2022
Genetic liability to suicidal thoughts and behaviors and risk of suicide attempt in US military veterans: moderating effects of cumulative trauma burden
Nichter B, Koller D, De Angelis F, Wang J, Girgenti M, Na P, Hill M, Norman S, Krystal J, Gelernter J, Polimanti R, Pietrzak R. Genetic liability to suicidal thoughts and behaviors and risk of suicide attempt in US military veterans: moderating effects of cumulative trauma burden. Psychological Medicine 2022, 53: 6325-6333. PMID: 36444557, DOI: 10.1017/s0033291722003646.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPolygenic risk scoresUS military veteransLifetime suicide attemptsSuicide attemptsTrauma exposureTrauma burdenGenetic liabilityMilitary veteransDrug repurposing analysisPopulation-based sampleCumulative trauma exposureLifetime trauma exposureLow trauma exposureSuicide prediction modelsChronic inflammationInflammatory processNervous system developmentRisk scorePsychiatric characteristicsSuicidal behaviorExposure interactionsLarge genome-wide association studiesHigh levelsVeteransSuicidalityPositive modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the mPFC reduces the spontaneous recovery of fear
Lee B, Pothula S, Wu M, Kang H, Girgenti MJ, Picciotto MR, DiLeone RJ, Taylor JR, Duman RS. Positive modulation of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the mPFC reduces the spontaneous recovery of fear. Molecular Psychiatry 2022, 27: 2580-2589. PMID: 35418600, PMCID: PMC9135632, DOI: 10.1038/s41380-022-01498-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderFear extinctionInfralimbic medial prefrontal cortexFear conditioning modelEnhanced fear extinctionFear-based behaviorsProlonged stress modelMedial prefrontal cortexSpontaneous recoveryIL-mPFCPTSD modelPTSD treatmentStress disorderPrefrontal cortexSPS modelN-methyl-D-aspartate receptor modulatorsBrain-derived neurotrophic factorN-methyl-D-aspartate receptorsBehavioral effectsIncreased attentionMPFCPreclinical findingsPyramidal neuronsNeurotrophic factorMale mice
2021
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Brain Transcriptomics: Convergent Genomic Signatures Across Biological Sex
Wang J, Zhao H, Girgenti MJ. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Brain Transcriptomics: Convergent Genomic Signatures Across Biological Sex. Biological Psychiatry 2021, 91: 6-13. PMID: 33840456, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.02.012.Peer-Reviewed Reviews, Practice Guidelines, Standards, and Consensus StatementsConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderConvergent genomic signaturesSpecific cell typesGene regulationGenomic regulationGenomic signaturesGenomic technologiesMolecular determinantsCell typesBrains of malesMolecular effectsGABAergic signalingMolecular pathologyImmune functionPTSD brainsSex impactRegulationStress disorderStructural differencesEffects of sex
2020
Transcriptomic organization of the human brain in post-traumatic stress disorder
Girgenti MJ, Wang J, Ji D, Cruz DA, Stein M, Gelernter J, Young K, Huber B, Williamson D, Friedman M, Krystal J, Zhao H, Duman R. Transcriptomic organization of the human brain in post-traumatic stress disorder. Nature Neuroscience 2020, 24: 24-33. PMID: 33349712, DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00748-7.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdultAutopsyBrain ChemistryCohort StudiesDepressive Disorder, MajorFemaleGene Expression RegulationGene Regulatory NetworksGenetic Predisposition to DiseaseGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansInterneuronsMaleMiddle AgedNerve Tissue ProteinsSex CharacteristicsStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticTranscriptomeYoung AdultConceptsGenome-wide association studiesSignificant gene networksDifferential gene expressionSystems-level evidenceSignificant genetic liabilityMajor depressive disorder cohortGene networksTranscriptomic organizationTranscriptomic landscapeDownregulated setsGenomic networksGene expressionAssociation studiesMolecular determinantsExtensive remodelingGenotype dataSexual dimorphismSignificant divergenceMolecular profileNetwork analysisELFN1TranscriptsDimorphismPostmortem tissueDivergenceStress and Its Impact on the Transcriptome
