Michael Bubser

6-Hydroxydopamine lesion of the rat prefrontal cortex increases locomotor activity, impairs acquisition of delayed alternation tasks, but does not affect uninterrupted tasks in the radial maze

The role of mesocortical dopamine neurons in locomotion and acquisition of various delayed and uninterrupted maze tasks was investigated in the rat. Dopaminergic terminals of the medial prefrontal cortex were lesioned by stereotaxically guided injections of the selective neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), while noradrenergic neurons were protected by systemically administered desipramine. 6-OHDA lesions resulted in a selective depletion of dopamine and its metabolite, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, in the prefrontal cortex but not in subcortical structures. Prefrontal serotonin was not depleted. 6-OHDA-cloned rats performed uninterrupted alternation tasks (spontaneous and reinforced alternation) in the radial maze in the same manner as controls, whereas performance of delayed alternation in the T-maze and the radial maze was impaired in lesioned rats. In addition, locomotor activity during maze performance was increased in lesioned rats. Based on the hypothesis that increased motor activity and impaired delayed alternation performance are due to increased susceptibility to interfering stimuli, we propose tentatively that prefrontal dopamine may function to suppress interference during the delay period of certain cognitive tasks.

Novel Selective Allosteric Activator of the M1 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor Regulates Amyloid Processing and Produces Antipsychotic-Like Activity in Rats

Recent studies suggest that subtype-selective activators of M1/M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) may offer a novel approach for the treatment of psychotic symptoms associated with schizophrenia and Alzheimers disease. Previously developed muscarinic agonists have provided clinical data in support of this hypothesis, but failed in clinical development because of a lack of true subtype specificity and adverse effects associated with activation of other mAChR subtypes. We now report characterization of a novel highly selective agonist for the M1 receptor with no agonist activity at any of the other mAChR subtypes, termed TBPB [1-(1′-2-methylbenzyl)-1,4′-bipiperidin-4-yl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2(3H)-one]. Mutagenesis and molecular pharmacology studies revealed that TBPB activates M1 through an allosteric site rather than the orthosteric acetylcholine binding site, which is likely critical for its unprecedented selectivity. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings demonstrated that activation of M1 by TBPB potentiates NMDA receptor currents in hippocampal pyramidal cells but does not alter excitatory or inhibitory synaptic transmission, responses thought to be mediated by M2 and M4. TBPB was efficacious in models predictive of antipsychotic-like activity in rats at doses that did not produce catalepsy or peripheral adverse effects of other mAChR agonists. Finally, TBPB had effects on the processing of the amyloid precursor protein toward the non-amyloidogenic pathway and decreased Aβ production in vitro. Together, these data suggest that selective activation of M1 may provide a novel approach for the treatment of symptoms associated with schizophrenia and Alzheimers disease.

Anticataleptic effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist MK-801 in rats

The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist MK-801 was administered to rats in three doses (0.08, 0.16, 0.33 mg/kg) in order to examine its effects on catalepsy that was induced by haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg). The degree of catalepsy was assessed 30 and 60 min after application of drugs by placing the rat on a horizontal bar, on a podium and on a vertical grid. Animals having received saline and haloperidol showed a higher degree of catalepsy than animals having received MK-801 and haloperidol (except for the lowest dose of MK-801). These findings may suggest a therapeutic potential of MK-801 and possibly of other NMDA antagonists in the treatment of Parkinsons disease.

Prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response of rats is reduced by 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the medial prefrontal cortex

