Chronotype,depression and hippocampal volume: cross-sectional associations from the UK Biobank

Diurnal preference for evening time has been associated with increased odds for current depression and a number of indices of the disorder. In the current study, the association between chronotype and depression was explored in a population-based sample of 5360 adults aged between 40 and 70 years. Previous work has also suggested that larger hippocampal volume may be protective against depression. In an additional, exploratory analysis, hippocampal volume was compared in never-depressed early and late chronotypes (N= 3004). Definite eveningness was significantly associated with increased odds for probable lifetime depression after controlling for a number of confounding factors including neuroticism. Hippocampal volume did not differ between never-depressed early and late chronotypes. The current results extend previous work and add further weight to the argument that late chronotype represents a risk factor for depression.     

Effect of chronotype on emotional processing and risk taking

There is increasing evidence to suggest that late chronotypes are at increased risk for depression. The putative psychological mechanisms underpinning this risk, however, have not been fully explored. The aim of the present study was to examine whether, similar to acutely depressed patients and other “at risk” groups, late chronotype individuals display biases in tasks assaying emotional face recognition, emotional categorisation, recognition and recall and attention. Late chronotype was associated with increased recognition of sad facial expressions, greater recall and reduced latency to correctly recognise previously presented negative personality trait words and reduced allocation of attentional resources to happy faces. The current results indicate that certain negative biases in emotional processing are present in late chronotypes and may, in part, mediate the vulnerability of these individuals to depression. Prospective studies are needed to establish whether the cognitive vulnerabilities reported here predict subsequent depression.     

Mindfulness and self-compassion along the chronotype: a cross-sectional study

It is well established in the literature that morning-type individuals present better health indicators than evening-types. Mindfulness is considered an adaptive self-regulation skill associated with well-being and physical and mental health. However, there is scarce studies that relate chronotype and mindfulness. Thus, in this research, our aim was to study the relationship between chronotype and mindfulness-related variables. For this purpose, a sample composed of 483 participants from the community was recruited through an online survey and invited to fill out the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Self-Compassion Scale, and the Composite Morningness Scale. Regarding mindfulness measure, the results indicated that morning-types presented higher levels of “acting with awareness” than intermediate and evening-types. Additionally, as to self-compassion measure, morning-types presented higher levels of “mindfulness” and “overall self-compassion” than intermediate and evening-types. The remaining associations examined were not statistically significant. In sum, the morning-types showed higher scores in some of the mindfulness and self-compassion scales which seem to suggest that this morningness tendency may function as protective factor concerning eventual disorders´ development. Nonetheless, more systematic studies are needed to better understand this association and subsequently foster changes for psychological intervention.     

Effects of chronotype and time of day on mood responses to CrossFit training

Morningness-eveningness, time of day, and physical exercises have been shown to influence mood states. This study aimed to test whether impact of physical exercise on mood depends on time of day and chronotype. Ninety-four participants (age 32 ± 6 years; 34% females; weekly training volume 4 ± 1 hours) filled the Composite Scale of Morningness and reported their current mood using the UWIST Mood Adjective Checklist before and after a 60-min long CrossFit training session which took part in the morning (beginning at 6:30 or 7:45) or in the evening (beginning at 19:30 or 20:45). In this quasi-experiment the measurements were taken by the occasion of the participants’ usual training, in their preferred hours. There were only a few evening-types in the studied sample, while morning and intermediate chronotypes were over-represented. Participation in CrossFit training resulted in mood improvement consisting of increase in energetic arousal (η² = 0.29) and hedonic tone (η² = 0.47) and reduction of tense arousal (η² = 0.14), all significant at p = 0.001. Furthermore, CrossFit training during morning hours boosted mood in the intermediate/evening chronotype group to the levels observed in morning chronotypes (η² = 0.29, p < 0.05, for the three-way interaction effect). We conclude that participation in intense physical exercise, such as CrossFit training, may allow compensation for the negative effects of non-optimal time of day on experienced moods, particularly in the case of neither/evening-types.     

