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Lucas-Romero J, Rivera-Arconada I, Lopez-Garcia JA. Noise or signal? Spontaneous activity of dorsal horn neurons: patterns and function in health and disease. Pflugers Arch 2024; 476:1171-1186. [PMID: 38822875 PMCID: PMC11271371 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-024-02971-8] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
Spontaneous activity refers to the firing of action potentials by neurons in the absence of external stimulation. Initially considered an artifact or "noise" in the nervous system, it is now recognized as a potential feature of neural function. Spontaneous activity has been observed in various brain areas, in experimental preparations from different animal species, and in live animals and humans using non-invasive imaging techniques. In this review, we specifically focus on the spontaneous activity of dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord. We use a historical perspective to set the basis for a novel classification of the different patterns of spontaneous activity exhibited by dorsal horn neurons. Then we examine the origins of this activity and propose a model circuit to explain how the activity is generated and transmitted to the dorsal horn. Finally, we discuss possible roles of this activity during development and during signal processing under physiological conditions and pain states. By analyzing recent studies on the spontaneous activity of dorsal horn neurons, we aim to shed light on its significance in sensory processing. Understanding the different patterns of activity, the origins of this activity, and the potential roles it may play, will contribute to our knowledge of sensory mechanisms, including pain, to facilitate the modeling of spinal circuits and hopefully to explore novel strategies for pain treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Lucas-Romero
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Alcala, 28805, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63108, USA
| | | | - Jose Antonio Lopez-Garcia
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Alcala, 28805, Madrid, Spain.
- Departamento de Biologia de Sistemas, Edificio de Medicina, Universidad de Alcala, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28805, Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
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2
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Zou J, Li J, Wang X, Tang D, Chen R. Neuroimmune modulation in liver pathophysiology. J Neuroinflammation 2024; 21:188. [PMID: 39090741 PMCID: PMC11295927 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-024-03181-w] [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: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The liver, the largest organ in the human body, plays a multifaceted role in digestion, coagulation, synthesis, metabolism, detoxification, and immune defense. Changes in liver function often coincide with disruptions in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. The intricate interplay between the nervous and immune systems is vital for maintaining tissue balance and combating diseases. Signaling molecules and pathways, including cytokines, inflammatory mediators, neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, chemoreceptors, and neural pathways, facilitate this complex communication. They establish feedback loops among diverse immune cell populations and the central, peripheral, sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous systems within the liver. In this concise review, we provide an overview of the structural and compositional aspects of the hepatic neural and immune systems. We further explore the molecular mechanisms and pathways that govern neuroimmune communication, highlighting their significance in liver pathology. Finally, we summarize the current clinical implications of therapeutic approaches targeting neuroimmune interactions and present prospects for future research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Zou
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Jie Li
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Xiaoxu Wang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China
| | - Daolin Tang
- Department of Surgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ruochan Chen
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Viral Hepatitis, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, Hunan, China.
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Yang C, Wang H, Zhou G, Zhao H, Hou W, Zhu S, Zhao Y, Sun B. A Multimodal Perception-Enabled Flexible Memristor with Combined Sensing-Storage-Memory Functions for Enhanced Artificial Injury Recognition. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2402588. [PMID: 39058216 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202402588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
With the continuous advancement of wearable technology and advanced medical monitoring, there is an increasing demand for electronic devices that can adapt to complex environments and have high perceptual sensitivity. Here, a novel artificial injury perception device based on an Ag/HfOx/ITO/PET flexible memristor is designed to address the limitations of current technologies in multimodal perception and environmental adaptability. The memristor exhibits excellent resistive switching (RS) performance and mechanical flexibility under different bending angles (BAs), temperatures, humid environment, and repetitive folding conditions. Further, the device demonstrates the multimodal perception and conversion capabilities toward voltage, mechanical, and thermal stimuli through current response tests under different conditions, enabling not only the simulation of artificial injury perception but also holds promise for monitoring and controlling the movement of robotic arms. Moreover, the logical operation capability of the memristor-based reconfigurable logic (MRL) gates is also demonstrated, proving the device has great potential applications with sensing, storage, and memory functions. Overall, this study not only provides a direction for the development of the next-generation flexible multimodal sensors, but also has significant implications for technological advancements in many fields such as robotic arms, electronic skin (e-skin), and medical monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Yang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, China
| | - Guangdong Zhou
- College of Artificial Intelligence, Brain-Inspired Computing & Intelligent Control of Chongqing Key Lab, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China
| | - Hongbin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Materials for Smart Sensing, General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals, Beijing, 100088, China
| | - Wentao Hou
- College of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310023, China
- Key Laboratory of Special Purpose Equipment and Advanced Processing Technology, Ministry of Education and Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Shouhui Zhu
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, China
| | - Yong Zhao
- School of Physical Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology of Materials, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610031, China
| | - Bai Sun
- Frontier Institute of Science and Technology (FIST), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
- Micro-and Nano-Technology Research Center, State Key Laboratory for Manufacturing Systems Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, 710049, China
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4
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Zhang S, Chen L, Ladez SR, Seferge A, Liu J, Feng B. Blocking Aδ- and C-fiber neural transmission by sub-kilohertz peripheral nerve stimulation. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1404903. [PMID: 39077428 PMCID: PMC11284050 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1404903] [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: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction We recently showed that sub-kilohertz electrical stimulation of the afferent somata in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) reversibly blocks afferent transmission. Here, we further investigated whether similar conduction block can be achieved by stimulating the nerve trunk with electrical peripheral nerve stimulation (ePNS). Methods We explored the mechanisms and parameters of conduction block by ePNS via ex vivo single-fiber recordings from two somatic (sciatic and saphenous) and one autonomic (vagal) nerves harvested from mice. Action potentials were evoked on one end of the nerve and recorded on the other end from teased nerve filaments, i.e., single-fiber recordings. ePNS was delivered in the middle of the nerve trunk using a glass suction electrode at frequencies of 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 Hz. Results Suprathreshold ePNS reversibly blocks axonal neural transmission of both thinly myelinated Aδ-fiber axons and unmyelinated C-fiber axons. ePNS leads to a progressive decrease in conduction velocity (CV) until transmission blockage, suggesting activity-dependent conduction slowing. The blocking efficiency is dependent on the axonal conduction velocity, with Aδ-fibers efficiently blocked by 50-1000 Hz stimulation and C-fibers blocked by 10-50 Hz. The corresponding NEURON simulation of action potential transmission indicates that the disrupted transmembrane sodium and potassium concentration gradients underly the transmission block by the ePNS. Discussion The current study provides direct evidence of reversible Aδ- and C-fiber transmission blockage by low-frequency (<100 Hz) electrical stimulation of the nerve trunk, a previously overlooked mechanism that can be harnessed to enhance the therapeutic effect of ePNS in treating neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Bin Feng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