Girgenti MJ, Pothula S, Newton SS. Stress and Its Impact on the Transcriptome. Biological Psychiatry 2020, 90: 102-108. PMID: 33637305, PMCID: PMC8213869, DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.12.011.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsTranscriptomic dysregulationMajor gene expression changesGene expression changesDevelopmental time pointsAnimal modelsGenomic studiesNeuropsychiatric disordersTranscriptomic methodsAnimal kingdomComparable animal modelsGene expressionExpression changesEarly life stressPhenotypic signaturesSex-specific changesTransgenerational impactTranscriptomeSingle cellsEntire brain regionsPowerful approachDiseased brainBrain regionsChronic stressMolecular profileSame disorderCortical Transcriptomic Alterations in Association With Appetitive Neuropeptides and Body Mass Index in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Stone LA, Girgenti MJ, Wang J, Ji D, Zhao H, Krystal JH, Duman R. Cortical Transcriptomic Alterations in Association With Appetitive Neuropeptides and Body Mass Index in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The International Journal Of Neuropsychopharmacology 2020, 24: 118-129. PMID: 32951025, PMCID: PMC8611677, DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyaa072.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsUpstream regulatorGene co-expression network analysisCo-expression network analysisFunctional genomic studiesPutative upstream regulatorsIngenuity Pathway Analysis softwarePathway Analysis softwarePathway annotationGenomic studiesTranscriptomic modulesTranscriptomic dataTranscriptomic alterationsGene expressionPTSD is associated with neuroimmune suppression: evidence from PET imaging and postmortem transcriptomic studies
Bhatt S, Hillmer AT, Girgenti MJ, Rusowicz A, Kapinos M, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Matuskey D, Angarita GA, Esterlis I, Davis MT, Southwick SM, Friedman MJ, Duman R, Carson R, Krystal J, Pietrzak R, Cosgrove K. PTSD is associated with neuroimmune suppression: evidence from PET imaging and postmortem transcriptomic studies. Nature Communications 2020, 11: 2360. PMID: 32398677, PMCID: PMC7217830, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15930-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAcetamidesAdaptor Proteins, Signal TransducingAdultBrainCase-Control StudiesFemaleGene Expression ProfilingHealthy VolunteersHumansMaleMicrogliaMiddle AgedPositron-Emission TomographyPyridinesRadiopharmaceuticalsReceptors, GABAReceptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14Sex FactorsStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticYoung AdultConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderPeripheral immune activationImmune activationHigher C-reactive protein levelsC-reactive protein levelsTSPO availabilityTranslocator proteinBrain microglial activationTomography brain imagingStress-related pathophysiologyPositron emission tomography (PET) brain imagingNeuroimmune activationMicroglial activationPTSD symptom severityImmunologic regulationPostmortem studiesPTSD subgroupHealthy individualsSymptom severityTrauma exposurePTSD groupStress disorderLower relative expressionBrain imagingPET imagingGABA interneurons are the cellular trigger for ketamine’s rapid antidepressant actions
Gerhard DM, Pothula S, Liu RJ, Wu M, Li XY, Girgenti MJ, Taylor SR, Duman CH, Delpire E, Picciotto M, Wohleb ES, Duman RS. GABA interneurons are the cellular trigger for ketamine’s rapid antidepressant actions. Journal Of Clinical Investigation 2020, 130: 1336-1349. PMID: 31743111, PMCID: PMC7269589, DOI: 10.1172/jci130808.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsRapid antidepressant actionsAntidepressant actionGABA interneuronsMedial prefrontal cortexCell-specific knockdownPrinciple neuronsPrefrontal cortexDeletion of GluN2BSingle subanesthetic doseBehavioral actionsAction of ketamineNMDA receptor antagonistExcitatory postsynaptic currentsCellular triggersMajor unmet needKetamine's rapid antidepressant actionsGABA subtypeGluN2B-NMDARsSST interneuronsPostsynaptic currentsReceptor antagonistDepressed patientsSubanesthetic doseExtracellular glutamateMood disorders