海马Glu与抑郁症的关系及其对胃运动的影响

目的：探讨抑郁症的发生与海马谷氨酸（Glu）的关系及其对胃运动的影响。方法：运用慢性不可预见性温和应激（GUMS）建立抑郁动物模型,采用海马定位微量注射,通过体重变化率、糖水偏爱、敞箱、强迫游泳实验观察大鼠行为表现,用PowerLab／8sp生理信号采集分析系统记录胃内压,观察胃运动的变化。结果：慢性不可预见性温和应激21d,可显著降低大鼠的体重增长率,糖水偏爱率和敞箱实验的水平运动和垂直运动得分,增加了大鼠的游泳不动时间,与正常对照组相比,差异显著。同时大鼠平均胃内压和胃的收缩幅值也显著降低。海马微量注射Glu与慢性不可预见性温和应激引起的动物行为表现一致,而胃运动减弱的程度小于应激组,但与正常时照组比较,差异明显。海马微量注射NMDA受体阻断剂MK-801,可消除应激所引起的抑郁样行为,减弱应激对胃内压的抑制作用,并明显增大胃的收缩幅值。结论：海马Glu和NMDA受体与应激性抑郁发生密切相关,既参与了应激引起的行为变化。又参与了应激引起的胃活动变化,只是对行为影响和胃活动影响有所不同。     

The influence of subjective sleep quality on the association between eveningness and depressive symptoms

Increasing evidence suggests that eveningness is associated with increased risk for depression. Eveningness, however, is also associated with poor sleep quality and the unique role of eveningness in depressive symptomatology remains to be elucidated. The goal of the current study, therefore, was to examine the inter-relationships between eveningness, subjective sleep quality and depressive symptoms in healthy participants free of current or previous depression and sleep disorder. Here, 167 healthy participants (mean age 24.16, 129/38 females/males) completed the reduced Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire (rMEQ), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Bootstrap mediation analysis for a simple mediation model including rMEQ, PSQI and CES-D was applied. Eveningness was associated with increased depressive symptoms and mediation analysis showed that this relationship was partly mediated by sleep quality. Our results suggest that indicators of depression observed in evening-type individuals cannot be attributed exclusively to disturbed sleep. We suggest that interventions that target both sleep quality and dysfunctional cognitive styles would be optimal to promote well-being in evening-type individuals.     

Independent quantitative trait loci influence ventral and dorsal hippocampal volume in recombinant inbred strains of mice

Anatomical and functional studies support segregation of the hippocampus into ventral and dorsal components along its septotemporal axis. However, it is unknown whether the development of these two components of the hippocampus is influenced by common or separate genetic factors. In this study, we used recombinant inbred strains of mice to determine whether the same or different quantitative trait loci (QTL) influence ventral and dorsal hippocampal volume. Using two sets of strains of recombinant inbred mice (BXD and AXB/BXA), we identified separate QTLs for ventral and dorsal hippocampal volume. In BXD mice, suggestive QTLs for ventral hippocampus were identified on chromosomes 2, 8 and 13, and a significant QTL for dorsal hippocampal volume was identified on chromosome 15. There was also a suggestive QTL for dorsal hippocampal volume on chromosome 13. In AXB/BXA mice, there were no significant or suggestive QTLs for ventral hippocampal volume, but a significant QTL for dorsal hippocampus was identified on chromosome 5. These findings suggest that the development of the ventral and dorsal components of the hippocampus is influenced by separate genetic loci.     

A multivariate twin study of hippocampal volume, self-esteem and well-being in middle-aged men

Self-esteem and well-being are important for successful aging, and some evidence suggests that self-esteem and well-being are associated with hippocampal volume, cognition and stress responsivity. Whereas most of this evidence is based on studies on older adults, we investigated self-esteem, well-being and hippocampal volume in 474 male middle-aged twins. Self-esteem was significantly positively correlated with hippocampal volume (0.09, P = 0.03 for left hippocampus, 0.10, P = 0.04 for right). Correlations for well-being were not significant (Ps > 0.05). There were strong phenotypic correlations between self-esteem and well-being (0.72, P < 0.001) and between left and right hippocampal volume (0.72, P < 0.001). In multivariate genetic analyses, a two-factor additive genetic and unique environmental (AE) model with well-being and self-esteem on one factor and left and right hippocampal volumes on the other factor fits the data better than Cholesky, independent pathway or common pathway models. The correlation between the two genetic factors was 0.12 (P = 0.03); the correlation between the environmental factors was 0.09 (P > 0.05). Our results indicate that largely different genetic and environmental factors underlie self-esteem and well-being on one hand and hippocampal volume on the other.     

