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Suárez-Pereira I, López-Martín C, Camarena-Delgado C, Llorca-Torralba M, González-Saiz F, Ruiz R, Santiago M, Berrocoso E. Nerve Injury Triggers Time-dependent Activation of the Locus Coeruleus, Influencing Spontaneous Pain-like Behavior in Rats. Anesthesiology 2024; 141:131-150. [PMID: 38602502 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000005006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dynamic changes in neuronal activity and in noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) projections have been proposed during the transition from acute to chronic pain. Thus, the authors explored the cellular cFos activity of the LC and its projections in conjunction with spontaneous pain-like behavior in neuropathic rats. METHODS Tyrosine hydroxylase:Cre and wild-type Long-Evans rats, males and females, were subjected to chronic constriction injury (CCI) for 2 (short-term, CCI-ST) or 30 days (long-term, CCI-LT), evaluating cFos and Fluoro-Gold expression in the LC, and its projections to the spinal cord (SC) and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). These tests were carried out under basal conditions (unstimulated) and after noxious mechanical stimulation. LC activity was evaluated through chemogenetic and pharmacologic approaches, as were its projections, in association with spontaneous pain-like behaviors. RESULTS CCI-ST enhanced basal cFos expression in the LC and in its projection to the SC, which increased further after noxious stimulation. Similar basal activation was found in the neurons projecting to the rACC, although this was not modified by stimulation. Strong basal cFos expression was found in CCI-LT, specifically in the projection to the rACC, which was again not modified by stimulation. No cFos expression was found in the CCI-LT LCipsilateral (ipsi)/contralateral (contra)→SC. Chemogenetics showed that CCI-ST is associated with greater spontaneous pain-like behavior when the LCipsi is blocked, or by selectively blocking the LCipsi→SC projection. Activation of the LCipsi or LCipsi/contra→SC dampened pain-like behavior. Moreover, Designer Receptor Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs)-mediated inactivation of the CCI-ST LCipsi→rACC or CCI-LT LCipsi/contra→rACC pathway, or intra-rACC antagonism of α-adrenoreceptors, also dampens pain-like behavior. CONCLUSIONS In the short term, activation of the LC after CCI attenuates spontaneous pain-like behaviors via projections to the SC while increasing nociception via projections to the rACC. In the long term, only the projections from the LC to the rACC contribute to modulate pain-like behaviors in this model. EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Suárez-Pereira
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain; Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INIBICA), Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carolina López-Martín
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain; Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INIBICA), Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Carmen Camarena-Delgado
- Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INIBICA), Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain; IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy; Institute of Neuroscience (IN-CNR), National Research Council of Italy, Milan, Italy
| | - Meritxell Llorca-Torralba
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INIBICA), Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Cell Biology and Histology, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Francisco González-Saiz
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain; Community Mental Health Unit of Villamartin, University Hospital of Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Rocío Ruiz
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Biomedicine of Sevilla (IBiS) - University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Martiniano Santiago
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Biomedicine of Sevilla (IBiS) - University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Esther Berrocoso
- Biomedical Research Networking Center for Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain; Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain; Biomedical Research and Innovation Institute of Cádiz (INIBICA), Puerta del Mar University Hospital, Cádiz, Spain
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Wang H, Wang Q, He Q, Li S, Zhao Y, Zuo Y. Current perioperative nociception monitoring and potential directions. Asian J Surg 2024; 47:2558-2565. [PMID: 38548545 DOI: 10.1016/j.asjsur.2024.03.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Perioperative nociception-antinociception balance is essential for the prevention of adverse postoperative events. Estimating the nociception level helps optimize intraoperative management. In the past two decades, various nociception monitoring devices have been developed for the identification of intraoperative nociception. However, each type of nociception monitoring device has advantages and disadvantages, limiting their clinical application in particular patients and settings. Therefore, this review aimed to summarize the information on nociceptor monitoring in current clinical settings, explore each technique's particularities, and possible future directions to provide a reference for clinicians and researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, China
| | - Qinqin He
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, China
| | - Shikuo Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Yan'an Hospital of Kunming City, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yuyi Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yunxia Zuo
- Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Laboratory of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, National-Local Joint Engineering Research Centre of Translational Medicine of Anesthesiology, China.
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Lee S, Jung WB, Moon H, Im GH, Noh YW, Shin W, Kim YG, Yi JH, Hong SJ, Jung Y, Ahn S, Kim SG, Kim E. Anterior cingulate cortex-related functional hyperconnectivity underlies sensory hypersensitivity in Grin2b-mutant mice. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02572-y. [PMID: 38704508 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02572-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Sensory abnormalities are observed in ~90% of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. GluN2B, an NMDA receptor subunit that regulates long-term depression and circuit refinement during brain development, has been strongly implicated in ASD, but whether GRIN2B mutations lead to sensory abnormalities remains unclear. Here, we report that Grin2b-mutant mice show behavioral sensory hypersensitivity and brain hyperconnectivity associated with the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Grin2b-mutant mice with a patient-derived C456Y mutation (Grin2bC456Y/+) show sensory hypersensitivity to mechanical, thermal, and electrical stimuli through supraspinal mechanisms. c-fos and functional magnetic resonance imaging indicate that the ACC is hyperactive and hyperconnected with other brain regions under baseline and stimulation conditions. ACC pyramidal neurons show increased excitatory synaptic transmission. Chemogenetic inhibition of ACC pyramidal neurons normalizes ACC hyperconnectivity and sensory hypersensitivity. These results suggest that GluN2B critically regulates ASD-related cortical connectivity and sensory brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soowon Lee
- Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, 13620, Korea
| | - Won Beom Jung
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Korea
- Emotion, Cognition & Behavior Research Group, Korea Brain Research Institute (KBRI), Daegu, 41062, Korea
| | - Heera Moon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Geun Ho Im
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Young Woo Noh
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Wangyong Shin
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Yong Gyu Kim
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Jee Hyun Yi
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea
| | - Seok Jun Hong
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea
| | - Yongwhan Jung
- Therapeutics and Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, 34114, Korea
| | - Sunjoo Ahn
- Therapeutics and Biotechnology Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon, 34114, Korea
| | - Seong-Gi Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, 16419, Korea.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea.
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, Korea.
| | - Eunjoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, 34141, Korea.
- Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Daejeon, 34141, Korea.
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Serafin EK, Yoo JJ, Li J, Dong X, Baccei ML. Development and characterization of a Gucy2d-cre mouse to selectively manipulate a subset of inhibitory spinal dorsal horn interneurons. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300282. [PMID: 38483883 PMCID: PMC10939219 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent transcriptomic studies identified Gucy2d (encoding guanylate cyclase D) as a highly enriched gene within inhibitory dynorphin interneurons in the mouse spinal dorsal horn. To facilitate investigations into the role of the Gucy2d+ population in somatosensation, Gucy2d-cre transgenic mice were created to permit chemogenetic or optogenetic manipulation of this subset of spinal neurons. Gucy2d-cre mice created via CRISPR/Cas9 genomic knock-in were bred to mice expressing a cre-dependent reporter (either tdTomato or Sun1.GFP fusion protein), and the resulting offspring were characterized. Surprisingly, a much wider population of spinal neurons was labeled by cre-dependent reporter expression than previous mRNA-based studies would suggest. Although the cre-dependent reporter expression faithfully labeled ~75% of cells expressing Gucy2d mRNA in the adult dorsal horn, it also labeled a substantial number of additional inhibitory neurons in which no Gucy2d or Pdyn mRNA was detected. Moreover, cre-dependent reporter was also expressed in various regions of the brain, including the spinal trigeminal nucleus, cerebellum, thalamus, somatosensory cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex. Injection of AAV-CAG-FLEX-tdTomato viral vector into adult Gucy2d-cre mice produced a similar pattern of cre-dependent reporter expression in the spinal cord and brain, which excludes the possibility that the unexpected reporter-labeling of cells in the deep dorsal horn and brain was due to transient Gucy2d expression during early stages of development. Collectively, these results suggest that Gucy2d is expressed in a wider population of cells than previously thought, albeit at levels low enough to avoid detection with commonly used mRNA-based assays. Therefore, it is unlikely that these Gucy2d-cre mice will permit selective manipulation of inhibitory signaling mediated by spinal dynorphin interneurons, but this novel cre driver line may nevertheless be useful to target a broader population of inhibitory spinal dorsal horn neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K. Serafin
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Judy J. Yoo
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jie Li
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Xinzhong Dong
- Departments of Neuroscience, Neurosurgery and Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark L. Baccei
- Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Bak MS, Park H, Yoon H, Chung G, Shin H, Shin S, Kim TW, Lee K, Nägerl UV, Kim SJ, Kim SK. Machine learning-based evaluation of spontaneous pain and analgesics from cellular calcium signals in the mouse primary somatosensory cortex using explainable features. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1356453. [PMID: 38450042 PMCID: PMC10915002 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1356453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Pain that arises spontaneously is considered more clinically relevant than pain evoked by external stimuli. However, measuring spontaneous pain in animal models in preclinical studies is challenging due to methodological limitations. To address this issue, recently we developed a deep learning (DL) model to assess spontaneous pain using cellular calcium signals of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) in awake head-fixed mice. However, DL operate like a "black box", where their decision-making process is not transparent and is difficult to understand, which is especially evident when our DL model classifies different states of pain based on cellular calcium signals. In this study, we introduce a novel machine learning (ML) model that utilizes features that were manually extracted from S1 calcium signals, including the dynamic changes in calcium levels and the cell-to-cell activity correlations. Method We focused on observing neural activity patterns in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) of mice using two-photon calcium imaging after injecting a calcium indicator (GCaMP6s) into the S1 cortex neurons. We extracted features related to the ratio of up and down-regulated cells in calcium activity and the correlation level of activity between cells as input data for the ML model. The ML model was validated using a Leave-One-Subject-Out Cross-Validation approach to distinguish between non-pain, pain, and drug-induced analgesic states. Results and discussion The ML model was designed to classify data into three distinct categories: non-pain, pain, and drug-induced analgesic states. Its versatility was demonstrated by successfully classifying different states across various pain models, including inflammatory and neuropathic pain, as well as confirming its utility in identifying the analgesic effects of drugs like ketoprofen, morphine, and the efficacy of magnolin, a candidate analgesic compound. In conclusion, our ML model surpasses the limitations of previous DL approaches by leveraging manually extracted features. This not only clarifies the decision-making process of the ML model but also yields insights into neuronal activity patterns associated with pain, facilitating preclinical studies of analgesics with higher potential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeong Seong Bak
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of AI and Data Analysis, Neurogrin Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Haney Park