2019
Prefrontal cortex interneurons display dynamic sex-specific stress-induced transcriptomes
Girgenti MJ, Wohleb ES, Mehta S, Ghosal S, Fogaca MV, Duman RS. Prefrontal cortex interneurons display dynamic sex-specific stress-induced transcriptomes. Translational Psychiatry 2019, 9: 292. PMID: 31712551, PMCID: PMC6848179, DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0642-z.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFluorescence-activated cell sortingInitiation factor 2Distinct transcriptome profilesTranslational machineryTranscriptome profilesEnriched pathwaysTranscriptional pathwaysTranscriptional profilesRNA sequencingDepressive-like behaviorSST interneuronsKey pathwaysChronic stressInterneuron subtypesSex-specific differencesPrefrontal cortexCell sortingSignificant dysregulationFactor 2PathwayStress-induced depressive-like behaviorDecreased expressionReporter miceGrowth factorNon-stressed femalesKetamine rapidly reverses stress-induced impairments in GABAergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex in male rodents
Ghosal S, Duman CH, Liu RJ, Wu M, Terwilliger R, Girgenti MJ, Wohleb E, Fogaca MV, Teichman EM, Hare B, Duman RS. Ketamine rapidly reverses stress-induced impairments in GABAergic transmission in the prefrontal cortex in male rodents. Neurobiology Of Disease 2019, 134: 104669. PMID: 31707118, DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104669.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsChronic unpredictable stressMedial prefrontal cortexInhibitory post-synaptic currentsGABAergic transmissionSingle doseMale rodentsPrefrontal cortexImbalance of inhibitoryMPFC pyramidal neuronsDepressive-like behaviorDepression-like behaviorStress-induced impairmentModel of depressionPost-synaptic currentsPrecise cellular mechanismsGABAergic proteinsAntidepressant ketamineSynaptic deficitsGABAergic synapsesPyramidal neuronsSynaptic markersGABA markersGlutamate neurotransmissionDepressive behaviorGABA neurotransmission
2017
Altered metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 markers in PTSD: In vivo and postmortem evidence
Holmes SE, Girgenti MJ, Davis MT, Pietrzak RH, DellaGioia N, Nabulsi N, Matuskey D, Southwick S, Duman RS, Carson RE, Krystal JH, Esterlis I, Friedman M, Kowall N, Brady C, McKee A, Stein T, Huber B, Kaloupek D, Alvarez V, Benedek D, Ursano R, Williamson D, Cruz D, Young K, Duman R, Krystal J, Mash D, Hardegree M, Serlin G. Altered metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 markers in PTSD: In vivo and postmortem evidence. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2017, 114: 8390-8395. PMID: 28716937, PMCID: PMC5547601, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1701749114.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderMGluR5 availabilityPositron emission tomographyGlutamate systemMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5Treatment of PTSDHuman posttraumatic stress disorderGlutamate receptor 5Mechanism-based treatmentsExpression of FKBP5Promising treatment targetHuman postmortem tissueTargeted pharmacological treatmentStress psychopathologyPharmacological treatmentExpression of proteinsReceptor 5MGluR5Treatment targetsPostmortem tissueEmission tomographyStress disorderPostmortem samplesPromising targetDisorders
2016
Ketamine accelerates fear extinction via mTORC1 signaling
Girgenti MJ, Ghosal S, LoPresto D, Taylor JR, Duman RS. Ketamine accelerates fear extinction via mTORC1 signaling. Neurobiology Of Disease 2016, 100: 1-8. PMID: 28043916, PMCID: PMC5907920, DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.12.026.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPost-traumatic stress disorderMedial prefrontal cortexTreatment of PTSDFear conditioningRetrieval of extinctionExpression of extinctionActivity-dependent effectsTraumatic memoriesStress disorderExtinction exposurePTSD patientsPrefrontal cortexEffects of ketamineGlutamate NMDA receptor antagonistSymptom severityConditioningInfusion of ketamineExtinctionCuesRodent modelsMemoryKetamine administrationReceptor antagonistPresent studyNMDA receptor antagonist