ETDs

This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.

In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.

Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.

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Cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of repeated D₂-like agonist treatment on prepulse Inhibition

Description
Patients with schizophrenia have deficits in sensorimotor gating, the ability to gate out irrelevant stimuli in order to attend to relevant stimuli. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response is a reliable and valid model of sensorimotor gating across species. Repeated D2-like agonist treatment alleviates prior PPI deficits in rats,…

Patients with schizophrenia have deficits in sensorimotor gating, the ability to gate out irrelevant stimuli in order to attend to relevant stimuli. Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response is a reliable and valid model of sensorimotor gating across species. Repeated D2-like agonist treatment alleviates prior PPI deficits in rats, termed a PPI recovery, and is observable 28 days after treatment. The aim of the current project is to illuminate the underlying mechanism for this persistent change of behavior and determine the clinical relevance of repeated D2-like agonist treatment. Our results revealed a significant increase in Delta FosB, a transcription factor, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) 10 days after repeated D2-like agonist treatment. Additionally, we investigated if Delta FosB was necessary for long-lasting PPI recovery and discovered a bilateral infusion of dominant-negative Delta JunD prevented PPI recovery after repeated D2-like agonist treatment. To further develop the underlying mechanism of PPI recovery, we observed that dominant negative mutant cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response biding element protein (CREB) prevented repeated D2-like agonist-induced Delta FosB expression in the NAc. We then compared our previous behavioral and intracellular findings to the results of repeated aripiprazole, a novel D2-like partial agonist antipsychotic, to determine if repeated D2-like receptor agonist action is a clinically relevant pharmacological approach. As compared to previous PPI recovery and Delta FosB expression after repeated D2-like agonist treatment, we found similar PPI recovery and Delta FosB expression after repeated aripiprazole treatment in rats. We can conclude that repeated D2-like agonist treatment produces persistent PPI recovery through CREB phosphorylation and Delta FosB, which is necessary for PPI recovery. Furthermore, this pharmacological approach produces behavioral and intracellular changes similar to an effective novel antipsychotic. These findings suggest the underlying intracellular mechanism for sustained PPI recovery is clinically relevant and may be a potential target of therapeutic intervention to alleviate sensorimotor gating deficits, which are associated with cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.
ContributorsMaple, Amanda (Author) / Hammer, Ronald P. (Thesis advisor) / Olive, Michael F (Committee member) / Gallitano, Amelia L (Committee member) / Conrad, Cheryl D. (Committee member) / Nikulina, Ella M (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
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Mesolimbic GluA1 AMPA Receptor Signaling in Dopaminergic Neurons Plays a Critical Role in the Induction of Cross-Sensitization to Psychostimulants in Response to Social Stress

Description
Intermittent social defeat stress induces psychostimulant cross-sensitization, as well as long-lasting social avoidance behavior. Previous data reveal heightened expression of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) GluA1 subunits in rat ventral tegmental area (VTA), which occurs concurrently with social stress-induced amphetamine (AMPH) cross-sensitization. These studies described herein examined whether VTA GluA1 AMPARs are…

Intermittent social defeat stress induces psychostimulant cross-sensitization, as well as long-lasting social avoidance behavior. Previous data reveal heightened expression of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) GluA1 subunits in rat ventral tegmental area (VTA), which occurs concurrently with social stress-induced amphetamine (AMPH) cross-sensitization. These studies described herein examined whether VTA GluA1 AMPARs are important for the behavioral consequences of social stress and investigated the role of the infralimbic (IL) to VTA pathway in the induction of these responses. Functional inactivation of GluA1 in VTA DA neurons prevented stress-induced AMPH sensitization without affecting social avoidance behavior, while GluA1 overexpression in VTA DA neurons mimicked the effects of stress on AMPH sensitization. Female rats were more sensitive to the effects of stress on AMPH administration than males, specifically during proestrus/estrus, which is characterized by higher circulating estradiol. Fluorescent immunohistochemistry revealed that females expressed higher GluA1 in VTA DA neurons as a result of intermittent social defeat stress, independent of estrus stage; by contrast, females during proestrus/estrus displayed higher tyrosine kinase receptor type 2 (TrkB) expression, which is the receptor for brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), in VTA DA neurons, independent of stress exposure. Functional inactivation of GluA1 in VTA DA neurons prevented stress-induced AMPH sensitization and overexpression mimicked the effects of stress on AMPH sensitization. This suggests that BDNF-TrkB signaling may work concomitantly with GluA1 signaling in the VTA to drive sex-dependent differences in stress-induced locomotor sensitization effects. Optogenetic inhibition of the IL-VTA pathway in male rats prevented stress-induced AMPH sensitization compared to control animals. In addition, fluorescent immunohistochemistry displayed less Fos labeling in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of rats with IL-VTA light inhibition compared to control animals. This suggests that the IL-VTA pathway plays a critical role in the induction of stress-induced sensitivity to AMPH, and blocking this pathway prevents mesolimbic DA signaling to the NAc. We conclude that IL glutamate projections onto GluA1-homomeric AMPA receptors in VTA DA neurons play a critical role in driving the stress-induced sensitization response in males and females. Therefore, GluA1 VTA DA neurons could potentially be a therapeutic target to prevent stress-induced drug susceptibility in the future.
ContributorsRudolph, Megan Leigh (Author) / Hammer, Ronald P. (Thesis advisor) / Olive, Michael F (Thesis advisor) / Nikulina, Ella M (Committee member) / Ferguson, Deveroux (Committee member) / Qiu, Shenfeng (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020