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response (ASR) is impaired by dopamine (DA) overactivity in the nucleus accumbens and anteromedial striatum. Since there is evidence that DA in the medial prefrontal cortex exerts an inhibitory control on striatal DA systems, it was investigated whether depletion of prefrontal DA reduces PPI. Rats were tested for PPI both before and after injections (2 × 1 µl per side) of vehicle, a low (3.0 µg/µl) or a high (6.0 µg/µl) dose of 6-hydroxydopamine hydrobromide (6-OHDA) into the prefrontal cortex. Only the high dose of 6-OHDA, leading to an 87% depletion of prefrontal DA, impaired PPI. The ability of an acoustic prepulse (75 dB, 10 kHz) to reduce the response to a startle pulse (100 dB noise burst) was maintained in sham lesioned rats, but was significantly disturbed in rats lesioned with the high dose of 6-OHDA. The 6-OHDA treatment did not affect the ASR amplitude in the absence of a prepulse. The reduction of PPI in lesioned rats correlated with the extent of DA depletion. These results suggest that the DA innervation of the prefrontal cortex is involved in the modulation of the ASR and they provide further evidence for opposite actions of prefrontal and subcortical DA systems in the control of behaviour. The present findings are discussed with regard to the potential role of prefrontal DA in schizophrenia.

Differential behavioural and neurochemical effects of competitive and non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists in rats.

The behavioural and biochemical effects of the non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, dizocilpine and memantine, and the competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, CGP 39551, were investigated in rats. Systemic injections of dizocilpine (0.33 mg/kg) increased locomotion and rearing in an open field, whereas memantine (20 mg/kg) increased only locomotor activity. CGP 39551 (10 and 20 mg/kg) did not change open field activity. Dopamine (DA) metabolism--as measured by the ratio of dihydroxyphenylacetic acid/dopamine (DOPAC/DA)--increased in response to dizocilpine in the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens. Memantine enhanced DOPAC/DA in the prefrontal cortex, the nucleus accumbens and to a lesser degree in the posterior striatum. In contrast to non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists, CGP 39551 did not increase DA metabolism of subcortical structures and even decreased DOPAC/DA in the prefrontal cortex. These results indicate that competitive and non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists affect spontaneous locomotion differentially in rats. The biochemical data imply that the stimulant actions non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonists are at least partially due to activation of ascending dopaminergic systems. Potential mechanisms involved in the differential effects of both types of NMDA receptor antagonists are discussed.

5-HT2 receptor regulation of extracellular GABA levels in the prefrontal cortex.

Monoamines, including both dopamine and serotonin, synapse onto prefrontal cortical interneurons. Dopamine has been shown to activate these GABAergic interneurons, but there are no direct data on the effects of serotonin on GABA release in the prefrontal cortex. We, therefore, examined the effects of the 5-HT2a/c agonist 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl-2-aminopropane (DOI) on extracellular GABA levels in the prefrontal cortex of the rat. Local infusions of DOI dose-dependently increased cortical extracellular GABA levels. In addition, systemic DOI administration resulted in Fos protein expression in glutamic acid decarboxylase67-immunoreactive interneurons of the prefrontal cortex. These data indicate that serotonin, operating through a 5-HT2 receptor, acutely activates GABAergic interneurons in the prefrontal cortex. These data further suggest that there may be convergent regulation of interneurons by dopamine and serotonin in the prefrontal cortex.

Muscarinic and Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists and Allosteric Modulators for the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Muscarinic and nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (mAChRs and nAChRs) are emerging as important targets for the development of novel treatments for the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Preclinical and early proof-of-concept clinical studies have provided strong evidence that activators of specific mAChR (M1 and M4) and nAChR (α7 and α2β4) subtypes are effective in animal models of antipsychotic-like activity and/or cognitive enhancement, and in the treatment of positive and cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. While early attempts to develop selective mAChR and nAChR agonists provided important preliminary findings, these compounds have ultimately failed in clinical development due to a lack of true subtype selectivity and subsequent dose-limiting adverse effects. In recent years, there have been major advances in the discovery of highly selective activators for the different mAChR and nAChR subtypes with suitable properties for optimization as potential candidates for clinical trials. One novel strategy has been to identify ligands that activate a specific receptor subtype through actions at sites that are distinct from the highly conserved ACh-binding site, termed allosteric sites. These allosteric activators, both allosteric agonists and positive allosteric modulators, of mAChR and nAChR subtypes demonstrate unique mechanisms of action and high selectivity in vivo, and may provide innovative treatment strategies for schizophrenia.

