Experimenters’ sex modulates mouse behaviors and neural responses to ketamine via corticotropin releasing factor
P. Georgiou, P. Zanos, Ta-Chung M. Mou, Xiao-jing An, Danielle M. Gerhard, Dilyan I. Dryanovski, L. E. Potter, Jaclyn N. Highland, Carleigh E. Jenne, Brent W. Stewart, Katherine J. Pultorak, P. Yuan, Chris F. Powels, Jacqueline Lovett, E. Pereira, Sarah M. Clark, L. Tonelli, R. Moaddel, C. Zarate, R. Duman, S. Thompson, T. Gould
Nature Neuroscience August 30, 2022 DOI: 10.1038/s41593-022-01146-x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Interventions | Ketamine (2R 6R)-hydroxynorketamine |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Key findings | Mice avoided the scent of male experimenters, preferred the scent of female experimenters, and showed increased stress susceptibility when handled by male experimenters. This aversion and stress susceptibility was mediated by activation of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons in the entorhinal cortex that project to hippocampal area CA1. Exposure to male experimenter scent before ketamine administration activated these CA1-projecting entorhinal cortex CRF neurons, and activation of this CRF pathway modulated in vivo and in vitro antidepressant-like effects of ketamine. |
Abstract
We show that the sex of human experimenters affects mouse behaviors and responses following administration of the rapid-acting antidepressant ketamine and its bioactive metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine. Mice showed aversion to the scent of male experimenters, preference for the scent of female experimenters and increased stress susceptibility when handled by male experimenters. This human-male-scent-induced aversion and stress susceptibility was mediated by the activation of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) neurons in the entorhinal cortex that project to hippocampal area CA1. Exposure to the scent of male experimenters before ketamine administration activated CA1-projecting entorhinal cortex CRF neurons, and activation of this CRF pathway modulated in vivo and in vitro antidepressant-like effects of ketamine. A better understanding of the specific and quantitative contributions of the sex of human experimenters to study outcomes in rodents may improve replicability between studies and, as we have shown, reveal biological and pharmacological mechanisms. Georgiou et al. found that the sex of the person performing experiments affects mouse behavior, including responses to stress and ketamine. This effect was mediated by corticotropin-releasing factor neurons in the entorhinal cortex that project to CA1.