Acute noise stress analgesia in relation to 5-HT2 and μ-opioid receptor changes in the frontal cortex of young mice

Sex differences in the neurochemistry of frontal cortex: Impact of early life stress

Traumatic events during early life have been linked with later life psychopathology. To understand this risk factor, researchers have studied the effects of prenatal and postnatal early life stress on neurochemical changes. Here we review the rodent literature on sex differences and sex-specific impact of early life stress on frontal cortex neurochemistry. This region is implicated in regulating motivation and emotion, which are often disrupted in psychological disorders. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) in particular is one of the last brain regions to develop, and there are sex differences in the rate of this development. To draw direct comparisons between sexes, our review of the literature was restricted to studies where the effects of prenatal or postnatal stress had been described in male and female littermates. This literature included research describing glutamate, γ-amino butyric acid (GABA), corticosteroids, monoamines, and cannabinoids. We found that sex-dependent effects of stress are mediated by the age at which stress is experienced, age at test, and type of stress endured. More research is required, particularly into the effects of adolescent stress on male and female littermates. We hope that a greater understanding of sex-specific susceptibilities in response to stress across development will help to uncover risk factors for psychological disorders in vulnerable populations.

Effect of Rhizoma Paridis saponin on the pain behavior in a mouse model of cancer pain

Rhizoma Paridis saponins (RPS) as active parts of P. polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis has been used as an anti-cancer drug in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, RPS was first found to demonstrate a potent effect on markedly reducing the pain induced by cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to further explore the analgesic effect of RPS and its possible reaction pathway on H22 hepatocarcinoma cells inoculated in the hind right paw of mice. Cancer-induced pain model mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 10) and orally administered with RPS (50–200 mg kg⁻¹) for 2 weeks. On the last day of treatment, the pain behavior of mice was measured using hot-plate test and open field test, and brain tissues were sampled for detection of biochemical indices, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), serotonin (5-HT) and β-endorphin (β-EP). Moreover, the concentrations of NF-κB and IL-1β in the blood serum were measured by ELISA reagent kits. In addition, naloxone, the non-selective antagonist of opioid receptors, was used to identify the opioid receptors involved in RPS's action. It has been found that RPS alleviates cancer pain mainly via the suppression of inflammatory pain induced by oxidative damage, such as decreasing MDA and PGE2 levels, renewing activity of SOD, as well as increasing 5-HT and β-EP in the brain and suppressing the expression of NF-κB and IL-1β in the serum in a concentration-dependent manner. Overall, the current study highlights that RPS has widespread potential antinociceptive effects on a mouse model of chronic cancer pain, which may be associated with the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system.

Rhizoma Paridis saponins (RPS) as active parts of P. polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis has been used as an anti-cancer drug in traditional Chinese medicine.

Stress induces pain transition by potentiation of AMPA receptor phosphorylation

Chronic postsurgical pain is a serious issue in clinical practice. After surgery, patients experience ongoing pain or become sensitive to incident, normally nonpainful stimulation. The intensity and duration of postsurgical pain vary. However, it is unclear how the transition from acute to chronic pain occurs. Here we showed that social defeat stress enhanced plantar incision-induced AMPA receptor GluA1 phosphorylation at the Ser831 site in the spinal cord and greatly prolonged plantar incision-induced pain. Interestingly, targeted mutation of the GluA1 phosphorylation site Ser831 significantly inhibited stress-induced prolongation of incisional pain. In addition, stress hormones enhanced GluA1 phosphorylation and AMPA receptor-mediated electrical activity in the spinal cord. Subthreshold stimulation induced spinal long-term potentiation in GluA1 phosphomimetic mutant mice, but not in wild-type mice. Therefore, spinal AMPA receptor phosphorylation contributes to the mechanisms underlying stress-induced pain transition.

