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      Synaptic Connectivity in Medium Spiny Neurons of the Nucleus Accumbens: A Sex-Dependent Mechanism Underlying Apathy in the HIV-1 Transgenic Rat

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          Abstract

          Frontal-subcortical circuit dysfunction is commonly associated with apathy, a neuropsychiatric sequelae of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). Behavioral and neurochemical indices of apathy in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a key brain region involved in frontal-subcortical circuitry, are influenced by the factor of biological sex. Despite evidence of sex differences in HIV-1, the effect of biological sex on medium spiny neurons (MSNs), which are central integrators of frontal-subcortical input, has not been systematically evaluated. In the present study, a DiOlistic labeling technique was used to investigate the role of long-term HIV-1 viral protein exposure, the factor of biological sex, and their possible interaction, on synaptic dysfunction in MSNs of the NAc in the HIV-1 transgenic (Tg) rat. HIV-1 Tg rats, independent of biological sex, displayed profound alterations in synaptic connectivity, evidenced by a prominent shift in the distribution of dendritic spines. Female HIV-1 Tg rats, but not male HIV-1 Tg rats, exhibited alterations in dendritic branching and neuronal arbor complexity relative to control animals, supporting an alteration in glutamate neurotransmission. Morphologically, HIV-1 Tg male, but not female HIV-1 Tg rats, displayed a population shift towards decreased dendritic spine volume, suggesting decreased synaptic area, relative to control animals. Synaptic dysfunction accurately identified presence of the HIV-1 transgene, dependent upon biological sex, with at least 80% accuracy (i.e., Male: 80%; Female: 90%). Collectively, these results support a primary alteration in circuit connectivity, the mechanism of which is dependent upon biological sex. Understanding the effect of biological sex on the underlying neural mechanism for HIV-1 associated apathy is vital for the development of sex-based therapeutics and cure strategies.

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              Progressive ratio schedules in drug self-administration studies in rats: a method to evaluate reinforcing efficacy.

              Drug self-administration studies have recently employed progressive ratio (PR) schedules to examine psychostimulant and opiate reinforcement. This review addresses the technical, statistical, and theoretical issues related to the use of the PR schedule in self-administration studies in rats. Session parameters adopted for use in our laboratory and the considerations relevant to them are described. The strengths and weaknesses of the PR schedule are also discussed.
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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Journal
                Front Behav Neurosci
                Front Behav Neurosci
                Front. Behav. Neurosci.
                Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
                Frontiers Media S.A.
                1662-5153
                22 November 2018
                2018
                : 12
                : 285
                Affiliations
                Department of Psychology, Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, University of South Carolina , Columbia, SC, United States
                Author notes

                Edited by: Etsuro Ito, Waseda University, Japan

                Reviewed by: Anna Brancato, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy; Carla Cannizzaro, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy; Ja Wook Koo, Korea Brain Research Institute, South Korea

                *Correspondence: Rosemarie M. Booze booze@ 123456mailbox.sc.edu
                Article
                10.3389/fnbeh.2018.00285
                6262032
                30524255
                1eac5c2e-707f-4332-9ee7-517c9a5bc503
                Copyright © 2018 McLaurin, Cook, Li, League, Mactutus and Booze.

                This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

                History
                : 05 September 2018
                : 05 November 2018
                Page count
                Figures: 6, Tables: 0, Equations: 2, References: 109, Pages: 17, Words: 12488
                Funding
                Funded by: National Institute on Drug Abuse 10.13039/100000026
                Funded by: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 10.13039/100009633
                Funded by: National Institute of Mental Health 10.13039/100000025
                Funded by: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 10.13039/100000065
                Categories
                Neuroscience
                Original Research

                Neurosciences
                hiv-1 transgenic rat,biological sex,apathy,medium spiny neurons,dopamine,diagnostic classification,discriminant function analysis

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