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Preclinical R&D, Neurogrin Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Heera Yoon
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Division of Preclinical R&D, Neurogrin Inc., Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Geehoon Chung
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyunjin Shin
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soonho Shin
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tai Wan Kim
- Department of Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungjoon Lee
- Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - U. Valentin Nägerl
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, CNRS UMR 5297 and University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of East-West Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Taub DG, Jiang Q, Pietrafesa F, Su J, Carroll A, Greene C, Blanchard MR, Jain A, El-Rifai M, Callen A, Yager K, Chung C, He Z, Chen C, Woolf CJ. The secondary somatosensory cortex gates mechanical and heat sensitivity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1289. [PMID: 38346995 PMCID: PMC10861531 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45729-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is vital for the processing and perception of sensory stimuli. In the somatosensory axis, information is received primarily by two distinct regions, the primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory cortices. Top-down circuits stemming from S1 can modulate mechanical and cooling but not heat stimuli such that circuit inhibition causes blunted perception. This suggests that responsiveness to particular somatosensory stimuli occurs in a modality specific fashion and we sought to determine additional cortical substrates. In this work, we identify in a mouse model that inhibition of S2 output increases mechanical and heat, but not cooling sensitivity, in contrast to S1. Combining 2-photon anatomical reconstruction with chemogenetic inhibition of specific S2 circuits, we discover that S2 projections to the secondary motor cortex (M2) govern mechanical and heat sensitivity without affecting motor performance or anxiety. Taken together, we show that S2 is an essential cortical structure that governs mechanical and heat sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G Taub
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Qiufen Jiang
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francesca Pietrafesa
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junfeng Su
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Aloe Carroll
- College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin Greene
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Aakanksha Jain
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mahmoud El-Rifai
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexis Callen
- Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Katherine Yager
- Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Clara Chung
- Department of Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Wei HL, Yang Q, Zhou GP, Chen YC, Yu YS, Yin X, Li J, Zhang H. Abnormal causal connectivity of anterior cingulate cortex-visual cortex circuit related to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug efficacy in migraine. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 59:446-456. [PMID: 38123158 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and visual cortex are integral components of the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying migraine, yet the impact of altered connectivity patterns between these regions on migraine treatment remains unknown. To elucidate this issue, we investigated the abnormal causal connectivity between the ACC and visual cortex in patients with migraine without aura (MwoA), based on the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data, and its predictive ability for the efficacy of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The results revealed increased causal connectivity from the bilateral ACC to the lingual gyrus (LG) and decreased connectivity in the opposite direction in nonresponders compared with the responders. Moreover, compared with the healthy controls, nonresponders exhibited heightened causal connectivity from the ACC to the LG, right inferior occipital gyrus (IOG) and left superior occipital gyrus, while connectivity patterns from the LG and right IOG to the ACC were diminished. Based on the observed abnormal connectivity patterns, the support vector machine (SVM) models showed that the area under the receiver operator characteristic curves for the ACC to LG, LG to ACC and bidirectional models were 0.857, 0.898, and 0.939, respectively. These findings indicate that neuroimaging markers of abnormal causal connectivity in the ACC-visual cortex circuit may facilitate clinical decision-making regarding NSAIDs administration for migraine management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng-Le Wei
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian Yang
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Gang-Ping Zhou
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Chen Chen
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Sheng Yu
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xindao Yin
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Junrong Li
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Department of Radiology, The Affiliated Jiangning Hospital with Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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Yamada T, Yajima H, Takayama M, Imanishi K, Takakura N. Corrugator Muscle Activity Associated with Pressure Pain in Adults with Neck/Shoulder Pain. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2024; 60:223. [PMID: 38399511 PMCID: PMC10890133 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60020223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: No studies have reported corrugator muscle activity associated with pain in people with pain. This study aimed to develop an objective pain assessment method using corrugator muscle activity with pressure pain stimulation to the skeletal muscle. Methods: Participants were 20 adults (a mean ± SD age of 22.0 ± 3.1 years) with chronic neck/shoulder pain. Surface electromyography (sEMG) of corrugator muscle activity at rest (baseline) and without and with pressure pain stimulation applied to the most painful tender point in the shoulder was recorded. Participants evaluated the intensity of the neck/shoulder pain and the sensory and affective components of pain with pressure stimulation using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The percentages of integrated sEMG (% corrugator activity) without and with pressure pain stimulation to the baseline integrated sEMG were compared, and the relationships between the % corrugator activity and the sensory and affective components of pain VAS scores were evaluated. Results: Without pressure stimulation, an increase in corrugator muscle activity due to chronic neck/shoulder pain was not observed. The % corrugator activity with pressure pain stimulation was significantly higher than that without stimulation (p < 0.01). A significant positive correlation between corrugator muscle activity and the affective components of pain VAS scores with pressure stimulation was found (ρ = 0.465, p = 0.039) and a tendency of positive correlation was found for the sensory component of pain VAS scores (ρ = 0.423, p = 0.063). Conclusions: The increase in corrugator muscle activity with pressure pain stimulation to the tender point in adults with chronic neck/shoulder pain was observed, although increased corrugator muscle activity resulting from the chronic neck/shoulder pain was not. These findings suggest that corrugator muscle activity with pressure pain stimulation can be a useful objective indication for tender point sensitivity assessment in the skeletal muscle with pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Nobuari Takakura
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Tokyo Ariake University of Medical and Health Sciences, Tokyo 135-0063, Japan; (T.Y.); (H.Y.); (M.T.); (K.I.)
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Zhu E, Mathew D, Jee HJ, Sun M, Liu W, Zhang Q, Wang J. AMPAkines have site-specific analgesic effects in the cortex. Mol Pain 2024; 20:17448069231214677. [PMID: 37921508 PMCID: PMC10860473 DOI: 10.1177/17448069231214677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Different brain areas have distinct roles in the processing and regulation of pain and thus may form specific pharmacological targets. Prior research has shown that AMPAkines, a class of drugs that increase glutamate signaling, can enhance descending inhibition from the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens. On the other hand, activation of neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is known to produce the aversive component of pain. The impact of AMPAkines on ACC, however, is not known. We found that direct delivery of CX516, a well-known AMPAkine, into the ACC had no effect on the aversive response to pain in rats. Furthermore, AMPAkines did not modulate the nociceptive response of ACC neurons. In contrast, AMPAkine delivery into the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex (PL) reduced pain aversion. These results indicate that the analgesic effects of AMPAkines in the cortex are likely mediated by the PFC but not the ACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dave Mathew
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hyun Jung Jee
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mengqi Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Weizhuo Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Yao D, Chen Y, Chen G. The role of pain modulation pathway and related brain regions in pain. Rev Neurosci 2023; 34:899-914. [PMID: 37288945 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2023-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a multifaceted process that encompasses unpleasant sensory and emotional experiences. The essence of the pain process is aversion, or perceived negative emotion. Central sensitization plays a significant role in initiating and perpetuating of chronic pain. Melzack proposed the concept of the "pain matrix", in which brain regions associated with pain form an interconnected network, rather than being controlled by a singular brain region. This review aims to investigate distinct brain regions involved in pain and their interconnections. In addition, it also sheds light on the reciprocal connectivity between the ascending and descending pathways that participate in pain modulation. We review the involvement of various brain areas during pain and focus on understanding the connections among them, which can contribute to a better understanding of pain mechanisms and provide opportunities for further research on therapies for improved pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dandan Yao
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Yeru Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, Zhejiang, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, China
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11
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Valentinova K, Acuña MA, Ntamati NR, Nevian NE, Nevian T. An amygdala-to-cingulate cortex circuit for conflicting choices in chronic pain. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113125. [PMID: 37733589 PMCID: PMC10636611 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a complex experience with multifaceted behavioral manifestations, often leading to pain avoidance at the expense of reward approach. How pain facilitates avoidance in situations with mixed outcomes is unknown. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a key role in pain processing and in value-based decision-making. Distinct ACC inputs inform about the sensory and emotional quality of pain. However, whether specific ACC circuits underlie pathological conflict assessment in pain remains underexplored. Here, we demonstrate that mice with chronic pain favor cold avoidance rather than reward approach in a conflicting task. This occurs along with selective strengthening of basolateral amygdala inputs onto ACC layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons. The amygdala-cingulate projection is necessary and sufficient for the conflicting cold avoidance. Further, low-frequency stimulation of this pathway restores AMPA receptor function and reduces avoidance in pain mice. Our findings provide insights into the circuits and mechanisms underlying cognitive aspects of pain and offer potential targets for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Valentinova
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Mario A Acuña
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Niels R Ntamati
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Natalie E Nevian
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Nevian
- Department of Physiology, University of Bern, Bühlplatz 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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12
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Lançon K, Séguéla P. Dysregulated neuromodulation in the anterior cingulate cortex in chronic pain. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1289218. [PMID: 37954846 PMCID: PMC10634228 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1289218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a significant global socioeconomic burden with limited long-term treatment options. The intractable nature of chronic pain stems from two primary factors: the multifaceted nature of pain itself and an insufficient understanding of the diverse physiological mechanisms that underlie its initiation and maintenance, in both the peripheral and central nervous systems. The development of novel non-opioidergic analgesic approaches is contingent on our ability to normalize the dysregulated nociceptive pathways involved in pathological pain processing. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) stands out due to its involvement in top-down modulation of pain perception, its abnormal activity in chronic pain conditions, and its contribution to cognitive functions frequently impaired in chronic pain states. Here, we review the roles of the monoamines dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), serotonin (5-HT), and other neuromodulators in controlling the activity of the ACC and how chronic pain alters their signaling in ACC circuits to promote pathological hyperexcitability. Additionally, we discuss the potential of targeting these monoaminergic pathways as a therapeutic strategy for treating the cognitive and affective symptoms associated with chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Philippe Séguéla