Effects of retinoic acids on the dendritic morphology of cultured hippocampal neurons

Vitamin A-derived retinoic acids (RAs) are known to exert a variety of biological actions, including modulatory effects on cell differentiation and apoptosis. A recent study has demonstrated that 13- cis -RA and all- trans -RA suppressed neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in adult mice. The present experiments were performed to see whether 13- cis -RA and all- trans -RA could alter the dendritic morphology of cultured hippocampal neurons via RA receptors: retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and retinoid X receptor (RXR). High doses of 13- cis -RA and all- trans -RA exerted a negative effect on the cultured hippocampal neurons, while a low dose of 13- cis -RA but not all- trans -RA caused a positive effect. The negative changes induced by 13- cis -RA and all- trans -RA were antagonized by RXR antagonists and RAR antagonists, respectively. The positive changes induced by a low dose of 13- cis -RA were blocked by both RXR antagonists and RAR antagonists. These results suggest that RAs at high concentrations cause a negative effect on the dendritic morphology of cultured hippocampal neurons through RA receptors, while RAs at low concentrations exert a positive influence on cultured hippocampal neurons.     

低频刺激后海马CA1区场兴奋性突触后电位与群体锋电位的变化

在大鼠海马脑片上使用双电极在CA1区进行细胞外记录 ,观察低频刺激 (LFS)诱发同突触长时程抑制 (LTD)时场兴奋性突触后电位 (fEPSP)的斜率 (S EPSP)和群体锋电位 (PS)的幅值 (A PS)的变化。给予 90 0脉冲 1HzLFS后 ,S EPSP和A PS降低的幅度分别是 35 4± 5 3%和 6 8 0± 7 2 % ;而给予 4 5 0脉冲 1HzLFS后 ,S EPSP和A PS分别降低 14 3± 2 3%和 36 8± 6 7%。上述两组中A PS的变化率均显著大于S EPSP (P <0 0 1) ,而 90 0脉冲数组中两个指标的变化率均大于 4 5 0脉冲数组 (P <0 0 5 )。高Mg2 + (4mmol/L)使突触的传递活动减弱 ,但不影响LTD的诱发 ,在高Mg2 + 介质中 ,LFS引起的A PS变化率仍显著大于S EPSP (P <0 0 1)。结果表明 ,由LFS诱发同突触LTD的水平不仅与LFS的脉冲数有关 ,还与评价指标的选择有关     

甘麦大枣汤对抑郁模型大鼠海马神经元突触结构及结构蛋白表达的影响

目的:观察甘麦大枣汤对抑郁模型大鼠行为学及单胺递质的影响,并从突触结构及结构蛋白MAP-2与GAP-43表达改变探讨其潜在作用机制。方法:60只SD大鼠随机分为5组:正常对照组、模型组、氟西汀组(10.8mg/kg)、甘麦大枣汤高、低剂量组(9.72、4.86 g/kg),每组12只。除对照组外,其余各组大鼠均采用慢性不可预见性温和应激(CUMS)建立抑郁模型,并于造模同时给药组灌胃给药,连续21 d。采用糖水消耗实验和旷场测试评价大鼠抑郁样行为,ELISA法检测海马单胺递质5-HT、NE含量,Golgi染色观察神经元突触损伤情况,免疫组化法和Western blot法检测海马突触结构蛋白MAP-2和GAP-43的表达。结果:与对照组比较,抑郁模型大鼠糖水偏好度及自主活动评分均显著下降(P<0.01),海马5-HT、NE含量显著下降(P<0.01),树突棘缺失明显,同时MAP-2和GAP-43表达均显著下调(P<0.01);甘麦大枣汤干预后,模型大鼠抑郁样行为明显缓解(P<0.01),5-HT、NE含量显著升高(P<0.05),树突棘密度、长度及分枝增加,...     

