Role of Prefrontal 5-HT in the Strain-dependent Variation in Sign-tracking Behavior of C57BL/6 and DBA/2 Mice

Overview

Journal Psychopharmacology (Berl)

Specialty Pharmacology

Date 2016 Jan 6

PMID 26728892

Citations 13

Authors

P Campus

A Accoto

M Maiolati

C Latagliata

C Orsini

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Rationale: The expression of sign-tracking (ST) phenotype over goal-tracking (GT) phenotype has been associated to different aspects of impulsive behavior, and depletions of brain serotonin (5-HT) have been shown to selectively increase impulsive action as well as ST.

Objectives: The present study aimed at testing the relationship between reduced brain 5-HT availability and expression of ST phenotype in a genetic model of individual variation in brain 5-HT functionality. Inbred DBA/2J (DBA) mice are homozygous for the allelic variant of the TPH-2 gene causing lower brain 5-HT function in comparison with C57BL/6J (C57) inbred mice.

Materials: Young adult (10 weeks) and adult (14 weeks) C57 and DBA mice were trained in a Pavlovian conditioned approach (PCA) paradigm. Lever-directed (ST) and magazine-directed (GT) responses were measured in 12 daily conditioning sessions. In a second experiment, effect of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) 5-HT depletion by the neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) was assessed on acquisition of ST phenotype in adult C57 mice, according to their higher 5-HT functionality compared to DBA mice.

Results: Young adult mice of both strains developed ST phenotype, but only adult DBA mice developed ST phenotype. 5-HT depletion in the mPFC of adult C57 mice completely changed their phenotype, as shown by their increased ST.

Conclusions: These findings indicate that ST phenotype can be the expression of a transitory late developmental stage and that genetic factors determine persistence of this phenotype in adulthood. These findings also support a role of 5-HT transmission in PFC in constraining development of ST phenotype.

Citing Articles

Genotype-dependent functional role of the anterior and posterior paraventricular thalamus in pavlovian conditioned approach.

Tarmati V, Sepe A, Accoto A, Conversi D, Laricchiuta D, Panuccio A Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2024; .

PMID: 39663249 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06726-2.

Resting-state brain activation patterns and network topology distinguish human sign and goal trackers.

Schettino M, Mauti M, Parrillo C, Ceccarelli I, Giove F, Napolitano A Transl Psychiatry. 2024; 14(1):446.

PMID: 39438457 PMC: 11496639. DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-03162-w.

Leveraging individual differences in cue-reward learning to investigate the psychological and neural basis of shared psychiatric symptomatology: The sign-tracker/goal-tracker model.

Felix P, Flagel S Behav Neurosci. 2024; 138(4):260-271.

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From skinner box to daily life: Sign-tracker phenotype co-segregates with impulsivity, compulsivity, and addiction tendencies in humans.

Schettino M, Ceccarelli I, Tarvainen M, Martelli M, Orsini C, Ottaviani C Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci. 2022; 22(6):1358-1369.

PMID: 35672650 PMC: 9622514. DOI: 10.3758/s13415-022-01014-y.

Interactions Between Experience, Genotype and Sex in the Development of Individual Coping Strategies.

Ventura R, Cabib S, Babicola L, Andolina D, Di Segni M, Orsini C Front Behav Neurosci. 2022; 15:785739.

PMID: 34987364 PMC: 8721137. DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.785739.

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