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, Montréal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada
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13
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Jee HJ, Zhu E, Sun M, Liu W, Zhang Q, Wang J. Anterior cingulate cortex regulates pain catastrophizing-like behaviors in rats. Mol Brain 2023; 16:71. [PMID: 37833814 PMCID: PMC10576271 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01060-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Negative pain expectation including pain catastrophizing is a well-known clinical phenomenon whereby patients amplify the aversive value of a painful or oftentimes even a similar, non-painful stimulus. Mechanisms of pain catastrophizing, however, remain elusive. Here, we modeled pain catastrophizing behavior in rats, and found that rats subjected to repeated noxious pin pricks on one paw demonstrated an aversive response to similar but non-noxious mechanical stimuli delivered to the contralateral paw. Optogenetic inhibition of pyramidal neuron activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during the application of repetitive noxious pin pricks eliminated this catastrophizing behavior. Time-lapse calcium (Ca2+) imaging in the ACC further revealed an increase in spontaneous neural activity after the delivery of noxious stimuli. Together these results suggest that the experience of repeated noxious stimuli may drive hyperactivity in the ACC, causing increased avoidance of subthreshold stimuli, and that reducing this hyperactivity may play a role in treating pain catastrophizing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Jung Jee
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Elaine Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Mengqi Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Weizhuo Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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14
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Journée SH, Mathis VP, Fillinger C, Veinante P, Yalcin I. Janus effect of the anterior cingulate cortex: Pain and emotion. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105362. [PMID: 37595650 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 20 years, clinical and preclinical studies point to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a site of interest for several neurological and psychiatric conditions. The ACC plays a critical role in emotion, autonomic regulation, pain processing, attention, memory and decision making. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the involvement of the ACC in the emotional component of pain and its comorbidity with emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression. Thanks to the development of animal models combined with state-of-the-art technologies, we now have a better mechanistic understanding of the functions of the ACC. Hence, the primary aim of this review is to compile the most recent preclinical studies on the role of ACC in the emotional component and consequences of chronic pain. Herein, we thus thoroughly describe the pain-induced electrophysiological, molecular and anatomical alterations in the ACC and in its related circuits. Finally, we discuss the next steps that are needed to strengthen our understanding of the involvement of the ACC in emotional and pain processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H Journée
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Victor P Mathis
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Clémentine Fillinger
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Veinante
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ipek Yalcin
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France; Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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15
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Alonso-Matielo H, Zhang Z, Gambeta E, Huang J, Chen L, de Melo GO, Dale CS, Zamponi GW. Inhibitory insula-ACC projections modulate affective but not sensory aspects of neuropathic pain. Mol Brain 2023; 16:64. [PMID: 37605272 PMCID: PMC10440912 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-023-01052-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) are brain regions that undergo structural and functional reorganization in neuropathic pain states. Here, we aimed to study inhibitory parvalbumin positive (PV+) posterior insula (pIC) to posterior ACC (pACC) projections, and to evaluate the effects of direct optogenetic manipulation of such projections on mechanical nociception and spontaneous ongoing pain in mice with Spared Nerve Injury (SNI). CTB488 tract-tracing in male PVCrexAi9 mice revealed a small proportion of PV+ projections from the pIC to the pACC. Electrophysiological analysis confirmed the existence of synaptic inputs into the pACC by pIC GABAergic cells. Optogenetic stimulation of these pathways did not change mechanical nociception, but induced conditioned place preference behavior responses. Our results suggest the presence of inhibitory projections between the pIC and the pACC which are able to selectively modulate affective aspects of neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heloísa Alonso-Matielo
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences of University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2415, ICB-III, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-900 Brazil
| | - Zizhen Zhang
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Eder Gambeta
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Junting Huang
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Lina Chen
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Gabriel Oliveira de Melo
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences of University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2415, ICB-III, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-900 Brazil
| | - Camila Squarzoni Dale
- Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences of University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2415, ICB-III, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP 05508-900 Brazil
| | - Gerald W. Zamponi
- Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB Canada
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16
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Danielli E, Simard N, DeMatteo CA, Kumbhare D, Ulmer S, Noseworthy MD. A review of brain regions and associated post-concussion symptoms. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1136367. [PMID: 37602240 PMCID: PMC10435092 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1136367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The human brain is an exceptionally complex organ that is comprised of billions of neurons. Therefore, when a traumatic event such as a concussion occurs, somatic, cognitive, behavioral, and sleep impairments are the common outcome. Each concussion is unique in the sense that the magnitude of biomechanical forces and the direction, rotation, and source of those forces are different for each concussive event. This helps to explain the unpredictable nature of post-concussion symptoms that can arise and resolve. The purpose of this narrative review is to connect the anatomical location, healthy function, and associated post-concussion symptoms of some major cerebral gray and white matter brain regions and the cerebellum. As a non-exhaustive description of post-concussion symptoms nor comprehensive inclusion of all brain regions, we have aimed to amalgamate the research performed for specific brain regions into a single article to clarify and enhance clinical and research concussion assessment. The current status of concussion diagnosis is highly subjective and primarily based on self-report of symptoms, so this review may be able to provide a connection between brain anatomy and the clinical presentation of concussions to enhance medical imaging assessments. By explaining anatomical relevance in terms of clinical concussion symptom presentation, an increased understanding of concussions may also be achieved to improve concussion recognition and diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan Danielli
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Nicholas Simard
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Carol A. DeMatteo
- ARiEAL Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Dinesh Kumbhare
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- KITE Research Institute, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephan Ulmer
- Neurorad.ch, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany
| | - Michael D. Noseworthy
- School of Biomedical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Imaging Research Centre, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- ARiEAL Research Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Radiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
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17
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Jadidi AF, Jensen W, Zarei AA, Lontis ER, Atashzar SF. From pulse width modulated TENS to cortical modulation: based on EEG functional connectivity analysis. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1239068. [PMID: 37600002 PMCID: PMC10433172 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1239068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Modulation in the temporal pattern of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), such as Pulse width modulated (PWM), has been considered a new dimension in pain and neurorehabilitation therapy. Recently, the potentials of PWM TENS have been studied on sensory profiles and corticospinal activity. However, the underlying mechanism of PWM TENS on cortical network which might lead to pain alleviation is not yet investigated. Therefore, we recorded cortical activity using electroencephalography (EEG) from 12 healthy subjects and assessed the alternation of the functional connectivity at the cortex level up to an hour following the PWM TENS and compared that with the effect of conventional TENS. The connectivity between eight brain regions involved in sensory and pain processing was calculated based on phase lag index and spearman correlation. The alteration in segregation and integration of information in the network were investigated using graph theory. The proposed analysis discovered several statistically significant network changes between PWM TENS and conventional TENS, such as increased local strength and efficiency of the network in high gamma-band in primary and secondary somatosensory sources one hour following stimulation. Our findings regarding the long-lasting desired effects of PWM TENS support its potential as a therapeutic intervention in clinical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armita Faghani Jadidi
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg East, Denmark
| | - Winnie Jensen
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg East, Denmark
| | - Ali Asghar Zarei
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg East, Denmark
| | - Eugen Romulus Lontis
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg East, Denmark
| | - S. Farokh Atashzar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University, New York, NY, United States
- NYU WIRELESS, New York University (NYU), New York, NY, United States
- NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP), New York University (NYU), New York, NY, United States
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18
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Taub DG, Jiang Q, Pietrafesa F, Su J, Greene C, Blanchard MR, Jain A, El-Rifai M, Callen A, Yager K, Chung C, He Z, Chen C, Woolf CJ. The Secondary Somatosensory Cortex Gates Mechanical and Thermal Sensitivity. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-2976953. [PMID: 37461707 PMCID: PMC10350168 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2976953/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is vital for the perception and processing of sensory stimuli. In the somatosensory axis, information is received by two distinct regions, the primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory cortices. Top-down circuits stemming from S1 can modulate mechanical and cooling but not heat stimuli such that circuit inhibition causes blunted mechanical and cooling perception. Using optogenetics and chemogenetics, we find that in contrast to S1, an inhibition of S2 output increases mechanical and heat, but not cooling sensitivity. Combining 2-photon anatomical reconstruction with chemogenetic inhibition of specific S2 circuits, we discover that S2 projections to the secondary motor cortex (M2) govern mechanical and thermal sensitivity without affecting motor or cognitive function. This suggests that while S2, like S1, encodes specific sensory information, that S2 operates through quite distinct neural substrates to modulate responsiveness to particular somatosensory stimuli and that somatosensory cortical encoding occurs in a largely parallel fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G. Taub
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Qiufen Jiang
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Francesca Pietrafesa
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Junfeng Su
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caitlin Greene
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Aakanksha Jain
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mahmoud El-Rifai
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexis Callen
- Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Katherine Yager
- Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Clara Chung
- Department of Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chinfei Chen
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clifford J. Woolf
- F. M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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19