Deficient Sensorimotor Gating After 6‐Hydroxydopamine Lesion of the Rat medial Prefrontal Cortex is Reversed by Haloperidol

The present study sought to test the hypothesis that dopamine in the prefrontal cortex exerts an inhibitory influence on subcortical dopamine systems and that depletion of prefrontal dopamine may affect behaviour via an increase in dopamine release in the basal ganglia. We used prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response, i.e. the inhibition of the acoustic startle response by a preceding non‐startling stimulus, as the behavioural test, because this phenomenon of sensorimotor gating is modified in opposite directions by dopamine in the prefrontal cortex and in the basal ganglia. Rats were tested for prepulse inhibition before and after injections of the neurotoxin 6‐hydroxydopamine into the medial prefrontal cortex. We attempted to differentiate the contributions of prefrontal dopamine and noradrenaline by pretreating the animals with desipramine (6‐OHDADMI rats) or bupropion (6‐OHDABUP rats), selective inhibitors of noradrenaline and dopamine reuptake respectively. 6‐Hydroxydopamine lesion reduced prefrontal dopamine by 90% and noradrenaline by 80% in 6‐OHDADMI rats, while prefrontal dopamine was reduced by 54% and noradrenaline by 95% in 6‐OHDABUP rats. The ability of an acoustic prepulse (75 dB, 10 kHz) to inhibit the response to a startle pulse (100 dB noise burst) was maintained in sham‐lesioned rats and in 6‐OHDABUP rats. However, there was a marked reduction of prepulse inhibition (by 26%) in the 6‐OHDADMI rats. Systemic administration of the dopamine antagonist haloperidol (0.05 mg/kg), which did not affect prepulse inhibition in sham‐lesioned and in 6‐OHDABUP rats, antagonized the lesion‐induced deficit in prepulse inhibition in 6‐OHDADMI rats. These results suggest that prefrontal dopamine is involved in prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle response. The haloperidol‐induced antagonism of the deficit in prepulse inhibition observed in 6‐OHDADMI rats is compatible with the view that prefrontal dopamine depletion led to overactivity of subcortical dopamine systems involved in prepulse inhibition, i.e. in the nucleus accumbens and/or anteromedial striatum. The significance of prefrontal noradrenaline depletion, which may have partially counteracted the effects of dopamine depletion on prepulse inhibition, is also discussed. Since prepulse inhibition is impaired in schizophrenics, the present findings lend support to the theory of prefrontal dopamine hypofunction in the aetiology of schizophrenia.

Stress induces Fos expression in neurons of the thalamic paraventricular nucleus that innervate limbic forebrain sites

The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) is a midline thalamic nucleus that responds strongly to exposure to various stressors. Many of the projection targets of PVT neurons, including the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, and central/basolateral nuclei of the amygdala, are also activated by stress. We sought to determine if PVT neurons that respond to stress are those that project to one or more of these forebrain sites. Retrograde tract tracing combined with immunohistochemical detection of Fos protein‐like immunoreactivity was used to assess the activation of target‐specific populations of PVT projection neurons by mild footshock stress in the rat. Stress markedly increased Fos protein‐like immunoreactivity in PVT neurons, but without regard to the projection target of the thalamic neurons. Thus, the percentage of PVT cells that were retrogradely labeled from either the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, or amygdala, and that expressed Fos‐like immunoreactivity did not differ substantially across the three forebrain sites. These data suggest that the PVT may have a role as a generalized relay for information relating to stress, and may serve an important role in the stress‐induced activation of limbic forebrain areas. Synapse 32:13–22, 1999.

Addiction and Arousal: Alternative Roles of Hypothalamic Peptides

The importance of the lateral hypothalamus in the regulation of reward and motivation has long been recognized. However, the neuronal network involved in such a hypothalamic regulation of reward remains essentially unknown. Recently, hypocretin-containing neurons, a group of hypothalamic neurons known to be associated with the stability of arousal, have emerged as important structures in the control of brain reward function. This review summarizes a Mini-Symposium presented at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.