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Navajas Acedo J. Complete persistence of the primary somatosensory system in zebrafish. Dev Biol 2024:S0012-1606(24)00115-5. [PMID: 39021074 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.05.004] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The somatosensory system detects peripheral stimuli that are translated into behaviors necessary for survival. Fishes and amphibians possess two somatosensory systems in the trunk: the primary somatosensory system, formed by the Rohon-Beard neurons, and the secondary somatosensory system, formed by the neural crest cell-derived neurons of the Dorsal Root Ganglia. Rohon-Beard neurons have been characterized as a transient population that mostly disappears during the first days of life and is functionally replaced by the Dorsal Root Ganglia. Here, I follow Rohon-Beard neurons in vivo and show that the entire repertoire remains present in zebrafish from 1-day post-fertilization until the juvenile stage, 15-days post-fertilization. These data indicate that zebrafish retain two complete somatosensory systems until at least a developmental stage when the animals display complex behavioral repertoires.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquín Navajas Acedo
- Biozentrum at University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, Basel, Switzerland; Allen Discovery Center for Cell Lineage Tracing, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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6
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Matthews P, Raul P, Ward LM, van Boxtel JJA. Stochastic resonance in the sensory systems and its applications in neural prosthetics. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 165:182-200. [PMID: 39047671 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.07.004] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Noise is generally considered to be detrimental. In the right conditions, however, noise can improve signal detection or information transmission. This counterintuitive phenomenon is called stochastic resonance (SR). SR has generated significant interdisciplinary interest, particularly in physics, engineering, and medical and environmental sciences. In this review, we discuss a growing empirical literature that suggests that noise at the right intensity may improve the detection and processing of auditory, sensorimotor, and visual stimuli. We focus particularly on applications of SR in sensory biology and investigate whether SR-based technologies present a pathway to improve outcomes for individuals living with sensory impairments. We conclude that there is considerable evidence supporting the application of SR in developing sensory prosthetics. However, the progression of SR-based technologies is variable across the sensory modalities. We suggest opportunities for further advancements in each modality, considering the best approaches to maximise benefits and capitalise on progress already made. Overall, SR can offer opportunities to improve existing technologies or to motivate innovations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Matthews
- Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia
| | - Pratik Raul
- Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Lawrence M Ward
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Jeroen J A van Boxtel
- Discipline of Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia; Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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Hou S, Huang Q, Zhang H, Chen Q, Wu C, Wu M, Meng C, Yao K, Yu X, Roy VAL, Daoud W, Wang J, Li WJ. Biometric-Tuned E-Skin Sensor with Real Fingerprints Provides Insights on Tactile Perception: Rosa Parks Had Better Surface Vibrational Sensation than Richard Nixon. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024:e2400234. [PMID: 38988056 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
The dense mechanoreceptors in human fingertips enable texture discrimination. Recent advances in flexible electronics have created tactile sensors that effectively replicate slowly adapting (SA) and rapidly adapting (RA) mechanoreceptors. However, the influence of dermatoglyphic structures on tactile signal transmission, such as the effect of fingerprint ridge filtering on friction-induced vibration frequencies, remains unexplored. A novel multi-layer flexible sensor with an artificially synthesized skin surface capable of replicating arbitrary fingerprints is developed. This sensor simultaneously detects pressure (SA response) and vibration (RA response), enabling texture recognition. Fingerprint ridge patterns from notable historical figures - Rosa Parks, Richard Nixon, Martin Luther King Jr., and Ronald Reagan - are fabricated on the sensor surface. Vibration frequency responses to assorted fabric textures are measured and compared between fingerprint replicas. Results demonstrate that fingerprint topography substantially impacts skin-surface vibrational transmission. Specifically, Parks' fingerprint structure conveyed higher frequencies more clearly than those of Nixon, King, or Reagan. This work suggests individual fingerprint ridge morphological variation influences tactile perception and can confer adaptive advantages for fine texture discrimination. The flexible bioinspired sensor provides new insights into human vibrotactile processing by modeling fingerprint-filtered mechanical signals at the finger-object interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senlin Hou
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Qingyun Huang
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Systems and Vibration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Hongyu Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Qingjiu Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Cong Wu
- Hong Kong Centre for Cerebro-cardiovascular Health Engineering (COCHE), Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Mengge Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Chen Meng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Kuanming Yao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Xinge Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical Systems and Vibration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Vellaisamy A L Roy
- School of Science and Technology, Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Walid Daoud
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Jianping Wang
- Department of Computer Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
| | - Wen Jung Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 999077, China
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Couteau C, Orieux M, Lainé C, Bocher R, Coiffard L. Feedback on a socio-aesthetic program for the benefit of young patients with self-endangerment. ANNALES PHARMACEUTIQUES FRANÇAISES 2024:S0003-4509(24)00101-9. [PMID: 38992832 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharma.2024.07.002] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Socio-aesthetics is a practice born in psychiatric departments but has since developed particularly in the field of oncology. For our part, since January 2018, we have initiated an experiment of this type at the Espace Unit of the CHU in Nantes, a unit that takes care of young patients who find themselves in a situation of crisis and endangerment of themselves. METHODS The qualitative evaluation of the interest of a socio-aesthetic mediation (relaxation modelling, facial care, make-up) with young patients was carried out by a collection of their feelings. RESULTS Youth who expressed an overall judgment of socio-esthetic mediation appreciated it in 61% of cases. They express their satisfaction with words such as "I liked", "I loved", "I'm happy", "it was too good", "super good" or "great". CONCLUSION This successful socio-aesthetic therapy practice experiment will continue with a quantitative analysis to demonstrate the relevance of this type of service to psychiatric patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Couteau
- LIEN EA 4685, Laboratoire de Pharmacie industrielle et de Cosmétologie, Nantes Université, Faculté de Pharmacie, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Marie Orieux
- LIEN EA 4685, Laboratoire de Pharmacie industrielle et de Cosmétologie, Nantes Université, Faculté de Pharmacie, 44000 Nantes, France; Service de Psychiatrie, Unité Espace, CHU de Nantes, 85, rue Saint-Jacques, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Christian Lainé
- Laboratoire Rivadis, 9, rue Marcel-Sembat, 44100 Nantes, France
| | - Rachel Bocher
- Service de Psychiatrie, Unité Espace, CHU de Nantes, 85, rue Saint-Jacques, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Laurence Coiffard
- LIEN EA 4685, Laboratoire de Pharmacie industrielle et de Cosmétologie, Nantes Université, Faculté de Pharmacie, 44000 Nantes, France.
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Ishibashi N, Uta D, Sawahata M, Kume T. Photobiomodulation transiently increases the spontaneous firing in the superficial layer of the rat spinal dorsal horn. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 729:150362. [PMID: 38972142 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150362] [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: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
The therapeutic benefits of photobiomodulation (PBM) in pain management, although well documented, are accompanied by concerns about potential risks, including pain, particularly at higher laser intensities. This study investigated the effects of laser intensity on pain perception using behavioral and electrophysiological evaluations in rats. Our results show that direct laser irradiation of 1000 mW/cm2 to the sciatic nerve transiently increases the frequency of spontaneous firing in the superficial layer without affecting the deep layer of the spinal dorsal horn, and this effect reverses to pre-irradiation levels after irradiation. Interestingly, laser irradiation at 1000 mW/cm2, which led to an increase in spontaneous firing, did not prompt escape behavior. Furthermore, a significant reduction in the time to initiate escape behavior was observed only at 9500 mW/cm2 compared to 15, 510, 1000, and 4300 mW/cm2. This suggests that 1000 mW/cm2, the laser intensity at which an increase in spontaneous firing was observed, corresponds to a stimulus that did not cause pain. It is expected that a detailed understanding of the risks and mechanisms of PBM from a neurophysiological perspective will lead to safer and more effective use of PBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Ishibashi
- Department of Applied Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan; Bio-medical Engineering Group, Drug Discovery Laboratory, Teijin Institute for Bio-Medical Research, Teijin Pharma Ltd., Tokyo, 191-8512, Japan
| | - Daisuke Uta
- Department of Applied Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan.