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Liu Y, Li A, Bair-Marshall C, Xu H, Jee HJ, Zhu E, Sun M, Zhang Q, Lefevre A, Chen ZS, Grinevich V, Froemke RC, Wang J. Oxytocin promotes prefrontal population activity via the PVN-PFC pathway to regulate pain. Neuron 2023; 111:1795-1811.e7. [PMID: 37023755 PMCID: PMC10272109 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) can provide top-down regulation of sensory-affective experiences such as pain. Bottom-up modulation of sensory coding in the PFC, however, remains poorly understood. Here, we examined how oxytocin (OT) signaling from the hypothalamus regulates nociceptive coding in the PFC. In vivo time-lapse endoscopic calcium imaging in freely behaving rats showed that OT selectively enhanced population activity in the prelimbic PFC in response to nociceptive inputs. This population response resulted from the reduction of evoked GABAergic inhibition and manifested as elevated functional connectivity involving pain-responsive neurons. Direct inputs from OT-releasing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus are crucial to maintaining this prefrontal nociceptive response. Activation of the prelimbic PFC by OT or direct optogenetic stimulation of oxytocinergic PVN projections reduced acute and chronic pain. These results suggest that oxytocinergic signaling in the PVN-PFC circuit constitutes a key mechanism to regulate cortical sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chloe Bair-Marshall
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helen Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hyun Jung Jee
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elaine Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mengqi Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arthur Lefevre
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Robert C Froemke
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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20
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Fossati G, Kiss-Bodolay D, Prados J, Chéreau R, Husi E, Cadilhac C, Gomez L, Silva BA, Dayer A, Holtmaat A. Bimodal modulation of L1 interneuron activity in anterior cingulate cortex during fear conditioning. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1138358. [PMID: 37334059 PMCID: PMC10272719 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1138358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a crucial role in encoding, consolidating and retrieving memories related to emotionally salient experiences, such as aversive and rewarding events. Various studies have highlighted its importance for fear memory processing, but its circuit mechanisms are still poorly understood. Cortical layer 1 (L1) of the ACC might be a particularly important site of signal integration, since it is a major entry point for long-range inputs, which is tightly controlled by local inhibition. Many L1 interneurons express the ionotropic serotonin receptor 3a (5HT3aR), which has been implicated in post-traumatic stress disorder and in models of anxiety. Hence, unraveling the response dynamics of L1 interneurons and subtypes thereof during fear memory processing may provide important insights into the microcircuit organization regulating this process. Here, using 2-photon laser scanning microscopy of genetically encoded calcium indicators through microprisms in awake mice, we longitudinally monitored over days the activity of L1 interneurons in the ACC in a tone-cued fear conditioning paradigm. We observed that tones elicited responses in a substantial fraction of the imaged neurons, which were significantly modulated in a bidirectional manner after the tone was associated to an aversive stimulus. A subpopulation of these neurons, the neurogliaform cells (NGCs), displayed a net increase in tone-evoked responses following fear conditioning. Together, these results suggest that different subpopulations of L1 interneurons may exert distinct functions in the ACC circuitry regulating fear learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuliana Fossati
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Neuro Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Daniel Kiss-Bodolay
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
- Lemanic Neuroscience Doctoral School, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Julien Prados
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ronan Chéreau
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Elodie Husi
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Christelle Cadilhac
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lucia Gomez
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Bianca A. Silva
- Neuro Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Neuroscience, Milan, Italy
| | - Alexandre Dayer
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Anthony Holtmaat
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, and Neurocenter, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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21
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Taub DG, Jiang Q, Pietrafesa F, Su J, Greene C, Blanchard MR, Jain A, El-Rifai M, Callen A, Yager K, Chung C, He Z, Chen C, Woolf CJ. The Secondary Somatosensory Cortex Gates Mechanical and Thermal Sensitivity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.19.541449. [PMID: 37293011 PMCID: PMC10245795 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.19.541449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The cerebral cortex is vital for the perception and processing of sensory stimuli. In the somatosensory axis, information is received by two distinct regions, the primary (S1) and secondary (S2) somatosensory cortices. Top-down circuits stemming from S1 can modulate mechanical and cooling but not heat stimuli such that circuit inhibition causes blunted mechanical and cooling perception. Using optogenetics and chemogenetics, we find that in contrast to S1, an inhibition of S2 output increases mechanical and heat, but not cooling sensitivity. Combining 2-photon anatomical reconstruction with chemogenetic inhibition of specific S2 circuits, we discover that S2 projections to the secondary motor cortex (M2) govern mechanical and thermal sensitivity without affecting motor or cognitive function. This suggests that while S2, like S1, encodes specific sensory information, that S2 operates through quite distinct neural substrates to modulate responsiveness to particular somatosensory stimuli and that somatosensory cortical encoding occurs in a largely parallel fashion.
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22
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Pan Q, Guo SS, Chen M, Su XY, Gao ZL, Wang Q, Xu TL, Liu MG, Hu J. Representation and control of pain and itch by distinct prefrontal neural ensembles. Neuron 2023:S0896-6273(23)00342-2. [PMID: 37224813 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Pain and itch are two closely related but essentially distinct sensations that elicit different behavioral responses. However, it remains mysterious how pain and itch information is encoded in the brain to produce differential perceptions. Here, we report that nociceptive and pruriceptive signals are separately represented and processed by distinct neural ensembles in the prelimbic (PL) subdivision of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in mice. Pain- and itch-responsive cortical neural ensembles were found to significantly differ in electrophysiological properties, input-output connectivity profiles, and activity patterns to nociceptive or pruriceptive stimuli. Moreover, these two groups of cortical neural ensembles oppositely modulate pain- or itch-related sensory and emotional behaviors through their preferential projections to specific downstream regions such as the mediodorsal thalamus (MD) and basolateral amygdala (BLA). These findings uncover separate representations of pain and itch by distinct prefrontal neural ensembles and provide a new framework for understanding somatosensory information processing in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Pan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Su-Shan Guo
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Ming Chen
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Xin-Yu Su
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Zi-Long Gao
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Qi Wang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Tian-Le Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China; Songjiang Hospital and Songjiang Research Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 201600, China; Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Ming-Gang Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China.
| | - Ji Hu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai 200030, China.
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23
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Zhang Q, Hu S, Talay R, Xiao Z, Rosenberg D, Liu Y, Sun G, Li A, Caravan B, Singh A, Gould JD, Chen ZS, Wang J. A prototype closed-loop brain-machine interface for the study and treatment of pain. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:533-545. [PMID: 34155354 PMCID: PMC9516430 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00736-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is characterized by discrete pain episodes of unpredictable frequency and duration. This hinders the study of pain mechanisms and contributes to the use of pharmacological treatments associated with side effects, addiction and drug tolerance. Here, we show that a closed-loop brain-machine interface (BMI) can modulate sensory-affective experiences in real time in freely behaving rats by coupling neural codes for nociception directly with therapeutic cortical stimulation. The BMI decodes the onset of nociception via a state-space model on the basis of the analysis of online-sorted spikes recorded from the anterior cingulate cortex (which is critical for pain processing) and couples real-time pain detection with optogenetic activation of the prelimbic prefrontal cortex (which exerts top-down nociceptive regulation). In rats, the BMI effectively inhibited sensory and affective behaviours caused by acute mechanical or thermal pain, and by chronic inflammatory or neuropathic pain. The approach provides a blueprint for demand-based neuromodulation to treat sensory-affective disorders, and could be further leveraged for nociceptive control and to study pain mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sile Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert Talay
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhengdong Xiao
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Rosenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guanghao Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bassir Caravan
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amrita Singh
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan D Gould
- College of Arts and Sciences, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhe S Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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24
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Zamfir M, Sharif B, Locke S, Ehrlich AT, Ochandarena NE, Scherrer G, Ribeiro-da-Silva A, Kieffer BL, Séguéla P. Distinct and sex-specific expression of mu opioid receptors in anterior cingulate and somatosensory S1 cortical areas. Pain 2023; 164:703-716. [PMID: 35973045 PMCID: PMC10026835 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) processes the affective component of pain, whereas the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) is involved in its sensory-discriminative component. Injection of morphine in the ACC has been reported to be analgesic, and endogenous opioids in this area are required for pain relief. Mu opioid receptors (MORs) are expressed in both ACC and S1; however, the identity of MOR-expressing cortical neurons remains unknown. Using the Oprm1-mCherry mouse line, we performed selective patch clamp recordings of MOR+ neurons, as well as immunohistochemistry with validated neuronal markers, to determine the identity and laminar distribution of MOR+ neurons in ACC and S1. We found that the electrophysiological signatures of MOR+ neurons differ significantly between these 2 areas, with interneuron-like firing patterns more frequent in ACC. While MOR+ somatostatin interneurons are more prominent in ACC, MOR+ excitatory neurons and MOR+ parvalbumin interneurons are more prominent in S1. Our results suggest a differential contribution of MOR-mediated modulation to ACC and S1 outputs. We also found that females had a greater density of MOR+ neurons compared with males in both areas. In summary, we conclude that MOR-dependent opioidergic signaling in the cortex displays sexual dimorphisms and likely evolved to meet the distinct function of pain-processing circuits in limbic and sensory cortical areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Zamfir
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Behrang Sharif
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Samantha Locke
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Aliza T. Ehrlich
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Hospital Research Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Nicole E. Ochandarena
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Grégory Scherrer
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- UNC Neuroscience Center The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Alfredo Ribeiro-da-Silva
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Brigitte L. Kieffer
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Douglas Hospital Research Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Philippe Séguéla
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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25
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Black CJ, Saab CY, Borton DA. Transient gamma events delineate somatosensory modality in S1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.30.534945. [PMID: 37034800 PMCID: PMC10081264 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.30.534945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Gamma band activity localized to the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) in humans and animals is implicated in the higher order neural processing of painful and tactile stimuli. However, it is unclear if gamma band activity differs between these distinct somatosensory modalities. Here, we coupled a novel behavioral approach with chronic extracellular electrophysiology to investigate differences in S1 gamma band activity elicited by noxious and innocuous hind paw stimulation in transgenic mice. Like prior studies, we found that trial-averaged gamma power in S1 increased following both noxious and innocuous stimuli. However, on individual trials, we noticed that evoked gamma band activity was not a continuous oscillatory signal but a series of transient spectral events. Upon further analysis we found that there was a significantly higher incidence of these gamma band events following noxious stimulation than innocuous stimulation. These findings suggest that somatosensory stimuli may be represented by specific features of gamma band activity at the single trial level, which may provide insight to mechanisms underlying acute pain.
