Distinct Temporal Expression of 5-HT1A and 5-HT 2A Receptors on Cerebellar Granule Cells in Mice

Serotonin plays an important role of controlling the physiology of the cerebellum. However, serotonin receptor expression has not been fully studied in the developing cerebellum. We have recently shown that cerebellar granule cells transiently express 5-HT3 receptors. In the present study, we investigate expression of 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptors in the mouse cerebellum both during postnatal development and in juvenile mice. Here, we show for the first time that 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors are present on cerebellar granule cells with a distinct temporal expression pattern: 5-HT1A receptors are expressed only during the first 2 weeks, while 5-HT2A receptor expression persists until at least 8 weeks after birth. Because of its prolonged expression pattern, we investigated the electrophysiological properties of the 5-HT2A receptor. 5-HT2A receptors expressed by cerebellar granule cells promote stability by reducing variability of the synaptic response, and they modulate the paired-pulse ratio of the parallel fibre-Purkinje cell synapse. Furthermore, pharmacological block of 5-HT2A receptors enhances short-term synaptic plasticity at the parallel fibre-Purkinje cell synapse. We thus show a novel role for serotonin in controlling function of the cerebellum via 5-HT2A receptors expressed by cerebellar granule cells

Preclinical Evidence Supporting Early Initiation of Citalopram Treatment in Machado-Joseph Disease

Spinocerebellar ataxias are dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorders with no disease-modifying treatment. We previously identified the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram as a safe and effective drug to be repurposed for Machado-Joseph disease. Pre-symptomatic treatment of transgenic (CMVMJD135) mice strikingly ameliorated mutant ataxin-3 (ATXN3) pathogenesis. Here, we asked whether citalopram treatment initiated at a post-symptomatic age would still show efficacy. We used a cohort of CMVMJD135 mice that shows increased phenotypic severity and faster disease progression (CMVMJD135hi) compared to the mice used in the first trial. Groups of hemizygous CMVMJD135hi mice were orally treated with citalopram. Behavior, protein analysis, and pathology assessment were performed blindly to treatment. Our results show that even when initiated after symptom onset, treatment of CMVMJD135hi mice with citalopram ameliorated motor coordination and balance, attenuating disease progression, albeit to a lesser extent than that seen with pre-symptomatic treatment initiation. There was no impact on ATXN3 aggregation, which contrasts with the robust reduction in ATXN3-positive inclusions observed in CMVMJD135 mice, when treated pre-symptomatically. Post-symptomatic treatment of CMVMJD135hi mice revealed, however, a limited neuroprotective effect by showing a tendency to repair cerebellar calbindin staining, and to increase the number of motor neurons and of NeuN-positive cells in certain brain regions. While supporting that early initiation of treatment with citalopram leads to a marked increase in efficacy, these results strengthen our previous observation that modulation of serotonergic signaling by citalopram is a promising therapeutic approach for Machado-Joseph disease even after symptom onset.European Regional Development Funds (FEDER), through the Competitiveness Factors Operational Programme (COMPETE), and by National funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007038. This article has been developed under the scope of the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013, supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the FEDER. This work was also supported by FCT and COMPETE through the projects [PTDC/SAU-GMG/112617/2009] (to PM) and [EXPL/BIM-MEC/0239/2012] (to AT-C), by FCT through the project [POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016818 (PTDC/NEU-NMC/3648/2014)] (to PM), by National Ataxia foundation (to PM and to AT-C), and by Ataxia UK (to PM). SE, SD-S, SO, and AT-C were supported by the FCT individual fellowships, SFRH/BD/78554/2011, SFRH/BD/78388/2011, PD/BD/127818/2016, and SFRH/BPD/102317/2014, respectively. FCT fellowships are co-financed by POPH, QREN, Governo da República Portuguesa, and EU/FSEinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Serotonergic control of the developing cerebellum

The work described in this thesis gives insights in the mechanism behind the serotonergic control of the cerebellum during postnatal development. The findings present a powerful role for serotonin in the physiology of the developing cerebellum. The effects of the serotonergic control extend both spatially and temporally, while it is able to keep up its specialized effects by using an efficient mechanism through differential expression of the receptors studied in this thesis: 5-HT1, 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors

Cerebellum and Decision-Making

In everyday life, our behavior is guided continuously by decisions we make based on a combination of past experiences as well as information currently available to us. Decision-making is a complex executive function that involves many subprocesses, including detection and integration of cues, evidence accumulation, preparation and execution of the decision, retaining information from current and past events in working memory, and reward processing to update the internal model. The decision-making process requires involvement from many brain areas, including the cerebellum. Here, we argue that the cerebellum is involved in every step of the decision-making process. This makes the complex process of decision-making a fitting example to highlight the variety of motor and nonmotor aspects, including higher cognitive functions, in which a balanced output of the cerebellum can guide forebrain areas.</p

Serotonin in the Cerebellum

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is widely present in the brain, including in the cerebellar cortex and cerebellar nuclei, which are richly innervated by serotonergic fibers. A variety of serotonin receptors mediate the complex effects of serotonergic modulation of the cerebellum. These serotonin receptors all have their own specialized role but share some similar effects. It is through the temporally and spatially restricted expression of these different serotonin receptors in the cerebellum that such a widely expressed neurotransmitter as serotonin can exert very specific functions. These functions include regulation of neuronal activity, synaptic transmission, and cerebellar development, as well as aging. Disruptions to the serotonergic system in the cerebellum can lead to movement- and cognition-related disorders.</p

The role of serotonin in cerebellar development

In adult animals, the cerebellum is richly innervated by serotonin: serotonergic fibres are the third main afferent fibres into the cerebellum. However, the physiology of the serotonergic system and its functional significance are not fully known during development in the cerebellum. In this review we will focus on the serotonergic regulation of the cerebellum during postnatal development. We hypothesize a powerful role for serotonin in the physiology of the developing cerebellum. A presumably tonic activation of serotonin receptors by binding of serotonin becomes specific by temporally and spatially restricted expression of different serotonin receptors, each with their own (sometimes antagonizing) functions. During the first postnatal week, activation of 5-HT1 receptors expressed by both granule cells and Purkinje cells stimulates dendritic growth and synapse formation. Later, activation of 5-HT3 receptors expressed by granule cells limits dendritic growth of Purkinje cells via mediating the secretion of reelin, influences physiological maturation of Purkinje cells, modulates synaptic plasticity at parallel fibre-Purkinje cell synapses and thereby affects competition with the climbing fibres on Purkinje cell dendrites resulting in proper climbing fibre elimination. Last, activation of 5-HT2 receptors expressed by granule cells and Purkinje cells both during late postnatal development and in the mature cerebellum promotes the stability of synaptic activity. Thus, we propose that serotonin controls cerebellar development in three phases: (1) stimulation of dendritic growth and formation of synapses, (2) hard-wiring of neuronal connections with limits to dendritic growth but ensuring synaptic plasticity, and (3) stabilization of synapses. Taken together, serotonin receptors expressed by different cells in the cerebellum have a specialized role during postnatal development, but with some similar main effects. Distinct spatial and temporal expression of these receptors gives serotonin a powerful and specific role in cerebellar development