| | - Masahito Sawahata
- Department of Applied Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Kume
- Department of Applied Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama, 930-0194, Japan
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Burrai F, De Marinis MG, Piredda M. Virtual Reality During Chemotherapy Infusion: An Innovative Intervention in Holistic Nursing Practice. Holist Nurs Pract 2024; 38:220-226. [PMID: 37585475 DOI: 10.1097/hnp.0000000000000616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Patients with cancer receiving infusional chemotherapy show negative symptoms such as worry about their survival, anxiety, anguish, depression, fear, magnified perception of the passage of time, and difficulty managing boredom. Patients also suffer various side effects produced by chemotherapy such as nausea, vomiting, pain, and fatigue, which, together with psychological distress, drastically reduce their quality of life and adherence to therapy with a corresponding reduction in the probability of the individual's survival. Virtual Reality is one of the most innovative and promising digital health interventions, capable of quickly and effectively producing a positive influence on the psychosomatic axis, improving patients' quality of life during chemotherapy. Virtual Reality, through its 3-dimensional multisensory technology, isolates sensory channels from the negative external environment and enables an experience of being physically and psychologically present within virtual scenarios, in which patients can perceive sensations, emotions, cognitions, and interactions as if they really were in different surroundings. This article systematically expounds the scientific conditions necessary for effective, appropriate, and safe implementation of Virtual Reality interventions in holistic nursing practice, describing the underpinning conceptual framework, the types, technological characteristics, methods of use, duration, type of virtual content, and implementation procedure of Virtual Reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Burrai
- Author Affiliations: Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, PhD School in Nursing Sciences and Public Health, University of Rome "Tor Vergata," Rome, Italy (Dr Burrai); Department of Medicine and Surgery, Research Unit Nursing Science, Campus Bio-Medico of Rome University, Rome, Italy (Ms De Marinis); and Department of Medicine and Surgery, Research Unit Nursing Science, Campus Bio-Medico of Rome University, Rome, Italy (Dr Piredda)
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Reynders A, Anissa Jhumka Z, Gaillard S, Mantilleri A, Malapert P, Magalon K, Etzerodt A, Salio C, Ugolini S, Castets F, Saurin AJ, Serino M, Hoeffel G, Moqrich A. Gut microbiota promotes pain chronicity in Myosin1A deficient male mice. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 119:750-766. [PMID: 38710336 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a heavily debilitating condition and a huge socio-economic burden, with no efficient treatment. Over the past decade, the gut microbiota has emerged as an important regulator of nervous system's health and disease states. Yet, its contribution to the pathogenesis of chronic somatic pain remains poorly documented. Here, we report that male but not female mice lacking Myosin1a (KO) raised under single genotype housing conditions (KO-SGH) are predisposed to develop chronic pain in response to a peripheral tissue injury. We further underscore the potential of MYO1A loss-of-function to alter the composition of the gut microbiota and uncover a functional connection between the vulnerability to chronic pain and the dysbiotic gut microbiota of KO-SGH males. As such, parental antibiotic treatment modifies gut microbiota composition and completely rescues the injury-induced pain chronicity in male KO-SGH offspring. Furthermore, in KO-SGH males, this dysbiosis is accompanied by a transcriptomic activation signature in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) macrophage compartment, in response to tissue injury. We identify CD206+CD163- and CD206+CD163+ as the main subsets of DRG resident macrophages and show that both are long-lived and self-maintained and exhibit the capacity to monitor the vasculature. Consistently, in vivo depletion of DRG macrophages rescues KO-SGH males from injury-induced chronic pain underscoring a deleterious role for DRG macrophages in a Myo1a-loss-of function context. Together, our findings reveal gene-sex-microbiota interactions in determining the predisposition to injury-induced chronic pain and point-out DRG macrophages as potential effector cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Reynders
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Marseille, France.
| | - Z Anissa Jhumka
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | | | - Annabelle Mantilleri
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Pascale Malapert
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Karine Magalon
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Anders Etzerodt
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Chiara Salio
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco, TO, Italy
| | - Sophie Ugolini
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, INSER, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Francis Castets
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Andrew J Saurin
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Marseille, France
| | - Matteo Serino
- Institut de Recherche en Santé Digestive, Université de Toulouse-Paul Sabatier, INSERM, INRAe, ENVT, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Guillaume Hoeffel
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, INSER, Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Marseille, France
| | - Aziz Moqrich
- Aix-Marseille-Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, Marseille, France.
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Zhou W, Yu Y, Xiao P, Deng F, Zhang Y, Chen T. A Suspended, 3D Morphing Sensory System for Robots to Feel and Protect. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2403447. [PMID: 38728424 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202403447] [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: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Artificial sensory systems with synergistic touch and pain perception hold substantial promise for environment interaction and human-robot communication. However, the realization of biological skin-like functional integration of sensors with sensitive touch and pain perception still remains a challenge. Here, a concept is proposed of suspended electronic skins enabling 3D deformation-mechanical contact interactions for achieving synergetic ultrasensitive touch and adjustable pain perception. The suspended sensory system can sensitively capture tiny touch stimuli as low as 0.02 Pa and actively perceive pain response with reliable 5200 cycles via 3D deformation and mechanical contact mechanism, respectively. Based on the touch-pain effect, a visualized feedback demo with miniaturized sensor arrays on artificial fingers is rationally designed to give a pain perception mapping on sharp surfaces. Furthermore, the capability is shown of the suspended electronic skin serving as a safe human-robot communication interface from active and passive view through a feedback control system, demonstrating potential in bionic electronics and intelligent robotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi Yu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Peng Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Feng Deng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Marine Materials, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
- College of Material Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, China
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13
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Lamorie-Foote K, Kramer DR, Sundaram S, Cavaleri J, Gilbert ZD, Tang AM, Bashford L, Liu CY, Kellis S, Lee B. Primary somatosensory cortex organization for engineering artificial somatosensation. Neurosci Res 2024; 204:1-13. [PMID: 38278220 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2024.01.005] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Somatosensory deficits from stroke, spinal cord injury, or other neurologic damage can lead to a significant degree of functional impairment. The primary (SI) and secondary (SII) somatosensory cortices encode information in a medial to lateral organization. SI is generally organized topographically, with more discrete cortical representations of specific body regions. SII regions corresponding to anatomical areas are less discrete and may represent a more functional rather than topographic organization. Human somatosensory research continues to map cortical areas of sensory processing with efforts primarily focused on hand and upper extremity information in SI. However, research into SII and other body regions is lacking. In this review, we synthesize the current state of knowledge regarding the cortical organization of human somatosensation and discuss potential applications for brain computer interface. In addition to accurate individualized mapping of cortical somatosensation, further research is required to uncover the neurophysiological mechanisms of how somatosensory information is encoded in the cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krista Lamorie-Foote
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Daniel R Kramer
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, United States
| | - Shivani Sundaram
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
| | - Jonathon Cavaleri
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Zachary D Gilbert
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Austin M Tang
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Texas at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Luke Bashford
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, T&C Chen Institute for Neuroscience, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States; Department of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Charles Y Liu
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; USC Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Spencer Kellis
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; USC Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Brian Lee
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; USC Neurorestoration Center, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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14