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26
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Sun G, McCartin M, Liu W, Zhang Q, Kenefati G, Chen ZS, Wang J. Temporal pain processing in the primary somatosensory cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Mol Brain 2023; 16:3. [PMID: 36604739 PMCID: PMC9817351 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-022-00991-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is known to have sensory and affective components. The sensory pain component is encoded by neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), whereas the emotional or affective pain experience is in large part processed by neural activities in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The timing of how a mechanical or thermal noxious stimulus triggers activation of peripheral pain fibers is well-known. However, the temporal processing of nociceptive inputs in the cortex remains little studied. Here, we took two approaches to examine how nociceptive inputs are processed by the S1 and ACC. We simultaneously recorded local field potentials in both regions, during the application of a brain-computer interface (BCI). First, we compared event related potentials in the S1 and ACC. Next, we used an algorithmic pain decoder enabled by machine-learning to detect the onset of pain which was used during the implementation of the BCI to automatically treat pain. We found that whereas mechanical pain triggered neural activity changes first in the S1, the S1 and ACC processed thermal pain with a reasonably similar time course. These results indicate that the temporal processing of nociceptive information in different regions of the cortex is likely important for the overall pain experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghao Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Michael McCartin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Weizhuo Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - George Kenefati
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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27
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Hao S, Shi W, Liu W, Chen QY, Zhuo M. Multiple modulatory roles of serotonin in chronic pain and injury-related anxiety. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2023; 15:1122381. [PMID: 37143481 PMCID: PMC10151796 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2023.1122381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is long-lasting pain that often persists during chronic diseases or after recovery from disease or injury. It often causes serious side effects, such as insomnia, anxiety, or depression which negatively impacts the patient's overall quality of life. Serotonin (5-HT) in the central nervous system (CNS) has been recognized as an important neurotransmitter and neuromodulator which regulates various physiological functions, such as pain sensation, cognition, and emotions-especially anxiety and depression. Its widespread and diverse receptors underlie the functional complexity of 5-HT in the CNS. Recent studies found that both chronic pain and anxiety are associated with synaptic plasticity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), the insular cortex (IC), and the spinal cord. 5-HT exerts multiple modulations of synaptic transmission and plasticity in the ACC and the spinal cord, including activation, inhibition, and biphasic actions. In this review, we will discuss the multiple actions of the 5-HT system in both chronic pain and injury-related anxiety, and the synaptic mechanisms behind them. It is likely that the specific 5-HT receptors would be new promising therapeutic targets for the effective treatment of chronic pain and injury-related anxiety in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Hao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Oujiang Laboratory, Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- International Institute of Brain Research, Forevercheer Medicine Pharmac Inc., Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Wantong Shi
- Center for Neuron and Disease, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Weiqi Liu
- Center for Neuron and Disease, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qi-Yu Chen
- International Institute of Brain Research, Forevercheer Medicine Pharmac Inc., Qingdao, Shandong, China
- The Brain Cognition and Brain Disease Institute, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Min Zhuo
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Oujiang Laboratory, Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
- International Institute of Brain Research, Forevercheer Medicine Pharmac Inc., Qingdao, Shandong, China
- Center for Neuron and Disease, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Min Zhuo,
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28
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Donertas-Ayaz B, Caudle RM. Locus coeruleus-noradrenergic modulation of trigeminal pain: Implications for trigeminal neuralgia and psychiatric comorbidities. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2023; 13:100124. [PMID: 36974102 PMCID: PMC10038791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Trigeminal neuralgia is the most common neuropathic pain involving the craniofacial region. Due to the complex pathophysiology, it is therapeutically difficult to manage. Noradrenaline plays an essential role in the modulation of arousal, attention, cognitive function, stress, and pain. The locus coeruleus, the largest source of noradrenaline in the brain, is involved in the sensory and emotional processing of pain. This review summarizes the knowledge about the involvement of noradrenaline in acute and chronic trigeminal pain conditions and how the activity of the locus coeruleus noradrenergic neurons changes in response to acute and chronic pain conditions and how these changes might be involved in pain-related comorbidities including anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robert M. Caudle
- Corresponding author at: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Florida College of Dentistry, PO Box 100416, 1395 Center Drive, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States.
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29
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Chen ZS. Hierarchical predictive coding in distributed pain circuits. Front Neural Circuits 2023; 17:1073537. [PMID: 36937818 PMCID: PMC10020379 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2023.1073537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Predictive coding is a computational theory on describing how the brain perceives and acts, which has been widely adopted in sensory processing and motor control. Nociceptive and pain processing involves a large and distributed network of circuits. However, it is still unknown whether this distributed network is completely decentralized or requires networkwide coordination. Multiple lines of evidence from human and animal studies have suggested that the cingulate cortex and insula cortex (cingulate-insula network) are two major hubs in mediating information from sensory afferents and spinothalamic inputs, whereas subregions of cingulate and insula cortices have distinct projections and functional roles. In this mini-review, we propose an updated hierarchical predictive coding framework for pain perception and discuss its related computational, algorithmic, and implementation issues. We suggest active inference as a generalized predictive coding algorithm, and hierarchically organized traveling waves of independent neural oscillations as a plausible brain mechanism to integrate bottom-up and top-down information across distributed pain circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Zhe Sage Chen
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30
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Zhang TT, Guo SS, Wang HY, Jing Q, Yi X, Hu ZH, Yu XR, Xu TL, Liu MG, Zhao X. An Anterior Cingulate Cortex-to-Midbrain Projection Controls Chronic Itch in Mice. Neurosci Bull 2022; 39:793-807. [PMID: 36528690 PMCID: PMC10169993 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00996-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractItch is an unpleasant sensation that provokes the desire to scratch. While acute itch serves as a protective system to warn the body of external irritating agents, chronic itch is a debilitating but poorly-treated clinical disease leading to repetitive scratching and skin lesions. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of chronic itch remain mysterious. Here, we identified a cell type-dependent role of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in controlling chronic itch-related excessive scratching behaviors in mice. Moreover, we delineated a neural circuit originating from excitatory neurons of the ACC to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) that was critically involved in chronic itch. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the ACC→VTA circuit also selectively modulated histaminergic acute itch. Finally, the ACC neurons were shown to predominantly innervate the non-dopaminergic neurons of the VTA. Taken together, our findings uncover a cortex–midbrain circuit for chronic itch-evoked scratching behaviors and shed novel insights on therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Ting Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Su-Shan Guo
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Hui-Ying Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Qi Jing
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Xin Yi
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
| | - Zi-Han Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Xin-Ren Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China
| | - Tian-Le Xu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Ming-Gang Liu
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- Center for Brain Science of Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200127, China.
| | - Xuan Zhao
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
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31
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Abstract
Pain is driven by sensation and emotion, and in turn, it motivates decisions and actions. To fully appreciate the multidimensional nature of pain, we formulate the study of pain within a closed-loop framework of sensory-motor prediction. In this closed-loop cycle, prediction plays an important role, as the interaction between prediction and actual sensory experience shapes pain perception and subsequently, action. In this Perspective, we describe the roles of two prominent computational theories-Bayesian inference and reinforcement learning-in modeling adaptive pain behaviors. We show that prediction serves as a common theme between these two theories, and that each of these theories can explain unique aspects of the pain perception-action cycle. We discuss how these computational theories and models can improve our mechanistic understandings of pain-centered processes such as anticipation, attention, placebo hypoalgesia, and pain chronification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Corresponding author
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32
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Tang HD, Dong WY, Hu R, Huang JY, Huang ZH, Xiong W, Xue T, Liu J, Yu JM, Zhu X, Zhang Z. A neural circuit for the suppression of feeding under persistent pain. Nat Metab 2022; 4:1746-1755. [PMID: 36443522 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-022-00688-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In humans, persistent pain often leads to decreased appetite. However, the neural circuits underlying this behaviour remain unclear. Here, we show that a circuit arising from glutamatergic neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (GluACC) projects to glutamatergic neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area (GluLHA) to blunt food intake in a mouse model of persistent pain. In turn, these GluLHA neurons project to pro-opiomelanocortin neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (POMCArc), a well-known neuronal population involved in decreasing food intake. In vivo calcium imaging and multi-tetrode electrophysiological recordings reveal that the GluACC → GluLHA → Arc circuit is activated in mouse models of persistent pain and is accompanied by decreased feeding behaviour in both males and females. Inhibition of this circuit using chemogenetics can alleviate the feeding suppression symptoms. Our study indicates that the GluACC → GluLHA → Arc circuit is involved in driving the suppression of feeding under persistent pain through POMC neuronal activity. This previously unrecognized pathway could be explored as a potential target for pain-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Di Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wan-Ying Dong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Rui Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ji-Ye Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Zhao-Huan Huang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Brain-inspired Intelligence Technology and Application, School of Information Science and Technology, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Wei Xiong
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Tian Xue
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Ji Liu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Brain-inspired Intelligence Technology and Application, School of Information Science and Technology, CAS Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Diseases, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, China.