Trigeminal Inflammatory Compression (TIC) injury induces chronic facial pain and susceptibility to anxiety-related behaviors

Our laboratory previously developed a novel neuropathic and inflammatory facial pain model for mice referred to as the Trigeminal Inflammatory Compression (TIC) model. Rather than inducing whole nerve ischemia and neuronal loss, this injury induces only slight peripheral nerve demyelination triggering long-term mechanical allodynia and cold hypersensitivity on the ipsilateral whisker pad. The aim of the present study is to further characterize the phenotype of the TIC injury model using specific behavioral assays (i.e. light-dark box, open field exploratory activity, and elevated plus maze) to explore pain- and anxiety-like behaviors associated with this model. Our findings determined that the TIC injury produces hypersensitivity 100% of the time after surgery that persists at least 21 weeks post injury (until the animals are euthanized). Three receptive field sensitivity pattern variations in mice with TIC injury are specified. Animals with TIC injury begin displaying anxiety-like behavior in the light-dark box preference and open field exploratory tests at week eight post injury as compared to sham and naïve animals. Panic anxiety-like behavior was shown in the elevated plus maze in mice with TIC injury if the test was preceded with acoustic startle. Thus, in addition to mechanical and cold hypersensitivity, the present study identified significant anxiety-like behaviors in mice with TIC injury resembling the clinical symptomatology and psychosocial impairments of patients with chronic facial pain. Overall, the TIC injury model's chronicity, reproducibility, and reliability in producing pain- and anxiety-like behaviors demonstrate its usefulness as a chronic neuropathic facial pain model.

Aircraft noise exposure affects rat behavior, plasma norepinephrine levels, and cell morphology of the temporal lobe

In order to investigate the physiological effects of airport noise exposure on organisms, in this study, we exposed Sprague-Dawley rats in soundproof chambers to previously recorded aircraft-related noise for 65 d. For comparison, we also used unexposed control rats. Noise was arranged according to aircraft flight schedules and was adjusted to its weighted equivalent continuous perceived noise levels (L(WECPN)) of 75 and 80 dB for the two experimental groups. We examined rat behaviors through an open field test and measured the concentrations of plasma norepinephrine (NE) by high performance liquid chromatography-fluorimetric detection (HPLC-FLD). We also examined the morphologies of neurons and synapses in the temporal lobe by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our results showed that rats exposed to airport noise of 80 dB had significantly lower line crossing number (P<0.05) and significantly longer center area duration (P<0.05) than control animals. After 29 d of airport noise exposure, the concentration of plasma NE of exposed rats was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). We also determined that the neuron and synapsis of the temporal lobe of rats showed signs of damage after aircraft noise of 80 dB exposure for 65 d. In conclusion, exposing rats to long-term aircraft noise affects their behaviors, plasma NE levels, and cell morphology of the temporal lobe.

Serotonin in the inferior colliculus fluctuates with behavioral state and environmental stimuli

Neuromodulation by serotonin (5-HT) could link behavioral state and environmental events with sensory processing. Within the auditory system, the presence of 5-HT alters the activity of neurons in the inferior colliculus (IC), but the conditions that influence 5-HT neurotransmission in this region of the brain are unknown. We used in vivo voltammetry to measure extracellular 5-HT in the IC of behaving mice to address this issue. Extracellular 5-HT increased with the recovery from anesthesia, suggesting that the neuromodulation of auditory processing is correlated with the level of behavioral arousal. Awake mice were further exposed to auditory (broadband noise), visual (light) or olfactory (2,5-dihydro-2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline, TMT) stimuli, presented with food or confined in a small arena. Only the auditory stimulus or restricted movement increased the concentration of extracellular 5-HT in the IC. Changes occurred within minutes of stimulus onset, with the auditory stimulus increasing extracellular 5-HT by an average of 5% and restricted movement increasing it by an average of 14%. These findings suggest that the neuromodulation of auditory processing by 5-HT is a dynamic process that is dependent on internal state and behavioral conditions.

Endogenous opiates and behavior: 2005

This paper is the 28th consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, now spanning over a quarter-century of research. It summarizes papers published during 2005 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity, neurophysiology and transmitter release (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); immunological responses (Section 17).