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Rogers ER, Capogrosso M, Lempka SF. Biophysics of Frequency-Dependent Variation in Paresthesia and Pain Relief during Spinal Cord Stimulation. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e2199232024. [PMID: 38744531 PMCID: PMC11211721 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2199-23.2024] [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: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The neurophysiological effects of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for chronic pain are poorly understood, resulting in inefficient failure-prone programming protocols and inadequate pain relief. Nonetheless, novel stimulation patterns are regularly introduced and adopted clinically. Traditionally, paresthetic sensation is considered necessary for pain relief, although novel paradigms provide analgesia without paresthesia. However, like pain relief, the neurophysiological underpinnings of SCS-induced paresthesia are unknown. Here, we paired biophysical modeling with clinical paresthesia thresholds (of both sexes) to investigate how stimulation frequency affects the neural response to SCS relevant to paresthesia and analgesia. Specifically, we modeled the dorsal column (DC) axonal response, dorsal column nucleus (DCN) synaptic transmission, conduction failure within DC fiber collaterals, and dorsal horn network output. Importantly, we found that high-frequency stimulation reduces DC fiber activation thresholds, which in turn accurately predicts clinical paresthesia perception thresholds. Furthermore, we show that high-frequency SCS produces asynchronous DC fiber spiking and ultimately asynchronous DCN output, offering a plausible biophysical basis for why high-frequency SCS is less comfortable and produces qualitatively different sensation than low-frequency stimulation. Finally, we demonstrate that the model dorsal horn network output is sensitive to SCS-inherent variations in spike timing, which could contribute to heterogeneous pain relief across patients. Importantly, we show that model DC fiber collaterals cannot reliably follow high-frequency stimulation, strongly affecting the network output and typically producing antinociceptive effects at high frequencies. Altogether, these findings clarify how SCS affects the nervous system and provide insight into the biophysics of paresthesia generation and pain relief.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan R Rogers
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
| | - Marco Capogrosso
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
- Rehab and Neural Engineering Labs, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Scott F Lempka
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
- Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109
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15
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Bhuiyan SA, Xu M, Yang L, Semizoglou E, Bhatia P, Pantaleo KI, Tochitsky I, Jain A, Erdogan B, Blair S, Cat V, Mwirigi JM, Sankaranarayanan I, Tavares-Ferreira D, Green U, McIlvried LA, Copits BA, Bertels Z, Del Rosario JS, Widman AJ, Slivicki RA, Yi J, Sharif-Naeini R, Woolf CJ, Lennerz JK, Whited JL, Price TJ, Robert W Gereau Iv, Renthal W. Harmonized cross-species cell atlases of trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj9173. [PMID: 38905344 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj9173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and trigeminal ganglion (TG) are specialized to detect and transduce diverse environmental stimuli to the central nervous system. Single-cell RNA sequencing has provided insights into the diversity of sensory ganglia cell types in rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans, but it remains difficult to compare cell types across studies and species. We thus constructed harmonized atlases of the DRG and TG that describe and facilitate comparison of 18 neuronal and 11 non-neuronal cell types across six species and 31 datasets. We then performed single-cell/nucleus RNA sequencing of DRG from both human and the highly regenerative axolotl and found that the harmonized atlas also improves cell type annotation, particularly of sparse neuronal subtypes. We observed that the transcriptomes of sensory neuron subtypes are broadly similar across vertebrates, but the expression of functionally important neuropeptides and channels can vary notably. The resources presented here can guide future studies in comparative transcriptomics, simplify cell-type nomenclature differences across studies, and help prioritize targets for future analgesic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamsuddin A Bhuiyan
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Mengyi Xu
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain and Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Lite Yang
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Evangelia Semizoglou
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Parth Bhatia
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Katerina I Pantaleo
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ivan Tochitsky
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Aakanksha Jain
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Burcu Erdogan
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Steven Blair
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Victor Cat
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Juliet M Mwirigi
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Ishwarya Sankaranarayanan
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Diana Tavares-Ferreira
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Ursula Green
- Department of Pathology, Center for Integrated Diagnostics, Massachussetts General Hospital and Havard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Lisa A McIlvried
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Bryan A Copits
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Zachariah Bertels
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - John S Del Rosario
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Allie J Widman
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Richard A Slivicki
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jiwon Yi
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Reza Sharif-Naeini
- Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain and Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Clifford J Woolf
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurobiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 3 Blackfan Cir., Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jochen K Lennerz
- Department of Pathology, Center for Integrated Diagnostics, Massachussetts General Hospital and Havard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jessica L Whited
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Theodore J Price
- Department of Neuroscience and Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Robert W Gereau Iv
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - William Renthal
- Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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16
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Gong Y, Zhang K, Lei IM, Wang Y, Zhong J. Advances in Piezoelectret Materials-Based Bidirectional Haptic Communication Devices. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024:e2405308. [PMID: 38895922 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202405308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2024] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Bidirectional haptic communication devices accelerate the revolution of virtual/augmented reality and flexible/wearable electronics. As an emerging kind of flexible piezoelectric materials, piezoelectret materials can effortlessly convert mechanical force into electrical signals and respond to electrical fields in a deformation manner, exhibiting enormous potential in the construction of bidirectional haptic communication devices. Existing reviews on piezoelectret materials primarily focus on flexible energy harvesters and sensors, and the recent development of piezoelectret-based bidirectional haptic communication devices has not been comprehensively reviewed. Herein, a comprehensive overview of the materials construction, along with the recent advances in bidirectional haptic communication devices, is provided. First, the development timeline, key characteristics, and various fabrication methods of piezoelectret materials are introduced. Subsequently, following the underlying mechanisms of bidirectional electromechanical signal conversion of piezoelectret, strategies to improve the d33 coefficients of materials are proposed. The principles of haptic perception and feedback are also highlighted, and representative works and progress in this area are summarized. Finally, the challenges and opportunities associated with improving the overall practicability of piezoelectret materials-based bidirectional haptic communication devices are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanting Gong
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering and Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, University of Macau, Macau, SAR, 999078, China
| | - Kaijun Zhang
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering and Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, University of Macau, Macau, SAR, 999078, China
| | - Iek Man Lei
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering and Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, University of Macau, Macau, SAR, 999078, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT), Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, China
| | - Junwen Zhong
- Department of Electromechanical Engineering and Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, University of Macau, Macau, SAR, 999078, China
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17
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Zhang C, Tong F, Zhou B, He M, Liu S, Zhou X, Ma Q, Feng T, Du WJ, Yang H, Xu H, Xiao L, Xu ZZ, Zhu C, Wu R, Wang YQ, Han Q. TMC6 functions as a GPCR-like receptor to sense noxious heat via Gαq signaling. Cell Discov 2024; 10:66. [PMID: 38886367 PMCID: PMC11183229 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-024-00678-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Thermosensation is vital for the survival, propagation, and adaption of all organisms, but its mechanism is not fully understood yet. Here, we find that TMC6, a membrane protein of unknown function, is highly expressed in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and functions as a Gαq-coupled G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-like receptor to sense noxious heat. TMC6-deficient mice display a substantial impairment in noxious heat sensation while maintaining normal perception of cold, warmth, touch, and mechanical pain. Further studies show that TMC6 interacts with Gαq via its intracellular C-terminal region spanning Ser780 to Pro810. Specifically disrupting such interaction using polypeptide in DRG neurons, genetically ablating Gαq, or pharmacologically blocking Gαq-coupled GPCR signaling can replicate the phenotype of TMC6 deficient mice regarding noxious heat sensation. Noxious heat stimulation triggers intracellular calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of TMC6- but not control vector-transfected HEK293T cell, which can be significantly inhibited by blocking PLC or IP3R. Consistently, noxious heat-induced intracellular Ca2+ release from ER and action potentials of DRG neurons largely reduced when ablating TMC6 or blocking Gαq/PLC/IP3R signaling pathway as well. In summary, our findings indicate that TMC6 can directly function as a Gαq-coupled GPCR-like receptor sensing noxious heat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Zhang