线粒体膜电位与皮质酮对原代培养海马细胞的毒性作用

采用MTT法和激光共聚焦显微术观察皮质酮对原代培养海马神经细胞的存活率及其线粒体膜电位的影响。结果表明,在低糖、无血清培养条件下,皮质酮可剂量依赖地降低海马神经元及神经胶质细胞的存活率,在同等剂量下以神经元损伤更为显著。给予高浓度葡萄糖（25mmol/L）可明显拮抗皮质酮对海马神经元的毒性作用。进一步研究表明,皮质酮（10^-6-10^-5mol/L）可引起海马神经元线粒体膜电位明显下降,此作用亦可被高浓度葡萄糖所对抗。结果提示,在相同处理因素条件下,皮质酮以损伤神经元为主。皮质酮可降低海马神经元的存活率及线粒体膜电位,给予高浓度葡萄糖具有明显的改善作用。线粒体膜电位的下降可能是皮质酮引起神经元损伤的机制之一。     

An unexpected effect of capsaicin on spontaneous GABA-ergic IPSCS in hippocampal cell cultures

Vanilloid receptors 1 (VRs1) expressed in a subpopulation of sensory neurons and responsible for processing of chemical and thermal noxious stimuli were also shown to be expressed in several cerebral structures and to be involved in the regulation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission. In this study, we started to investigate the possibility that VRs1 are also involved in the regulation of GABA-ergic synaptic transmission. For this purpose, the effect of a VR1 agonist, capsaicin, on spontaneous GABA-ergic inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) was studied in hippocampal cell cultures using a patch-clamp technique. It was found that capsaicin (10 μM) decreased both the frequency and amplitude of spontaneous IPSCs. This finding suggests the involvement of VRs1 in the regulation of neuronal firing in some GABA-ergic interneurons and in the modulation of the efficacy of GABA-ergic synaptic transmission. However, considering the direction of the effect (a decrease in the IPSC frequency) and lack of its desensitization, the involvement of other receptor(s) also cannot currently be ruled out. Neirofiziologiya/Neurophysiology, Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 364–367, July–August, 2006.     

Effects of adrenocortical steroids on long-term potentiation in the limbic system: Basic mechanisms and behavioral consequences

Summary Hippocampal structures are a major target for adrenal steroid hormones, and hence these neural regions are some of the most likely mediators of the effects of adrenocortical steroids on behavior. Memory disturbance, in particular biasing toward negative contents, are part of the symptomatology presented by depressive patients. In turn, a sizeable subset of depression also presents with hypercortisolemia. Adrenocortical hormones are also known to affect memory processes. Hippocampal formatio is essential for declarative memory. We thought it appropriate then to study the effects of adrenal steroids on long-term potentiation, a putative memory mechanism in the hippocampus. Two clearly distinguished components of the evoked response to perforant path stimulation can be studied in the hippocampus: the excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) which denotes the graded depolarization of the somadendritic region of the neuron and the population spike (PS), a manifestation of the all-or-none-discharge of the cell action potential. Corticosterone had a significant depressant effect on the EPSP component of the evoked response immediately and 15 min after injection. Thereafter EPSP amplitudes were within normal values. Corticosterone significantly decreased the PS immediately after the train, the component remaining low 30 min after the train. 5-Dihydrocorticosterone (a ring A-reduced metabolite of corticosterone) significantly reduced the PS component of the response at all times after injection. 18-Hydroxydeoxycorticosterone and deoxycorticosterone significantly decreased both EPSP and PS components of the evoked response from the time of infusion. Contrary to expectation, tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone was ineffective in decreasing and if anything, enhanced the development of long-term potentiation. 18-Hydroxydeoxycorticosterone 21-acetate behaved like vehicle, except for the first 30 min after injection when the EPSP was decreased. Allotetrahydroprogesterone decreased all EPSP's values and had no effect in the PS development in comparison with vehicle. The suggestion is made that the study of steroidal effects on hippocampal LTP can serve as a preclinical model of some aspects of depression in a specific subset of the disease.     