| | - Jun-Ma Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Hefei), Hefei, China.
| | - Xia Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
| | - Zhi Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
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33
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Yu JM, Hu R, Mao Y, Tai Y, Qun S, Zhang Z, Chen D, Jin Y. Up-regulation of HCN2 channels in a thalamocortical circuit mediates allodynia in mice. Natl Sci Rev 2022; 10:nwac275. [PMID: 36846300 PMCID: PMC9945406 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwac275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a significant problem that afflicts individuals and society, and for which the current clinical treatment is inadequate. In addition, the neural circuit and molecular mechanisms subserving chronic pain remain largely uncharacterized. Herein we identified enhanced activity of a glutamatergic neuronal circuit that encompasses projections from the ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPLGlu) to the glutamatergic neurons of the hindlimb primary somatosensory cortex (S1HLGlu), driving allodynia in mouse models of chronic pain. Optogenetic inhibition of this VPLGlu→S1HLGlu circuit reversed allodynia, whereas the enhancement of its activity provoked hyperalgesia in control mice. In addition, we found that the expression and function of the HCN2 (hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 2) were increased in VPLGlu neurons under conditions of chronic pain. Using in vivo calcium imaging, we demonstrated that downregulation of HCN2 channels in the VPLGlu neurons abrogated the rise in S1HLGlu neuronal activity while alleviating allodynia in mice with chronic pain. With these data, we propose that dysfunction in HCN2 channels in the VPLGlu→S1HLGlu thalamocortical circuit and their upregulation occupy essential roles in the development of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Yingju Tai
- Department of Biophysics and Neurobiology, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Sen Qun
- Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230036, China
| | | | | | - Yan Jin
- Corresponding author. E-mail:
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Zhao LM, Chen X, Zhang YM, Qu ML, Selvarajah D, Tesfaye S, Yang FX, Ou CY, Liao WH, Wu J. Changed cerebral function and morphology serve as neuroimaging evidence for subclinical type 2 diabetic polyneuropathy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1069437. [PMID: 36506054 PMCID: PMC9729333 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1069437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Central and peripheral nervous systems are all involved in type 2 diabetic polyneuropathy mechanisms, but such subclinical changes and associations remain unknown. This study aims to explore subclinical changes of the central and peripheral and unveil their association. Methods A total of 55 type-2 diabetes patients consisting of symptomatic (n = 23), subclinical (n = 12), and no polyneuropathy (n = 20) were enrolled in this study. Cerebral morphology, function, peripheral electrophysiology, and clinical information were collected and assessed using ANOVA and post-hoc analysis. Gaussian random field correction was used for multiple comparison corrections. Pearson/Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the association of the cerebral with the peripheral. Results When comparing the subclinical group with no polyneuropathy groups, no statistical differences were shown in peripheral evaluations except amplitudes of tibial nerves. At the same time, functional connectivity from the orbitofrontal to bilateral postcentral and middle temporal cortex increased significantly. Gray matter volume of orbitofrontal and its functional connectivity show a transient elevation in the subclinical group compared with the symptomatic group. Besides, gray matter volume in the orbitofrontal cortex negatively correlated with the Neuropathy Symptom Score (r = -0.5871, p < 0.001), Neuropathy Disability Score (r = -0.3682, p = 0.009), and Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions (r = -0.4403, p = 0.003), and also found correlated positively with bilateral peroneal amplitude (r > 0.4, p < 0.05) and conduction velocities of the right sensory sural nerve(r = 0.3181, p = 0.03). Similarly, functional connectivity from the orbitofrontal to the postcentral cortex was positively associated with cold detection threshold (r = 0.3842, p = 0.03) and negatively associated with Neuropathy Symptom Score (r = -0.3460, p = 0.01). Discussion Function and morphology of brain changes in subclinical type 2 diabetic polyneuropathy might serve as an earlier biomarker. Novel insights from subclinical stage to investigate the mechanism of type 2 diabetic polyneuropathy are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Mei Zhao
- Department of Endocrinology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Endocrinology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center for Obesity and its Metabolic Complications, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - You-Ming Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Min-Li Qu
- Department of Endocrinology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center for Obesity and its Metabolic Complications, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Dinesh Selvarajah
- Diabetes Research Unit, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Solomon Tesfaye
- Diabetes Research Unit, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Fang-Xue Yang
- Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Chu-Ying Ou
- Department of Endocrinology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center for Obesity and its Metabolic Complications, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Wei-Hua Liao
- Department of Radiology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Wu
- Department of Endocrinology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center for Obesity and its Metabolic Complications, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
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35
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Sheng W, Cui Q, Jiang K, Chen Y, Tang Q, Wang C, Fan Y, Guo J, Lu F, He Z, Chen H. Individual variation in brain network topology is linked to course of illness in major depressive disorder. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:5301-5310. [PMID: 35152289 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a chronic and highly recurrent disorder. The functional connectivity in depression is affected by the cumulative effect of course of illness. However, previous neuroimaging studies on abnormal functional connection have not mainly focused on the disease duration, which is seen as a secondary factor. Here, we used a data-driven analysis (multivariate distance matrix regression) to examine the relationship between the course of illness and resting-state functional dysconnectivity in MDD. This method identified a region in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is most linked to course of illness. Specifically, follow-up seed analyses show this phenomenon resulted from the individual differences in the topological distribution of three networks. In individuals with short-duration MDD, the connection to the default mode network was strong. By contrast, individuals with long-duration MDD showed hyperconnectivity to the ventral attention network and the frontoparietal network. These results emphasized the centrality of the anterior cingulate cortex in the pathophysiology of the increased course of illness and implied critical links between network topography and pathological duration. Thus, dissociable patterns of connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex is an important dimension feature of the disease process of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Sheng
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China.,MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Qian Cui
- School of Public Affairs and Administration, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Kexing Jiang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Yuyan Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Qin Tang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Chong Wang
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Yunshuang Fan
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Jing Guo
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Fengmei Lu
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Zongling He
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
| | - Huafu Chen
- The Clinical Hospital of Chengdu Brain Science Institute, School of Life Science and Technology, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China.,MOE Key Lab for Neuroinformation, High Field Magnetic Resonance Brain Imaging Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, China
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36
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Jin Y, Li F, Yang H, Long H, Gong Q, Lai W. Altered spontaneous neural activity in experimental odontogenic pain: a resting-state functional MRI study. Am J Transl Res 2022; 14:8398-8406. [PMID: 36505321 PMCID: PMC9730070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the intrinsic cerebral activity alternations in experimental odontogenic pain with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-nine participants in an odontogenic pain group and 49 participants in control group underwent imaging using fMRI in this prospective study. Odontogenic pain was induced by experimental tooth movement. We calculated the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) value to evaluate regional cerebral function and compared it between the two groups utilizing a voxel-based two-sample t-test. RESULTS In comparison with the healthy controls, the participants in odontogenic pain group showed increased fALFF value in the left cerebellum, right posterior cingulate gyrus, and bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, as well as decreased fALFF in the medial prefrontal cortex, the left anterior cingulate cortex, bilateral angular gyrus, left inferior parietal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and miscellaneous cerebral regions (P < 0.001 familywise error-corrected VOXEL > 100). CONCLUSION The present study showed abnormal cerebral activity in odontogenic pain, and reveled that the aberrant regional functional activities were mainly located within the default mode network. The finding could provide insight into the underlying neural mechanism of odontogenic pain. Registry of clinical trials (Trial number ChiCTR1800018589) - http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=31424.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan UniversityChengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China
| | - Fei Li
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityChengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China,Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesChengdu 610041, Sichuan, P. R. China
| | - Hong Yang
- School of Stomatology, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou, Guangdong, P. R. China
| | - Hu Long
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan UniversityChengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China
| | - Qiyong Gong
- Huaxi MR Research Center (HMRRC), Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan UniversityChengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China,Unit of Psychoradiology, Chinese Academy of Medical SciencesChengdu 610041, Sichuan, P. R. China
| | - Wenli Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & Department of Orthodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan UniversityChengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China
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37
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Lee JHA, Chen Q, Zhuo M. Synaptic Plasticity in the Pain-Related Cingulate and Insular Cortex. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2745. [PMID: 36359264 PMCID: PMC9687873 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Cumulative animal and human studies have consistently demonstrated that two major cortical regions in the brain, namely the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insular cortex (IC), play critical roles in pain perception and chronic pain. Neuronal synapses in these cortical regions of adult animals are highly plastic and can undergo long-term potentiation (LTP), a phenomenon that is also reported in brain areas for learning and memory (such as the hippocampus). Genetic and pharmacological studies show that inhibiting such cortical LTP can help to reduce behavioral sensitization caused by injury as well as injury-induced emotional changes. In this review, we will summarize recent progress related to synaptic mechanisms for different forms of cortical LTP and their possible contribution to behavioral pain and emotional changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hyun Alex Lee
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Medical Science Building, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Qiyu Chen
- Institute of Brain Research, Qingdao International Academician Park, Qingdao 266199, China
- Center for Neuron and Disease, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, China
| | - Min Zhuo
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Medical Science Building, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
- Institute of Brain Research, Qingdao International Academician Park, Qingdao 266199, China
- Oujiang Laboratory, Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health, Wenzhou 325000, China
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38