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Tong
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingdong He
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomeng Zhou
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Ma
- School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tianyu Feng
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wan-Jie Du
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huan Yang
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Xiao
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen-Zhong Xu
- School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Cheng Zhu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Ruiqi Wu
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yan-Qing Wang
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qingjian Han
- Shanghai Stomatological Hospital & School of Stomatology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Integrative Medicine and Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Craniomaxillofacial Development and Diseases, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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18
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Cuendias P, Vega JA, García-Suárez O, Suazo I, Cobo R, García-Piqueras J, García-Mesa Y. Axonal and Glial PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 Immunoreactivity in Human Clitoral Krause's Corpuscles. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6722. [PMID: 38928429 PMCID: PMC11203881 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126722] [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: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Krause's corpuscles are typical of cutaneous mucous epithelia, like the lip vermillion or the glans clitoridis, and are associated with rapidly adapting low-threshold mechanoreceptors involved in gentle touch or vibration. PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 are transmembrane mechano-gated proteins that form a part of the cationic ion channels required for mechanosensitivity in mammalian cells. They are involved in somatosensitivity, especially in the different qualities of touch, but also in pain and proprioception. In the present study, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to analyze the occurrence and cellular location of PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 in human clitoral Krause's corpuscles. Both PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 were detected in Krause's corpuscles in both the axon and the terminal glial cells. The presence of PIEZOs in the terminal glial cells of Kraus's corpuscles is reported here for the first time. Based on the distribution of PIEZO1 and PIEZO2, it may be assumed they could be involved in mechanical stimuli, sexual behavior, and sexual pleasure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Cuendias
- Grupo de Investigación SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain; (P.C.); (J.A.V.); (O.G.-S.); (J.G.-P.)
| | - José A. Vega
- Grupo de Investigación SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain; (P.C.); (J.A.V.); (O.G.-S.); (J.G.-P.)
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Providencia, Santiago de Chile 4810010, Chile;
| | - Olivia García-Suárez
- Grupo de Investigación SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain; (P.C.); (J.A.V.); (O.G.-S.); (J.G.-P.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Iván Suazo
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Providencia, Santiago de Chile 4810010, Chile;
| | - Ramón Cobo
- Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario “Marqués de Valdecilla”, 39008 Santander, Spain;
| | - Jorge García-Piqueras
- Grupo de Investigación SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain; (P.C.); (J.A.V.); (O.G.-S.); (J.G.-P.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Spain
- Departamento de Anatomía, Histología y Neurociencia, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Yolanda García-Mesa
- Grupo de Investigación SINPOS, Departamento de Morfología y Biología Celular, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain; (P.C.); (J.A.V.); (O.G.-S.); (J.G.-P.)
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), 33011 Oviedo, Spain
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19
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Zhang D, Turecek J, Choi S, Delisle M, Pamplona CL, Meltzer S, Ginty DD. C-LTMRs mediate wet dog shakes via the spinoparabrachial pathway. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.10.597395. [PMID: 38915692 PMCID: PMC11195135 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.10.597395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Mammals perform rapid oscillations of their body- "wet dog shakes" -to remove water and irritants from their back hairy skin. The somatosensory mechanisms underlying this stereotypical behavior are unknown. We report that Piezo2-dependent mechanosensation mediates wet dog shakes evoked by water or oil droplets applied to hairy skin of mice. Unmyelinated low-threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs) were strongly activated by oil droplets and their optogenetic activation elicited wet dog shakes. Ablation of C-LTMRs attenuated this behavior. Moreover, C-LTMRs synaptically couple to spinoparabrachial (SPB) neurons, and optogenetically inhibiting SPB neuron synapses and excitatory neurons in the parabrachial nucleus impaired both oil droplet- and C-LTMR-evoked wet dog shakes. Thus, a C-LTMR- spinoparabrachial pathway mediates wet dog shakes for rapid and effective removal of foreign particles from back hairy skin.
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20
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Koren V, Emanuel AJ, Panzeri S. Spiking networks that efficiently process dynamic sensory features explain receptor information mixing in somatosensory cortex. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.07.597979. [PMID: 38895477 PMCID: PMC11185787 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.07.597979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
How do biological neural systems efficiently encode, transform and propagate information between the sensory periphery and the sensory cortex about sensory features evolving at different time scales? Are these computations efficient in normative information processing terms? While previous work has suggested that biologically plausible models of of such neural information processing may be implemented efficiently within a single processing layer, how such computations extend across several processing layers is less clear. Here, we model propagation of multiple time-varying sensory features across a sensory pathway, by extending the theory of efficient coding with spikes to efficient encoding, transformation and transmission of sensory signals. These computations are optimally realized by a multilayer spiking network with feedforward networks of spiking neurons (receptor layer) and recurrent excitatory-inhibitory networks of generalized leaky integrate-and-fire neurons (recurrent layers). Our model efficiently realizes a broad class of feature transformations, including positive and negative interaction across features, through specific and biologically plausible structures of feedforward connectivity. We find that mixing of sensory features in the activity of single neurons is beneficial because it lowers the metabolic cost at the network level. We apply the model to the somatosensory pathway by constraining it with parameters measured empirically and include in its last node, analogous to the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), two types of inhibitory neurons: parvalbumin-positive neurons realizing lateral inhibition, and somatostatin-positive neurons realizing winner-take-all inhibition. By implementing a negative interaction across stimulus features, this model captures several intriguing empirical observations from the somatosensory system of the mouse, including a decrease of sustained responses from subcortical networks to S1, a non-linear effect of the knock-out of receptor neuron types on the activity in S1, and amplification of weak signals from sensory neurons across the pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Koren
- Institute of Neural Information Processing, Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alan J Emanuel
- Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Stefano Panzeri
- Institute of Neural Information Processing, Center for Molecular Neurobiology (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20251 Hamburg, Germany
- Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
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21
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Amador GJ, van Oorschot BK, Liao C, Wu J, Wei D. Functional fibrillar interfaces: Biological hair as inspiration across scales. BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024; 15:664-677. [PMID: 38887525 PMCID: PMC11181169 DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.15.55] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Hair, or hair-like fibrillar structures, are ubiquitous in biology, from fur on the bodies of mammals, over trichomes of plants, to the mastigonemes on the flagella of single-celled organisms. While these long and slender protuberances are passive, they are multifunctional and help to mediate interactions with the environment. They provide thermal insulation, sensory information, reversible adhesion, and surface modulation (e.g., superhydrophobicity). This review will present various functions that biological hairs have been discovered to carry out, with the hairs spanning across six orders of magnitude in size, from the millimeter-thick fur of mammals down to the nanometer-thick fibrillar ultrastructures on bateriophages. The hairs are categorized according to their functions, including protection (e.g., thermal regulation and defense), locomotion, feeding, and sensing. By understanding the versatile functions of biological hairs, bio-inspired solutions may be developed across length scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo J Amador
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Brett Klaassen van Oorschot
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Caiying Liao
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Jianing Wu
- School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Da Wei
- Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
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22
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Song Y, Shahdadian S, Armstrong E, Brock E, Conrad SE, Acord S, Johnson YR, Marks W, Papadelis C. Spatiotemporal dynamics of cortical somatosensory network in typically developing children. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhae230. [PMID: 38836408 PMCID: PMC11151116 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhae230] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Sense of touch is essential for our interactions with external objects and fine control of hand actions. Despite extensive research on human somatosensory processing, it is still elusive how involved brain regions interact as a dynamic network in processing tactile information. Few studies probed temporal dynamics of somatosensory information flow and reported inconsistent results. Here, we examined cortical somatosensory processing through magnetic source imaging and cortico-cortical coupling dynamics. We recorded magnetoencephalography signals from typically developing children during unilateral pneumatic stimulation. Neural activities underlying somatosensory evoked fields were mapped with dynamic statistical parametric mapping, assessed with spatiotemporal activation analysis, and modeled by Granger causality. Unilateral pneumatic stimulation evoked prominent and consistent activations in the contralateral primary and secondary somatosensory areas but weaker and less consistent activations in the ipsilateral primary and secondary somatosensory areas. Activations in the contralateral primary motor cortex and supramarginal gyrus were also consistently observed. Spatiotemporal activation and Granger causality analysis revealed initial serial information flow from contralateral primary to supramarginal gyrus, contralateral primary motor cortex, and contralateral secondary and later dynamic and parallel information flows between the consistently activated contralateral cortical areas. Our study reveals the spatiotemporal dynamics of cortical somatosensory processing in the normal developing brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlong Song
- Neuroscience Research Center, Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, 500 UTA Blvd., Arlington, TX 76010, United States
- Departments of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Sadra Shahdadian
- Neuroscience Research Center, Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, 500 UTA Blvd., Arlington, TX 76010, United States
| | - Eryn Armstrong
- Neuroscience Research Center, Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
| | - Emily Brock
- Neuroscience Research Center, Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
| | - Shannon E Conrad
- Neuroscience Research Center, Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
| | - Stephanie Acord
- Neuroscience Research Center, Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
| | - Yvette R Johnson
- NEST Developmental Follow-up Center, Neonatology, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1521 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Burnett School of Medicine, Texas Christian University, TCU Box 297085, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States
| | - Warren Marks
- Neuroscience Research Center, Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
| | - Christos Papadelis
- Neuroscience Research Center, Jane and John Justin Institute for Mind Health, Cook Children’s Health Care System, 1500 Cooper St., Fort Worth, TX 76104, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Texas at Arlington, 500 UTA Blvd., Arlington, TX 76010, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, Burnett School of Medicine, Texas Christian University, TCU Box 297085, Fort Worth, TX 76129, United States
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23
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Falcão M, Monteiro P, Jacinto L. Tactile sensory processing deficits in genetic mouse models of autism spectrum disorder. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38837765 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Altered sensory processing is a common feature in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Although altered responses to tactile stimuli are observed in over 60% of individuals with ASD, the neurobiological basis of this phenomenon is poorly understood. ASD has a strong genetic component and genetic mouse models can provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying tactile abnormalities in ASD. This review critically addresses recent findings regarding tactile processing deficits found in mouse models of ASD, with a focus on behavioral, anatomical, and functional alterations. Particular attention was given to cellular and circuit-level functional alterations, both in the peripheral and central nervous systems, with the objective of highlighting possible convergence mechanisms across models. By elucidating the impact of mutations in ASD candidate genes on somatosensory circuits and correlating them with behavioral phenotypes, this review significantly advances our understanding of tactile deficits in ASD. Such insights not only broaden our comprehension but also pave the way for future therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Falcão
- Department of Biomedicine-Experimental Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Patricia Monteiro
- Department of Biomedicine-Experimental Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP), Porto, Portugal
| | - Luis Jacinto
- Department of Biomedicine-Experimental Biology Unit, Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto (FMUP), Porto, Portugal
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24
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Gonzalez-Rodriguez EA, Cepeda-Zapata LK, Rivas-Silva AA, Martinez-Gonzalez VG, Alonso-Valerdi LM, Ibarra-Zarate DI. NeuroSense: A non-invasive and configurable somatosensory stimulator with OPENVIBE communication. HARDWAREX 2024; 18:e00529. [PMID: 38690151 PMCID: PMC11059327 DOI: 10.1016/j.ohx.2024.e00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the somatosensory system and its abnormalities requires the development of devices that can accurately stimulate the human skin. New methods for assessing the somatosensory system can enhance the diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis for individuals with somatosensory impairments. Therefore, the design of NeuroSense, a tactile stimulator that evokes three types of daily life sensations (touch, air and vibration) is described in this work. The prototype aims to evoke quantitative assessments to evaluate the functionality of the somatosensory system and its abnormal conditions that affect the quality of life. In addition, the device has proven to have varying intensities and onset latencies that produces somatosensory evoked potentials and energy desynchronization on somatosensory cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick A. Gonzalez-Rodriguez
- Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, Pedro de Alba S/N, Niños Héroes, Ciudad Universitaria, 66455 San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L., Mexico
| | - Luis Kevin Cepeda-Zapata
- Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Tecnológico, 64849 Monterrey, N.L., Mexico
| | - Angel Antonio Rivas-Silva
- Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, Pedro de Alba S/N, Niños Héroes, Ciudad Universitaria, 66455 San Nicolás de los Garza, N.L., Mexico
| | - Vania G. Martinez-Gonzalez
- Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Tecnológico, 64849 Monterrey, N.L., Mexico
| | - Luz Maria Alonso-Valerdi
- Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Tecnológico, 64849 Monterrey, N.L., Mexico
| | - David Isaac Ibarra-Zarate
- Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, Tecnológico, 64849 Monterrey, N.L., Mexico
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25
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Zavitsanou AM, Abdus-Saboor I. Sex organs sense vibrations through specialized touch neurons. Nature 2024; 630:822-823. [PMID: 38898250 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-01645-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
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26
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Yilmaz K, Akkoyun Sert O, Bagcaci S, Kimyongok O. The effect of brace use on balance in individuals with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Prosthet Orthot Int 2024; 48:276-283. [PMID: 37498786 DOI: 10.1097/pxr.0000000000000261] [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: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) have poorer standing balance compared with their healthy peers. However, the immediate effects of the braces used in the treatment on balance remain uncertain. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of brace use on balance and weight-bearing symmetry in patients with AIS and to compare the results of different brace designs. STUDY DESIGN Observational. METHODS A total of 21 patients with AIS aged 10-17 years using 10 Boston and 11 Cheneau braces participated. Immediate balance and weight-bearing symmetries of patients with and without their own braces were evaluated. Balance assessment was performed using the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) on a computerized dynamic posturography device. Weight-bearing symmetry was evaluated on the computerized dynamic posturography device with the knees in full extension, with the knees flexed at 30°, 60°, and 90°. RESULTS Regardless of its design, it was found that brace use had no effect on immediate balance and weight-bearing symmetry ( p > 0.05). Of the patients using a Boston brace, unbraced SOT condition 2, 3, and 5 and composite scores were found to be higher than their braced scores ( p < 0.05). Braced SOT condition 3 scores of the patients using a Cheneau brace were higher than those using a Boston brace ( p = 0.037). Brace use and brace types have no statistical effect on weight-bearing symmetry. CONCLUSIONS It was observed that brace use in patients with AIS has no positive effect on immediate balance and weight-bearing symmetry, and the use of Boston brace negatively affects immediate balance scores and increases visual dependence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Yilmaz
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, KTO Karatay University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Ozlem Akkoyun Sert
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, KTO Karatay University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Sinan Bagcaci
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, KTO Karatay University, Konya, Turkey
| | - Ozan Kimyongok
- UMUT Orthopedics Prosthetic Orthotic Center, Konya, Turkey
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27
