Chronic social isolation during adolescence augments catecholamine response to acute ethanol in the basolateral amygdala

Withdrawal anxiety is a significant factor contributing to continued alcohol abuse in alcoholics. This anxiety is long-lasting, can manifest well after the overt physical symptoms of withdrawal, and is frequently associated with relapse in recovering alcoholics. The neurobiological mechanisms governing these withdrawal-associated increases in anxiety are currently unknown. The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is a major emotional center in the brain and regulates the expression of both learned fear and anxiety. Neurotransmitter system alterations within this brain region may therefore contribute to withdrawal-associated anxiety. Because evidence suggests that glutamate-gated neurotransmitter receptors are sensitive to acute ethanol exposure, we examined the effect of chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) and withdrawal (WD) on glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the BLA. We found that slices prepared from CIE and WD animals had significantly increased contributions by synaptic NMDA receptors. In addition, CIE increased the amplitude of AMPA-receptor–mediated spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs), whereas only WD altered the amplitude and kinetics of tetrodotoxin-resistant spontaneous events (mEPSCs). Similarly, the frequency of sEPSCs was increased in both CIE and WD neurons, although only WD increased the frequency of mEPSCs. These data suggest that CIE and WD differentially alter both pre- and postsynaptic properties of BLA glutamatergic synapses. Finally, we show that microinjection of the AMPA-receptor antagonist, DNQX, can attenuate withdrawal-related anxiety-like behavior. Together, our results suggest that increased glutamatergic function may contribute to anxiety expressed during withdrawal from chronic ethanol.

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Adolescent social isolation enhances the plasmalemmal density of NMDA NR1 subunits in dendritic spines of principal neurons in the basolateral amygdala of adult mice

Neuroscience ◽

10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.11.003 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 258 ◽

pp. 174-183 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

J.O. Gan ◽

E. Bowline ◽

F.S. Lourenco ◽

V.M. Pickel

Keyword(s):

Social Isolation ◽

Dendritic Spines ◽

Basolateral Amygdala ◽

Adult Mice

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Adolescent social isolation rearing impaired social behavior and synaptic function in basolateral amygdala in mice

Proceedings for Annual Meeting of The Japanese Pharmacological Society ◽

10.1254/jpssuppl.93.0_2-p-169 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 93 (0) ◽

pp. 2-P-169

Author(s):

Hiroshi Kuniishi ◽

Yuko Nakatake ◽

Masayuki Sekiguchi ◽

Mitsuhiko Yamada

Keyword(s):

Social Behavior ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Basolateral Amygdala ◽

Synaptic Function ◽

Isolation Rearing ◽

Social Isolation Rearing

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Electroencephalographic changes and testosterone levels in a pubertal stress animal model: effects on adult sexual motivation

Salud Mental ◽

10.17711/sm.0185-3325.2020.003 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 11-19

Author(s):

Marisela Hernández González ◽

Enrique Hernández Arteaga ◽

Miguel Ángel Guevara ◽

Herlinda Bonilla Jaime ◽

Marcela Arteaga Silva

Keyword(s):

Social Isolation ◽

Basolateral Amygdala ◽

Serum Testosterone ◽

Sexual Motivation ◽

Brain Structures ◽

Male Rats ◽

Control Group ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Testosterone Levels ◽

Eeg Activation

Introduction. Stress during puberty exerts long-term effects on endocrine systems and brain structures, such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA), two cerebral areas that participate in modulating sexual behavior and whose functioning is regulated by androgenic hormones. Objective. To evaluate the effect of pubertal stress due to social isolation on the sexual motivation, serum testosterone levels, and electroencephalographic activity (EEG) of the PFC and BLA in male rats. Method. Sixty sexually-experienced male rats were used. Thirty were stressed by social isolation during puberty (SG, housed 1 per cage, postnatal days 25-50); the other 30 formed the control group (CG, 5 per cage). All rats were implanted bilaterally with stainless steel electrodes in the PFC and BLA. EEGs were recorded during the awake-quiet state in two conditions: without sexual motivation (WSM), and with sexual motivation (SM). After EEG recording, the rats were sacrificed by decapitation to measure their testosterone levels. Results. SG showed lower sexual motivation and testosterone levels, but higher amygdaline EEG activation in the presence of a receptive female, while CG showed higher prefrontal EEG activation. Discussion and conclusion. It is probable that the decreased testosterone levels resulting from pubertal stress affected prefrontal and amygdaline functionality and, hence, sexual motivation. These data could explain some of the hormonal and cerebral changes associated with stress-induced sexual alterations, though this suggestion requires additional clinical and animal research.

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Motives for Social Isolation Following a Negative Emotional Episode

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024/1421-0185/a000211 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 77 (3) ◽

pp. 127-131

Author(s):

Gérald Delelis ◽

Véronique Christophe

Keyword(s):

Social Isolation ◽

Social Affiliation ◽

Semantic Categorization ◽

Future Studies ◽

Cognitive Regulation ◽

Emotional Event ◽

Regulation Strategies ◽

Emotional Events

Abstract. After experiencing an emotional event, people either seek out others’ presence (social affiliation) or avoid others’ presence (social isolation). The determinants and effects of social affiliation are now well-known, but social psychologists have not yet thoroughly studied social isolation. This study aims to ascertain which motives and corresponding regulation strategies participants report for social isolation following negative emotional events. A group of 96 participants retrieved from memory an actual negative event that led them to temporarily socially isolate themselves and freely listed up to 10 motives for social isolation. Through semantic categorization of the 423 motives reported by the participants, we found that “cognitive clarification” and “keeping one’s distance” – that is, the need for cognitive regulation and the refusal of socioaffective regulation, respectively – were the most commonly and quickly reported motives for social isolation. We discuss the findings in terms of ideas for future studies aimed at clarifying the role of social isolation in health situations.

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The Need to Belong and the Relationship Between Loneliness and Health

Zeitschrift für Gesundheitspsychologie ◽

10.1026/0943-8149/a000129 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 194-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Freda-Marie Hartung ◽

Britta Renner

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Social Situation ◽

First Year ◽

Health State ◽

Need To Belong ◽

First Year University ◽

Perceived Social Isolation ◽

The Impact ◽

The Relationship

Humans are social animals; consequently, a lack of social ties affects individuals’ health negatively. However, the desire to belong differs between individuals, raising the question of whether individual differences in the need to belong moderate the impact of perceived social isolation on health. In the present study, 77 first-year university students rated their loneliness and health every 6 weeks for 18 weeks. Individual differences in the need to belong were found to moderate the relationship between loneliness and current health state. Specifically, lonely students with a high need to belong reported more days of illness than those with a low need to belong. In contrast, the strength of the need to belong had no effect on students who did not feel lonely. Thus, people who have a strong need to belong appear to suffer from loneliness and become ill more often, whereas people with a weak need to belong appear to stand loneliness better and are comparatively healthy. The study implies that social isolation does not impact all individuals identically; instead, the fit between the social situation and an individual’s need appears to be crucial for an individual’s functioning.

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