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Sharvit G, Schweinhardt P. The influence of social signals on the self-experience of pain: A neuroimaging review. Front Neurol 2022; 13:856874. [PMID: 36090868 PMCID: PMC9459049 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.856874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers in cognitive neuroscience have investigated extensively how psychological factors shape the processing and perception of pain using behavioral, physiological, and neuroimaging methods. However, social influences of pain, an essential part of biopsychosocial pain models, have received relatively little attention. This is particularly true for the neurobiological mechanisms underlying social modulations on pain. Therefore, this review discusses the findings of recent neuroimaging studies measuring the effects of social manipulations on pain perception (e.g., verbal and non-verbal social signals, social interaction style, conformity, social support, and sociocultural mediators). Finally, a schematic summary of the different social modulatory themes is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Sharvit
- Department of Chiropractic Medicine, Integrative Spinal Research, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Gil Sharvit
| | - Petra Schweinhardt
- Department of Chiropractic Medicine, Integrative Spinal Research, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
- Neuroscience Center Zurich (ZNZ), University of Zurich (UZH), Zurich, Switzerland
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39
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Sun G, Zeng F, McCartin M, Zhang Q, Xu H, Liu Y, Chen ZS, Wang J. Closed-loop stimulation using a multiregion brain-machine interface has analgesic effects in rodents. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabm5868. [PMID: 35767651 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abm5868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Effective treatments for chronic pain remain limited. Conceptually, a closed-loop neural interface combining sensory signal detection with therapeutic delivery could produce timely and effective pain relief. Such systems are challenging to develop because of difficulties in accurate pain detection and ultrafast analgesic delivery. Pain has sensory and affective components, encoded in large part by neural activities in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), respectively. Meanwhile, studies show that stimulation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) produces descending pain control. Here, we designed and tested a brain-machine interface (BMI) combining an automated pain detection arm, based on simultaneously recorded local field potential (LFP) signals from the S1 and ACC, with a treatment arm, based on optogenetic activation or electrical deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the PFC in freely behaving rats. Our multiregion neural interface accurately detected and treated acute evoked pain and chronic pain. This neural interface is activated rapidly, and its efficacy remained stable over time. Given the clinical feasibility of LFP recordings and DBS, our findings suggest that BMI is a promising approach for pain treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghao Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Fei Zeng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Michael McCartin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Helen Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Osaki H, Kanaya M, Ueta Y, Miyata M. Distinct nociception processing in the dysgranular and barrel regions of the mouse somatosensory cortex. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3622. [PMID: 35768422 PMCID: PMC9243138 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31272-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Nociception, a somatic discriminative aspect of pain, is, like touch, represented in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), but the separation and interaction of the two modalities within S1 remain unclear. Here, we show spatially distinct tactile and nociceptive processing in the granular barrel field (BF) and adjacent dysgranular region (Dys) in mouse S1. Simultaneous recordings of the multiunit activity across subregions revealed that Dys neurons are more responsive to noxious input, whereas BF neurons prefer tactile input. At the single neuron level, nociceptive information is represented separately from the tactile information in Dys layer 2/3. In contrast, both modalities seem to converge on individual layer 5 neurons of each region, but to a different extent. Overall, these findings show layer-specific processing of nociceptive and tactile information between Dys and BF. We further demonstrated that Dys activity, but not BF activity, is critically involved in pain-like behavior. These findings provide new insights into the role of pain processing in S1. The processing of nociception in the somatosensory cortex (S1) has yet to be fully understood. Here, the authors demonstrate that the dysgranular region in S1 has an affinity for nociception and is critically involved in pain-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hironobu Osaki
- Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. .,Laboratory of Functional Brain Circuit Construction, Graduate School of Brain Science, Doshisha University, Kyotanabe, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Moeko Kanaya
- Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshifumi Ueta
- Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Miyata
- Division of Neurophysiology, Department of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan.
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41
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Zhang YN, Xing XX, Chen L, Dong X, Pan HT, Hua XY, Wang K. Brain Functional Alteration at Different Stages of Neuropathic Pain With Allodynia and Emotional Disorders. Front Neurol 2022; 13:843815. [PMID: 35585842 PMCID: PMC9108233 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.843815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain (NeuP), a challenging medical condition, has been suggested by neuroimaging studies to be associated with abnormalities of neural activities in some brain regions. However, aberrancies in brain functional alterations underlying the sensory-discriminative abnormalities and negative emotions in the setting of NeuP remain unexplored. Here, we aimed to investigate the functional alterations in neural activity relevant to pain as well as pain-related depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors in NeuP by combining amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and degree centrality (DC) analyses methods based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). A rat model of NeuP was established via chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Results revealed that the robust mechanical allodynia occurred early and persisted throughout the entire observational period. Depressive and anxiety-like behaviors did not appear until 4 weeks after injury. When the maximum allodynia was apparent early, CCI rats exhibited decreased ALFF and DC values in the left somatosensory and nucleus accumbens shell (ACbSh), respectively, as compared with sham rats. Both values were significantly positively correlated with mechanical withdrawal thresholds (MWT). At 4 weeks post-CCI, negative emotional states were apparent and CCI rats were noted to exhibit increased ALFF values in the left somatosensory and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) as well as increased DC values in the right motor cortex, as compared with sham rats. At 4 weeks post-CCI, ALFF values in the left somatosensory cortex and DC values in the right motor cortex were noted to negatively correlate with MWT and exhibition of anxiety-like behavior on an open-field test (OFT); values were found to positively correlate with the exhibition of depressive-like behavior on forced swimming test (FST). The mPFC ALFF values were found to negatively correlate with the exhibition of anxiety-like behavior on OFT and positively correlate with the exhibition of depressive-like behavior on FST. Our findings detail characteristic alterations of neural activity patterns induced by chronic NeuP and underscore the important role of the left somatosensory cortex, as well as its related networks, in the mediation of subsequent emotional dysregulation due to NeuP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Zhang
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Xin Xing
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China
| | - Liu Chen
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xin Dong
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao-Tian Pan
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xu-Yun Hua
- Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent Rehabilitation, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China,Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,*Correspondence: Xu-Yun Hua
| | - Ke Wang
- Acupuncture Anesthesia Clinical Research Institute, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China,Ke Wang
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42
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Guo F, Du Y, Qu FH, Lin SD, Chen Z, Zhang SH. Dissecting the Neural Circuitry for Pain Modulation and Chronic Pain: Insights from Optogenetics. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:440-452. [PMID: 35249185 PMCID: PMC9068856 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00835-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage. The processing of pain involves complicated modulation at the levels of the periphery, spinal cord, and brain. The pathogenesis of chronic pain is still not fully understood, which makes the clinical treatment challenging. Optogenetics, which combines optical and genetic technologies, can precisely intervene in the activity of specific groups of neurons and elements of the related circuits. Taking advantage of optogenetics, researchers have achieved a body of new findings that shed light on the cellular and circuit mechanisms of pain transmission, pain modulation, and chronic pain both in the periphery and the central nervous system. In this review, we summarize recent findings in pain research using optogenetic approaches and discuss their significance in understanding the pathogenesis of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yu Du
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Feng-Hui Qu
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Shi-Da Lin
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Shi-Hong Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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43
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Ma Q. A functional subdivision within the somatosensory system and its implications for pain research. Neuron 2022; 110:749-769. [PMID: 35016037 PMCID: PMC8897275 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Somatosensory afferents are traditionally classified by soma size, myelination, and their response specificity to external and internal stimuli. Here, we propose the functional subdivision of the nociceptive somatosensory system into two branches. The exteroceptive branch detects external threats and drives reflexive-defensive reactions to prevent or limit injury. The interoceptive branch senses the disruption of body integrity, produces tonic pain with strong aversive emotional components, and drives self-caring responses toward to the injured region to reduce suffering. The central thesis behind this functional subdivision comes from a reflection on the dilemma faced by the pain research field, namely, the use of reflexive-defensive behaviors as surrogate assays for interoceptive tonic pain. The interpretation of these assays is now being challenged by the discovery of distinct but interwoven circuits that drive exteroceptive versus interoceptive types of behaviors, with the conflation of these two components contributing partially to the poor translation of therapies from preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiufu Ma
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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Zarei AA, Jensen W, Faghani Jadidi A, Lontis R, Atashzar SF. Gamma-band Enhancement of Functional Brain Connectivity Following Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. J Neural Eng 2022; 19. [PMID: 35234662 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac59a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been suggested as a possible non-invasive pain treatment. However, the underlying mechanism of the analgesic effect of TENS and how brain network functional connectivity is affected following the use of TENS is not yet fully understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high-frequency TENS on the alternation of functional brain network connectivity and the corresponding topographical changes, besides perceived sensations. APPROACH Forty healthy subjects participated in this study. EEG data and sensory profiles were recorded before and up to an hour following high-frequency TENS (100 Hz) in sham and intervention groups. Brain source activity from EEG data was estimated using the LORETA algorithm. In order to generate the brain connectivity network, the Phase lag index was calculated for all pair-wise connections of eight selected brain areas over six different frequency bands (i.e., δ, θ, α, β, γ, and 0.5-90 Hz). MAIN RESULTS The results suggested that the functional connectivity between the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), in addition to functional connectivity between S1 and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), were significantly increased in the gamma-band, following the TENS intervention. Additionally, using graph theory, several significant changes were observed in global and local characteristics of functional brain connectivity in gamma-band. SIGNIFICANCE Our observations in this paper open a neuropsychological window of understanding the underlying mechanism of TENS and the corresponding changes in functional brain connectivity, simultaneously with alternation in sensory perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Asghar Zarei