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Mi X, Chen ABY, Duarte D, Carey E, Taylor CR, Braaker PN, Bright M, Almeida RG, Lim JX, Ruetten VMS, Zheng W, Wang M, Reitman ME, Wang Y, Poskanzer KE, Lyons DA, Nimmerjahn A, Ahrens MB, Yu G. Fast, Accurate, and Versatile Data Analysis Platform for the Quantification of Molecular Spatiotemporal Signals. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.02.592259. [PMID: 38766026 PMCID: PMC11100599 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.02.592259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Optical recording of intricate molecular dynamics is becoming an indispensable technique for biological studies, accelerated by the development of new or improved biosensors and microscopy technology. This creates major computational challenges to extract and quantify biologically meaningful spatiotemporal patterns embedded within complex and rich data sources, many of which cannot be captured with existing methods. Here, we introduce Activity Quantification and Analysis (AQuA2), a fast, accurate, and versatile data analysis platform built upon advanced machine learning techniques. It decomposes complex live imaging-based datasets into elementary signaling events, allowing accurate and unbiased quantification of molecular activities and identification of consensus functional units. We demonstrate applications across a wide range of biosensors, cell types, organs, animal models, and imaging modalities. As exemplar findings, we show how AQuA2 identified drug-dependent interactions between neurons and astroglia, and distinct sensorimotor signal propagation patterns in the mouse spinal cord.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuelong Mi
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Alex Bo-Yuan Chen
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Daniela Duarte
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Erin Carey
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Charlotte R. Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Philipp N. Braaker
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Mark Bright
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Rafael G. Almeida
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Jing-Xuan Lim
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Virginia M. S. Ruetten
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
- Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, UCL, London W1T 4JG, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Mengfan Wang
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Michael E. Reitman
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yizhi Wang
- Bradley Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Arlington, VA 22203, USA
| | - Kira E. Poskanzer
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David A. Lyons
- Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK
| | - Axel Nimmerjahn
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Misha B. Ahrens
- Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA
| | - Guoqiang Yu
- Department of Automation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Lead contact
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28
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Kubíčková L, Dubový P. Dynamics of Cellular Regulation of Fractalkine/CX3CL1 and Its Receptor CX3CR1 in the Rat Trigeminal Subnucleus Caudalis after Unilateral Infraorbital Nerve Lesion-Extended Cellular Signaling of the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 Axis in the Development of Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6069. [PMID: 38892268 PMCID: PMC11172820 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116069] [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: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The cellular distribution and changes in CX3CL1/fractalkine and its receptor CX3CR1 protein levels in the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (TSC) of rats with unilateral infraorbital nerve ligation (IONL) were investigated on postoperation days 1, 3, 7, and 14 (POD1, POD3, POD7, and POD14, respectively) and compared with those of sham-operated and naïve controls. Behavioral tests revealed a significant increase in tactile hypersensitivity bilaterally in the vibrissal pads of both sham- and IONL-operated animals from POD1 to POD7, with a trend towards normalization in sham controls at POD14. Image analysis revealed increased CX3CL1 immunofluorescence (IF) intensities bilaterally in the TSC neurons of both sham- and IONL-operated rats at all survival periods. Reactive astrocytes in the ipsilateral TSC also displayed CX3CL1-IF from POD3 to POD14. At POD1 and POD3, microglial cells showed high levels of CX3CR1-IF, which decreased by POD7 and POD14. Conversely, CX3CR1 was increased in TSC neurons and reactive astrocytes at POD7 and POD14, which coincided with high levels of CX3CL1-IF and ADAM17-IF. This indicates that CX3CL1/CX3CR1 may be involved in reciprocal signaling between TSC neurons and reactive astrocytes. The level of CatS-IF in microglial cells suggests that soluble CX3CL1 may be involved in neuron-microglial cell signaling at POD3 and POD7, while ADAM17 allows this release at all studied time points. These results indicate an extended CX3CL1/CX3CR1 signaling axis and its role in the crosstalk between TSC neurons and glial cells during the development of trigeminal neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Petr Dubový
- Cellular and Molecular Research Group, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Kamenice 3, CZ-62500 Brno, Czech Republic;
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Xu J, Sun Y, Zhu X, Pan S, Tong Z, Jiang K. Tactile discrimination as a diagnostic indicator of cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A narrative review. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31256. [PMID: 38803967 PMCID: PMC11129005 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Tactile discrimination, a cognitive task reliant on fingertip touch for stimulus discrimination, encompasses the somatosensory system and working memory, with its acuity diminishing with advancing age. Presently, the evaluation of cognitive capacity to differentiate between individuals with early Alzheimer's disease (AD) and typical older adults predominantly relies on visual or auditory tasks, yet the efficacy of discrimination remains constrained. Aims To review the existing tactile cognitive tasks and explore the interaction between tactile perception and the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease. The tactile discrimination task may be used as a reference index of cognitive decline in patients with mild cognitive impairment and provide a new method for clinical evaluation. Methods We searched four databases (Embase, PubMed, Web of Science and Google scholar). The reference coverage was from 1936 to 2023. The search terms included "Alzheimer disease" "mild cognitive impairment" "tactile" "tactile discrimination" "tactile test" and so on. Reviews and experimental reports in the field were examined and the effectiveness of different types of tactile tasks was compared. Main results Individuals in the initial phases of Alzheimer's spectrum disease, specifically those in the stage of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), exhibit notable impairments in tasks involving tactile discrimination. These tasks possess certain merits, such as their quick and straightforward comparability, independence from educational background, and ability to circumvent the limitations associated with conventional cognitive assessment scales. Furthermore, tactile discrimination tasks offer enhanced accuracy compared to cognitive tasks that employ visual or auditory stimuli. Conclusions Tactile discrimination has the potential to serve as an innovative reference indicator for the swift diagnosis of clinical MCI patients, thereby assisting in the screening process on a clinical scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinan Xu
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Yuqi Sun
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Xianghe Zhu
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Sipei Pan
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Zhiqian Tong
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, The Affiliated Wenzhou Kangning Hospital, School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- Center for Applied Psychological Research (Ningbo), School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical University, Cixi, 315300, China
- School of Mental Health, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
- Center for Brain, Mind and Education, Shaoxing University, China
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30
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Yoshinaga Y, Sato N. Reach-to-Grasp and tactile discrimination task: A new task for the study of sensory-motor learning. Behav Brain Res 2024; 466:115007. [PMID: 38648867 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115007] [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: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Although active touch in rodents arises from the forepaws as well as whiskers, most research on active touch only focuses on whiskers. This results in a paucity of tasks designed to assess the process of active touch with a forepaw. We develop a new experimental task, the Reach-to-Grasp and Tactile Discrimination task (RGTD task), to examine active touch with a forepaw in rodents, particularly changes in processes of active touch during motor skill learning. In the RGTD task, animals are required to (1) extend their forelimb to an object, (2) grasp the object, and (3) manipulate the grasped object with the forelimb. The animals must determine the direction of the manipulation based on active touch sensations arising during the period of the grasping. In experiment 1 of the present study, we showed that rats can learn the RGTD task. In experiment 2, we confirmed that the rats are capable of reversal learning of the RGTD task. The RGTD task shared most of the reaching movements involved with conventional forelimb reaching tasks. From the standpoint of a discrimination task, the RGTD task enables rigorous experimental control, for example by removing bias in the stimulus-response correspondence, and makes it possible to utilize diverse experimental procedures that have been difficult in prior tasks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yudai Yoshinaga
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1-1-155, Uegahara, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 662-8501, Japan; Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan
| | - Nobuya Sato
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Kwansei Gakuin University, 1-1-155, Uegahara, Nishinomiya, Hyogo 662-8501, Japan; Center for Applied Psychological Science (CAPS), Kwansei Gakuin University, 1-1-155, Uegahara, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.
