scholarly journals Assessing the motivational effects of ethanol in mice using a discrete-trial current-intensity intracranial self-stimulation procedure

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M. Barkley-Levenson ◽  
Andre Der-Avakian ◽  
Abraham A. Palmer

AbstractBackgroundAlcohol (ethanol) produces both rewarding and aversive effects, and sensitivity to these effects is associated with risk for an alcohol use disorder (AUD). Measurement of these motivational effects in animal models is an important but challenging aspect of preclinical research into the neurobiology of AUD. Here, we evaluated whether a discrete-trial current-intensity intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure can be used to assess both reward-enhancing and aversive responses to ethanol in mice.MethodsC57BL/6J mice were surgically implanted with bipolar stimulating electrodes targeting the medial forebrain bundle and trained on a discrete-trial current-intensity ICSS procedure. Mice were tested for changes in response thresholds after various doses of ethanol (0.5 g/kg-1.75 g/kg), using a Latin square design.ResultsA 1 g/kg dose of ethanol produced a significant reward-enhancement (i.e., lowered response thresholds), whereas a 1.75 g/kg dose produced an aversive effect (elevated response thresholds).ConclusionsThe discrete-trial current-intensity ICSS procedure is an effective assay for measuring both reward-enhancing responses to ethanol as well as aversive responses in the same animal. This should prove to be a useful tool for assessing the effects of experimental manipulations on the motivational effects of ethanol in mice.

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 222-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole A. Crowley ◽  
Nigel C. Dao ◽  
Sarah N. Magee ◽  
Alexandre J. Bourcier ◽  
Emily G. Lowery-Gionta

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Tardiolo ◽  
Pina Brianti ◽  
Daniela Sapienza ◽  
Pia dell’Utri ◽  
Viviane Di Dio ◽  
...  

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new pathogen agent causing the coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19). This novel virus originated the most challenging pandemic in this century, causing economic and social upheaval internationally. The extreme infectiousness and high mortality rates incentivized the development of vaccines to control this pandemic to prevent further morbidity and mortality. This international scenario led academic scientists, industries, and governments to work and collaborate strongly to make a portfolio of vaccines available at an unprecedented pace. Indeed, the robust collaboration between public systems and private companies led to resolutive actions for accelerating therapeutic interventions and vaccines mechanism. These strategies contributed to rapidly identifying safe and effective vaccines as quickly and efficiently as possible. Preclinical research employed animal models to develop vaccines that induce protective and long-lived immune responses. A spectrum of vaccines is worldwide under investigation in various preclinical and clinical studies to develop both individual protection and safe development of population-level herd immunity. Companies employed and developed different technological approaches for vaccines production, including inactivated vaccines, live-attenuated, non-replicating viral vector vaccines, as well as acid nucleic-based vaccines. In this view, the present narrative review provides an overview of current vaccination strategies, taking into account both preclinical studies and clinical trials in humans. Furthermore, to better understand immunization, animal models on SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis are also briefly discussed.


Science ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 183 (4120) ◽  
pp. 102-103
Author(s):  
Dwight C. German ◽  
Frank A. Holloway

Author(s):  
Ch Venkataramaiah ◽  
G Swathi ◽  
W Rajendra

 The morris water maze (MWM) was developed by morris as a device to investigate spatial learning and memory in laboratory rats. MWM has become one of the most frequently used laboratory tools in behavioral neuroscience. The MWM task has been often used in the validation of rodent models for neurocognitive disorders (e.g., Parkinson, Alzheimer, Epilepsy, and Schizophrenia), and the evaluation of possible neurocognitive treatments. It is also being used to assess the properties of established potential antipsychotics in animal models of Schizophrenia. The MWM task requires rats to find a hidden platform in a large, circular pool of water that is colored opaque with powdered non-fat milk (or) non-toxic tempera paint where they must swim to the hidden platform. Because they are in the opaque water, the animals cannot see the platform and cannot rely on scent to find the escape route. Instead, they must rely on extra-maze cues. The behavior of rat can be evaluated by analyzing the different parameters such as escape latency, swim speed, and path length, and probe trail. The purpose of this review is to briefly describe procedural aspects, interpretational difficulties of data and advantages of MWM. This paradigm has become a benchmark test for learning and memory difficulties in animal models and preclinical research in general.


Author(s):  
Ruiqing Ni

Animal models of Alzheimer’s disease amyloidosis that recapitulate cerebral amyloid-beta pathology have been widely used in preclinical research, and have greatly enabled the mechanistic understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and the development of therapeutics. Comprehensive deep phenotyping of the pathophysiological and biochemical features in these animal models are essential. Recent advances in positron emission tomography have allowed the non-invasive visualization of the alterations in the brain of animal models as well as in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, These tools have facilitated our understanding of disease mechanisms, and provided longitudinal monitoring of treatment effect in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease amyloidosis. In this review, we focus on recent positron emission tomography studies of cerebral amyloid-beta accumulation, hypoglucose metabolism, synaptic and neurotransmitter receptor deficits (cholinergic and glutamatergic system), blood-brain barrier impairment and neuroinflammation (microgliosis and astrocytosis) in animal models of Alzheimer’s disease amyloidosis. We further propose the emerging targets and tracers for reflecting the pathophysiological changes, and discuss outstanding challenges in disease animal models and future outlook in on-chip characterization of imaging biomarkers towards clinical translation.


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