焦虑状态前额叶皮层动作电位因果网络连接模式的研究

Connectivity pattern of action potentials causal network in prefrontal cortex during anxiety

焦虑症是常见的情绪障碍类疾病,严重影响着患者正常生活并危害其身心健康。前额叶皮层是焦虑的重要责任脑区。应用清醒动物在体多通道微电极阵列记录技术可以同时获取大鼠在高架十字迷宫(EPM)焦虑状态的动作电位和行为学数据。基于极大似然估计方法(MLE)构建动作电位因果网络,计算网络连接强度和全局效率,定量表征大鼠焦虑状态内侧前额叶皮层动作电位因果网络连接模式。研究发现大鼠在高架十字迷宫封闭臂的进入次数(44.13±6.99)和停留时间(439.76±50.43)s,均高于开放臂的进入次数(16.50±3.25,P<0.001)和停留时间[(160.23±48.22)s,P<0.001]。封闭臂中的动作电位因果网络连接强度(0.017 3±0.003 6)和全局效率(0.044 2±0.012 8),均高于开放臂的网络连接强度(0.010 4±0.003 2,P<0.01)和全局效率(0.034 8±0.011 4,P<0.001),从封闭臂走向开放臂过程中连接强度与全局效率减弱。结果表明内侧前额叶皮层动作电位因果网络变化与焦虑状态有关,该结果可为研究焦虑状态的前额叶皮层脑网络机制提供支持。

Anxiety disorder is a common emotional handicap,which seriously affects the normal life of patients and endangers their physical and mental health.The prefrontal cortex is a key brain region which is responsible for anxiety.Action potential and behavioral data of rats in the elevated plus maze(EPM)during anxiety(an innate anxiety paradigm)can be obtained simultaneously by using the in vivo and in conscious animal multi-channel microelectrode array recording technique.Based on maximum likelihood estimation(MLE),the action potential causal network was established,network connectivity strength and global efficiency were calculated,and action potential causal network connectivity pattern of the medial prefrontal cortex was quantitatively characterized.We found that the entries(44.13±6.99)and residence period(439.76±50.43)s of rats in the closed arm of the elevated plus maze were obviously higher than those in the open arm[16.50±3.25,P<0.001;(160.23±48.22)s,P<0.001],respectively.The action potential causal network connectivity strength(0.0173±0.0036)and the global efficiency(0.0442±0.0128)in the closed arm were both higher than those in the open arm(0.0104±0.0032,P<0.01;0.0348±0.0114,P<0.001),respectively.The results suggest that the changes of action potential causal network in the medial prefrontal cortex are related to anxiety state.These data could provide support for the study of the brain network mechanism in prefrontal cortex during anxiety.