle...
Heart rate (HR) can be voluntarily regulated when individuals receive real-time feedback. In a rat model of HR biofeedback, the neocortex and medial forebrain bundle were stimulated as feedback and reward, respectively. The rats reduced their HR within 30 minutes, achieving a reduction of approximately 50% after 5 days of 3-hour feedback. The reduced HR persisted for at least 10 days after training while the rats exhibited anxiolytic behavior and an elevation in blood erythrocyte count. This bradycardia was prevented by inactivating anterior cingulate cortical (ACC) neurons projecting to the ventromedial thalamic nucleus (VMT). Theta-rhythm stimulation of the ACC-to-VMT pathway replicated the bradycardia. VMT neurons projected to the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) and DMH neurons projected to the nucleus ambiguus, which innervates parasympathetic neurons in the heart.
Topics: Animals; Male; Rats; Bradycardia; Conditioning, Operant; Gyrus Cinguli; Heart Rate; Neocortex; Neural Pathways; Neurons; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Theta Rhythm; Biofeedback, Psychology
PubMed: 38900870
DOI: 10.1126/science.adl3353 -
Cells Jun 2024Precise control of neuronal activity is crucial for the proper functioning of neurons. How lipid homeostasis contributes to neuronal activity and how much of it is...
Precise control of neuronal activity is crucial for the proper functioning of neurons. How lipid homeostasis contributes to neuronal activity and how much of it is regulated by cells autonomously is unclear. In this study, we discovered that absence of the lipid regulator , a functional ortholog of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) in , resulted in defective pathogen avoidance behavior against (PA14). Functional NHR-49 was required in the neurons, and more specifically, in a set of oxygen-sensing body cavity neurons, URX, AQR, and PQR. We found that lowering the neuronal activity of the body cavity neurons improved avoidance in mutants. Calcium imaging in URX neurons showed that mutants displayed longer-lasting calcium transients in response to an O upshift, suggesting that excess neuronal activity leads to avoidance defects. Cell-specific rescue of NHR-49 in the body cavity neurons was sufficient to improve pathogen avoidance, as well as URX neuron calcium kinetics. Supplementation with oleic acid also improved avoidance behavior and URX calcium kinetics, suggesting that the defective calcium response in the neuron is due to lipid dysfunction. These findings highlight the role of cell-autonomous lipid regulation in neuronal physiology and immune behavior.
Topics: Animals; Caenorhabditis elegans; Lipid Metabolism; Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins; Neurons; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Calcium; Mutation; Avoidance Learning; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
PubMed: 38891110
DOI: 10.3390/cells13110978 -
Brain and Behavior Jun 2024Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex and common neurodegenerative disorder. The present study aimed to investigate the potential effects of selegiline (SEL) on various...
BACKGROUND
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex and common neurodegenerative disorder. The present study aimed to investigate the potential effects of selegiline (SEL) on various aspects of memory performance, anxiety, and oxidative stress in an AD rat model induced by intracerebroventricular injection of amyloid beta (Aβ).
METHODS
Oral administration of SEL at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg/day was performed for 30 consecutive days. Following the 30 days, several tests, including the open-field, elevated plus-maze, novel object recognition, Morris water maze, and passive avoidance learning were conducted to assess locomotor activity, anxiety-like behavior, recognition memory, spatial memory, and passive avoidance memory, respectively.
RESULTS
The results indicate that the induction of AD in rats led to recognition memory, spatial memory, and passive avoidance memory impairments, as well as increased anxiety. Additionally, the AD rats exhibited a decrease in total antioxidant capacity and an increase in total oxidant status levels, suggesting an imbalance in oxidative-antioxidant status. However, the administration of SEL improved memory performance, reduced anxiety, and modulated oxidative-antioxidant status in AD rats.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide evidence that SEL may alleviate anxiety-like behavior and cognitive deficits induced by Aβ through modulation of oxidative-antioxidant status.
Topics: Animals; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Anxiety; Rats; Male; Selegiline; Memory Disorders; Oxidative Stress; Alzheimer Disease; Disease Models, Animal; Avoidance Learning; Peptide Fragments; Spatial Memory; Maze Learning; Rats, Wistar; Recognition, Psychology; Behavior, Animal; Neuroprotective Agents; Antioxidants
PubMed: 38873869
DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3599 -
Neuron Jun 2024In classical cerebellar learning, Purkinje cells (PkCs) associate climbing fiber (CF) error signals with predictive granule cells (GrCs) that were active just prior...
In classical cerebellar learning, Purkinje cells (PkCs) associate climbing fiber (CF) error signals with predictive granule cells (GrCs) that were active just prior (∼150 ms). The cerebellum also contributes to behaviors characterized by longer timescales. To investigate how GrC-CF-PkC circuits might learn seconds-long predictions, we imaged simultaneous GrC-CF activity over days of forelimb operant conditioning for delayed water reward. As mice learned reward timing, numerous GrCs developed anticipatory activity ramping at different rates until reward delivery, followed by widespread time-locked CF spiking. Relearning longer delays further lengthened GrC activations. We computed CF-dependent GrC→PkC plasticity rules, demonstrating that reward-evoked CF spikes sufficed to grade many GrC synapses by anticipatory timing. We predicted and confirmed that PkCs could thereby continuously ramp across seconds-long intervals from movement to reward. Learning thus leads to new GrC temporal bases linking predictors to remote CF reward signals-a strategy well suited for learning to track the long intervals common in cognitive domains.