D-半乳糖合并Meynert基底核损毁对海马长时程增强和突触形态的影响

目的 :研究D 半乳糖合并Meynert基底核损毁Alzheimer病 (AD)大鼠模型海马突触可塑性的变化。方法 :通过0 .96 %D 半乳糖致亚急性损伤及鹅膏蕈氨酸损毁Meynert基底核建立AD动物模型 ,应用行为学测试、电生理学方法和电镜观察 ,研究AD模型大鼠海马突触形态结构和长时程增强现象 (long termpotentiation ,LTP)的变化。结果 :①AD模型大鼠在Morris水迷宫的学习记忆能力明显低于对照组 ;②AD大鼠海马CA1区突触的数密度、面密度明显减少 ;③AD模型大鼠海马齿状回产生的LTP较对照组明显降低。结论 :海马突触结构改变和功能可塑性的降低可能与AD大鼠的学习记忆能力下降有关     

A transgenic Cre mouse line for the study of cortical and hippocampal development

Wnt signaling regulates cortical and hippocampal development. In a previous study we found that a particular Wnt receptor, Frizzled9 (Fzd9), was selectively expressed in both the developing and adult hippocampus. Taking advantage of the specificity of this promoter, we generated a transgenic cre mouse line using the putative control elements of the Fzd9 gene. In the Fzd9‐cre mice, Cre is mainly detected in the developing cortex and hippocampus and is confined to the CA fields and dentate gyrus in adults. Furthermore, by crossing the Fzd9‐cre mouse with the ROSA26 reporter line, we examined the activity of Cre and found that it has very high recombination efficiency. Thus, this mouse line will likely prove to be a useful tool for studying cortical and hippocampal development via activation or inactivation of interesting genes. genesis 48:343–350, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

海马NMDA受体与神经肽Y在慢性应激性抑郁发生中的作用及其关系

本文旨在探讨N-甲基-D-天冬氨酸(N-methyl-D-aspartic acid,NMDA)受体与神经肽Y(neuropeptide Y,NPY)在慢性应激抑郁发生中的作用与关系。建立慢性不可预见性温和应激(chronic unpredictable mild stress,CUMS)抑郁模型,海马单侧分别微量注射非竞争性NMDA受体拮抗剂MK-801、NPY-Y1受体阻断剂GR231118和NMDA后,利用体重测量及糖水偏爱测试、强迫游泳及敞箱实验等方法观察动物行为变化,运用免疫组织化学方法检测海马CA3区和齿状回(dentate gyrus,DG)内NPY的表达。结果显示,CUMS组大鼠表现出抑郁样行为变化,海马NPY表达显著降低;海马微量注射NMDA或NPY-Y1受体阻断剂GR231118,动物行为学表现均与CUMS组相同,注射NMDA可使NPY表达显著降低;海马微量注射MK-801能明显改善应激引起的抑郁样行为表现,并使海马NPY表达增加。联合注射GR231118与MK-801后,GR231118可以显著减弱MK-801的抗抑郁样行为的效应。以上结果表明,CUMS可能使谷氨酸(glutamic acid,Glu)过量释放,NMDA受体过度激活,抑制NPY表达,导致抑郁发生。NPY抗抑郁作用主要是通过NPY-Y1受体实现。     

Big six of the individual adaptive ability of the sleep-wake cycle: Explanation and measurement

Research is directed at understanding the nature of differences between individuals in the adaptive abilities of their sleep-wake cycles. We proposed a three-dimensional model that reduces the subjectively assessed variation of the sleep-wake patterns to three underlying physiological variables. This model explains the results of factor analysis of chronotypological questionnaires and predicts the hierarchical structure of the sleep-wake adaptability with three most general abilities at the top level, six basic abilities at the middle level, and 18 primary (most specific) abilities at the bottom level. Any such subjectively assessed trait of any of these three hierarchical levels might be located in the space of three physiological parameters (namely, these are amplitude of circadian modulation of sleep-wake states, rate of accumulation of sleep debt and intensity of circadian arousal). The present study is aimed at generation and testing a particular prediction of the model. It points to the features of one basic and five primary abilities that are not accounted by the 52-item Sleep-Wake Pattern Assessment Questionnaire. Twenty new questionnaire items relevant to these predicted abilities were produced and corrected through a series of three questionnaire surveys of the residents of Novosibirsk (n = 150, 180 and 200). The results of factor analysis of the intermediate and final versions of the questionnaire provided evidence of applicability of the model for identification of the abilities that have not yet been measured by means of the questionnaire and for improvement of measurement of already identified abilities.