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg Universitet, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7 D3, Aalborg, 9220, DENMARK
| | - Winnie Jensen
- Center for Sensory-Motor Interaction Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7, 9220 Aalborg, Aalborg, 9220, DENMARK
| | - Armita Faghani Jadidi
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg Universitet, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7 D3, Aalborg, 9220, DENMARK
| | - Romulus Lontis
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg Universitet, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7 D3, Aalborg, 9220, DENMARK
| | - S Farokh Atashzar
- Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, New York University, 5 MetroTech Center #266D Brooklyn, NY 11201, New York, New York, NY 11201, UNITED STATES
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Jefferson T, Kelly CJ, Martina M. Differential Rearrangement of Excitatory Inputs to the Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Chronic Pain Models. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 15:791043. [PMID: 35002635 PMCID: PMC8738091 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.791043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain patients suffer a disrupted quality of life not only from the experience of pain itself, but also from comorbid symptoms such as depression, anxiety, cognitive impairment, and sleep disturbances. The heterogeneity of these symptoms support the idea of a major involvement of the cerebral cortex in the chronic pain condition. Accordingly, abundant evidence shows that in chronic pain the activity of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain region that is critical for executive function and working memory, is severely impaired. Excitability of the mPFC depends on the integrated effects of intrinsic excitability and excitatory and inhibitory inputs. The main extracortical sources of excitatory input to the mPFC originate in the thalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala, which allow the mPFC to integrate multiple information streams necessary for cognitive control of pain including sensory information, context, and emotional salience. Recent techniques, such as optogenetic methods of circuit dissection, have made it possible to tease apart the contributions of individual circuit components. Here we review the synaptic properties of these main glutamatergic inputs to the rodent mPFC, how each is altered in animal models of chronic pain, and how these alterations contribute to pain-associated mPFC deactivation. By understanding the contributions of these individual circuit components, we strive to understand the broad spectrum of chronic pain and comorbid pathologies, how they are generated, and how they might be alleviated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Jefferson
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Marco Martina
- Department of Neuroscience, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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Multi-Region Local Field Potential Signatures in Response to the Formalin-induced Inflammatory Stimulus in Male Rats. Brain Res 2022; 1778:147779. [PMID: 35007546 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2022.147779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Pain can be ignited by noxious chemical (e.g., acid), mechanical (e.g., pressure), and thermal (e.g., heat) stimuli and generated by the activation of sensory neurons and their axonal terminals called nociceptors in the periphery. Nociceptive information transmitted from the periphery is projected to the central nervous system (thalamus, somatosensory cortex, insular, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, periaqueductal grey, prefrontal cortex, etc.) to generate a unified experience of pain. Local field potential (LFP) recording is one of the neurophysiological tools to investigate the combined neuronal activity, ranging from several hundred micrometers to a few millimeters (radius), located around the embedded electrode. The advantage of recording LFP is that it provides stable simultaneous activities in various brain regions in response to external stimuli. In this study, differential LFP activities from the contralateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), ventral tegmental area (VTA), and bilateral amygdala in response to peripheral noxious formalin injection were recorded in anesthetized male rats. The results indicated increased power of delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma bands in the ACC and amygdala but no change of gamma-band in the right amygdala. Within the VTA, intensities of the delta, theta, and beta bands were only enhanced significantly after formalin injection. It was found that the connectivity (i.t. the coherence) among these brain regions reduced significantly under the formalin-induced nociception, which suggests a significant interruption within the brain. With further study, it will sort out the key combination of structures that will serve as the signature for pain state.
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Lubejko ST, Graham RD, Livrizzi G, Schaefer R, Banghart MR, Creed MC. The role of endogenous opioid neuropeptides in neurostimulation-driven analgesia. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:1044686. [PMID: 36591324 PMCID: PMC9794630 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.1044686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the prevalence of chronic pain worldwide, there is an urgent need to improve pain management strategies. While opioid drugs have long been used to treat chronic pain, their use is severely limited by adverse effects and abuse liability. Neurostimulation techniques have emerged as a promising option for chronic pain that is refractory to other treatments. While different neurostimulation strategies have been applied to many neural structures implicated in pain processing, there is variability in efficacy between patients, underscoring the need to optimize neurostimulation techniques for use in pain management. This optimization requires a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying neurostimulation-induced pain relief. Here, we discuss the most commonly used neurostimulation techniques for treating chronic pain. We present evidence that neurostimulation-induced analgesia is in part driven by the release of endogenous opioids and that this endogenous opioid release is a common endpoint between different methods of neurostimulation. Finally, we introduce technological and clinical innovations that are being explored to optimize neurostimulation techniques for the treatment of pain, including multidisciplinary efforts between neuroscience research and clinical treatment that may refine the efficacy of neurostimulation based on its underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan T. Lubejko
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Robert D. Graham
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Center, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Giulia Livrizzi
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Robert Schaefer
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Center, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Matthew R. Banghart
- Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Matthew R. Banghart,
| | - Meaghan C. Creed
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Center, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Meaghan C. Creed,
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Hu SW, Zhang Q, Xia SH, Zhao WN, Li QZ, Yang JX, An S, Ding HL, Zhang H, Cao JL. Contralateral Projection of Anterior Cingulate Cortex Contributes to Mirror-Image Pain. J Neurosci 2021; 41:9988-10003. [PMID: 34642215 PMCID: PMC8638682 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0881-21.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term limb nerve injury often leads to mirror-image pain (MIP), an abnormal pain sensation in the limb contralateral to the injury. Although it is clear that MIP is mediated in part by central nociception processing, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a key brain region that receives relayed peripheral nociceptive information from the contralateral limb. In this study, we induced MIP in male mice, in which a unilateral chronic constrictive injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI) induced a decreased nociceptive threshold in both hind limbs and an increased number of c-Fos-expressing neurons in the ACC both contralateral and ipsilateral to the injured limb. Using viral-mediated projection mapping, we observed that a portion of ACC neurons formed monosynaptic connections with contralateral ACC neurons. Furthermore, the number of cross-callosal projection ACC neurons that exhibited c-Fos signal was increased in MIP-expressing mice, suggesting enhanced transmission between ACC neurons of the two hemispheres. Moreover, selective inhibition of the cross-callosal projection ACC neurons contralateral to the injured limb normalized the nociceptive sensation of the uninjured limb without affecting the increased nociceptive sensation of the injured limb in CCI mice. In contrast, inhibition of the non-cross-callosal projection ACC neurons contralateral to the injury normalized the nociceptive sensation of the injured limb without affecting the MIP exhibited in the uninjured limb. These results reveal a circuit mechanism, namely, the cross-callosal projection of ACC between two hemispheres, that contributes to MIP and possibly other forms of contralateral migration of pain sensation.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Mirror-image pain (MIP) refers to the increased pain sensitivity of the contralateral body part in patients with chronic pain. This pathology requires central processing, yet the mechanisms are less known. Here, we demonstrate that the cross-callosal projection neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) contralateral to the injury contribute to MIP exhibited in the uninjured limb, but do not affect nociceptive sensation of the injured limb. In contrast, the non-cross-callosal projection neurons in the ACC contralateral to the injury contribute to nociceptive sensation of the injured limb, but do not affect MIP exhibited in the uninjured limb. Our study depicts a novel cross-callosal projection of ACC that contributes to MIP, providing a central mechanism for MIP in chronic pain state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Wan Hu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Sun-Hui Xia
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Wei-Nan Zhao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Qi-Ze Li
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Jun-Xia Yang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Shuming An
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Hai-Lei Ding
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Hongxing Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
| | - Jun-Li Cao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221002, China
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Disrupted population coding in the prefrontal cortex underlies pain aversion. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109978. [PMID: 34758316 PMCID: PMC8696988 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates a wide range of sensory experiences. Chronic pain is known to impair normal neural response, leading to enhanced aversion. However, it remains unknown how nociceptive responses in the cortex are processed at the population level and whether such processes are disrupted by chronic pain. Using in vivo endoscopic calcium imaging, we identify increased population activity in response to noxious stimuli and stable patterns of functional connectivity among neurons in the prelimbic (PL) PFC from freely behaving rats. Inflammatory pain disrupts functional connectivity of PFC neurons and reduces the overall nociceptive response. Interestingly, ketamine, a well-known neuromodulator, restores the functional connectivity among PL-PFC neurons in the inflammatory pain model to produce anti-aversive effects. These results suggest a dynamic resource allocation mechanism in the prefrontal representations of pain and indicate that population activity in the PFC critically regulates pain and serves as an important therapeutic target. Li et al. reveal that inflammatory pain disrupts the functional connectivity of neurons in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex (PL-PFC) and the overall nociceptive response. Ketamine, meanwhile, restores the functional connectivity of neurons in the PL-PFC in the inflammatory pain state to produce anti-aversive effects.
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Chen ZS. Decoding pain from brain activity. J Neural Eng 2021; 18. [PMID: 34608868 DOI: 10.1088/1741-2552/ac28d4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Pain is a dynamic, complex and multidimensional experience. The identification of pain from brain activity as neural readout may effectively provide a neural code for pain, and further provide useful information for pain diagnosis and treatment. Advances in neuroimaging and large-scale electrophysiology have enabled us to examine neural activity with improved spatial and temporal resolution, providing opportunities to decode pain in humans and freely behaving animals. This topical review provides a systematical overview of state-of-the-art methods for decoding pain from brain signals, with special emphasis on electrophysiological and neuroimaging modalities. We show how pain decoding analyses can help pain diagnosis and discovery of neurobiomarkers for chronic pain. Finally, we discuss the challenges in the research field and point to several important future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States of America
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