PubMed: 38870929
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.05.019 -
Sports Health Jun 2024Operant conditioning of motor evoked torque (MEP) can directly target the corticospinal pathway in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction....
BACKGROUND
Operant conditioning of motor evoked torque (MEP) can directly target the corticospinal pathway in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. However, it remains unclear whether operant conditioning can elicit short-term improvements in corticospinal excitability and whether these improvements are influenced by stimulus intensity.
HYPOTHESIS
Quadriceps MEP responses can be upconditioned in a single session and will elicit short-term adaptations in corticospinal excitability, with higher stimulus intensities eliciting greater effects.
STUDY DESIGN
Randomized controlled laboratory study.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
Level 2.
METHODS
Thirty-six participants were assessed during a single session of an operant conditioning protocol. Participants were randomized into 1 of 3 groups for stimulus intensity used during operant conditioning based on the participant's active motor threshold (AMT: 100%, 120%, and 140%). Quadriceps MEP amplitude was evaluated during a block of control transcranial magnetic stimulation trials (CTRL) to establish baseline corticospinal excitability, and 3 blocks of conditioning trials (COND) during which participants trained to upcondition their MEP. MEP recruitment curves were collected to evaluate the effect of operant conditioning on acute corticospinal adaptations.
RESULTS
Participants with ACL reconstruction could upcondition their MEP in a single session ( < 0.01; CTRL, 17.27 ± 1.28; COND, 21.35 ± 1.28 [mean ± standard error [SE] in N·m]), but this ability was not influenced by the stimulus intensity used during training ( = 0.84). Furthermore, significant improvements in corticospinal excitability were observed ( = 0.05; PRE, 687.91 ± 50.15; POST, 761.08 ± 50.15 [mean ± SE in N·m %AMT]), but stimulus intensity did not influence corticospinal adaptations ( = 0.67).
CONCLUSION
Operant conditioning can elicit short-term neural adaptations in ACL-reconstructed patients. Future operant conditioning paradigms may effectively use any of the 3 stimulus intensities studied herein.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Operant conditioning may be a feasible approach to improve corticospinal excitability after ACL reconstruction.
PubMed: 38864306
DOI: 10.1177/19417381241257258 -
Psychiatria Polska Feb 2024The study aimed to validate the Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ) in Polish and establish its psychometric properties.
OBJECTIVES
The study aimed to validate the Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ) in Polish and establish its psychometric properties.
METHODS
A representative sample of the Polish population (N = 1,216) in terms of gender, age, education, and place of residence participated in the online study. The adaptation was conducted with back translation to preserve fidelity to the original version. Apart from BEAQ, participants filled in questionnaires measuring the levels of depression, cognitive fusion, mindfulness and psychological flexibility.
RESULTS
Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the unidimensional model insufficiently fit the data, similarly to other reports on BEAQ validations. Exploratory factor analysis using oblimin rotation extracted two factors labeled "cognitive-emotional avoidance" and "behavioral avoidance" with internal consistency (α) of 0.78 and 0.74, respectively, and stability over time of r = 0.79 and 0.75 in a 21-day test-retest measurement. The subscales demonstrated satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity.
CONCLUSIONS
The Polish BEAQ validation demonstrates it is a tool that can be successfully used in research and clinical practice as it provides a reliable measure of experiential avoidance and is convenient thanks to its limited duration.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Poland; Adult; Psychometrics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results; Avoidance Learning; Middle Aged; Young Adult
PubMed: 38852185
DOI: 10.12740/PP/162165 -
Journal of Neuroscience Research Jun 2024Childhood obesity increases the risk of health and cognitive disorders in adulthood. Consuming high-fat diets (HFD) during critical neurodevelopmental periods, like...
Early-life and chronic exposure to high-fat diet alters noradrenergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in the male rat amygdala and hippocampus under cognitive challenges.
Childhood obesity increases the risk of health and cognitive disorders in adulthood. Consuming high-fat diets (HFD) during critical neurodevelopmental periods, like childhood, impairs cognition and memory in humans and animals, affecting the function and connectivity of brain structures related to emotional memory. However, the underlying mechanisms of such phenomena need to be better understood. This study aimed to investigate the neurochemical profile of the amygdala and hippocampus, brain structures involved in emotional memory, during the acquisition of conditioned odor aversion in male rats that consumed a HFD from weaning to adulthood. The rats gained weight, experienced metabolic changes, and reduced insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Rats showed enhanced odor aversion memory, contrary to the expected cognitive impairments. This memory enhancement was accompanied by increased noradrenergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission in the amygdala and hippocampus. Importantly, this upregulation was specific to stimuli exposure, as basal neurotransmitter levels remained unaltered by the HFD. Our results suggest that HFD modifies cognitive function by altering neurochemical signaling, in this case, upregulating neurotransmitter levels rendering a stronger memory trace, demonstrating that metabolic dysfunctions do not only trigger exclusively detrimental plasticity processes but also render enhanced plastic effects depending on the type of information.
Topics: Animals; Male; Diet, High-Fat; Hippocampus; Amygdala; Synaptic Transmission; Rats; Glutamic Acid; Norepinephrine; Rats, Wistar; Cognition; Avoidance Learning
PubMed: 38847288
DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25360