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31
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Wu Y, Temple BA, Sevilla N, Zhang J, Zhu H, Zolotavin P, Jin Y, Duarte D, Sanders E, Azim E, Nimmerjahn A, Pfaff SL, Luan L, Xie C. Ultraflexible electrodes for recording neural activity in the mouse spinal cord during motor behavior. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114199. [PMID: 38728138 PMCID: PMC11233142 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114199] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Implantable electrode arrays are powerful tools for directly interrogating neural circuitry in the brain, but implementing this technology in the spinal cord in behaving animals has been challenging due to the spinal cord's significant motion with respect to the vertebral column during behavior. Consequently, the individual and ensemble activity of spinal neurons processing motor commands remains poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that custom ultraflexible 1-μm-thick polyimide nanoelectronic threads can conduct laminar recordings of many neuronal units within the lumbar spinal cord of unrestrained, freely moving mice. The extracellular action potentials have high signal-to-noise ratio, exhibit well-isolated feature clusters, and reveal diverse patterns of activity during locomotion. Furthermore, chronic recordings demonstrate the stable tracking of single units and their functional tuning over multiple days. This technology provides a path for elucidating how spinal circuits compute motor actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Wu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Benjamin A Temple
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Neurosciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Nicole Sevilla
- Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jiaao Zhang
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hanlin Zhu
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pavlo Zolotavin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yifu Jin
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Daniela Duarte
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Elischa Sanders
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Eiman Azim
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Axel Nimmerjahn
- Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Samuel L Pfaff
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Lan Luan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Chong Xie
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA; Rice Neuroengineering Initiative, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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32
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Ding K, Rakhshan M, Paredes-Acuña N, Cheng G, Thakor NV. Sensory integration for neuroprostheses: from functional benefits to neural correlates. Med Biol Eng Comput 2024:10.1007/s11517-024-03118-8. [PMID: 38760597 DOI: 10.1007/s11517-024-03118-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
In the field of sensory neuroprostheses, one ultimate goal is for individuals to perceive artificial somatosensory information and use the prosthesis with high complexity that resembles an intact system. To this end, research has shown that stimulation-elicited somatosensory information improves prosthesis perception and task performance. While studies strive to achieve sensory integration, a crucial phenomenon that entails naturalistic interaction with the environment, this topic has not been commensurately reviewed. Therefore, here we present a perspective for understanding sensory integration in neuroprostheses. First, we review the engineering aspects and functional outcomes in sensory neuroprosthesis studies. In this context, we summarize studies that have suggested sensory integration. We focus on how they have used stimulation-elicited percepts to maximize and improve the reliability of somatosensory information. Next, we review studies that have suggested multisensory integration. These works have demonstrated that congruent and simultaneous multisensory inputs provided cognitive benefits such that an individual experiences a greater sense of authority over prosthesis movements (i.e., agency) and perceives the prosthesis as part of their own (i.e., ownership). Thereafter, we present the theoretical and neuroscience framework of sensory integration. We investigate how behavioral models and neural recordings have been applied in the context of sensory integration. Sensory integration models developed from intact-limb individuals have led the way to sensory neuroprosthesis studies to demonstrate multisensory integration. Neural recordings have been used to show how multisensory inputs are processed across cortical areas. Lastly, we discuss some ongoing research and challenges in achieving and understanding sensory integration in sensory neuroprostheses. Resolving these challenges would help to develop future strategies to improve the sensory feedback of a neuroprosthetic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keqin Ding
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Mohsen Rakhshan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
- Disability, Aging, and Technology Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, 32816, USA
| | - Natalia Paredes-Acuña
- Institute for Cognitive Systems, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 80333, Munich, Germany
| | - Gordon Cheng
- Institute for Cognitive Systems, School of Computation, Information and Technology, Technical University of Munich, 80333, Munich, Germany
| | - Nitish V Thakor
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Zhang L, Nagel M, Olson WP, Chesler AT, O'Connor DH. Trigeminal innervation and tactile responses in mouse tongue. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.08.17.553449. [PMID: 37645855 PMCID: PMC10462066 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.17.553449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian tongue is richly innervated with somatosensory, gustatory and motor fibers. These form the basis of many ethologically important functions such as eating, speaking and social grooming. Despite its high tactile acuity and sensitivity, the neural basis of tongue mechanosensation remains largely mysterious. Here we explored the organization of mechanosensory afferents in the tongue and found that each lingual papilla is innervated by Piezo2 + trigeminal neurons. Notably, each fungiform papilla contained highly specialized ring-like sensory neuron terminations that asymmetrically circumscribe the taste buds. Myelinated lingual afferents in the mouse lingual papillae did not form corpuscular sensory end organs but rather had only free nerve endings. In vivo single-unit recordings from the trigeminal ganglion revealed lingual low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) with conduction velocities in the Aδ range or above and distinct adaptation properties ranging from intermediately adapting (IA) to rapidly adapting (RA). IA units were sensitive to both static indentation and stroking, while RA units had a preference for tangential forces applied by stroking. Lingual LTMRs were not directly responsive to rapid cooling or chemicals that can induce astringent or numbing sensations. Sparse labeling of lingual afferents in the tongue revealed distinct terminal morphologies and innervation patterns in fungiform and filiform papillae. Together, our results indicate that fungiform papillae are mechanosensory structures, while suggesting a simple model that links the functional and anatomical properties of tactile sensory neurons in the tongue.
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Lee SYJ, Dallmann CJ, Cook AP, Tuthill JC, Agrawal S. Divergent neural circuits for proprioceptive and exteroceptive sensing of the Drosophila leg. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.23.590808. [PMID: 38712128 PMCID: PMC11071415 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.23.590808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Somatosensory neurons provide the nervous system with information about mechanical forces originating inside and outside the body. Here, we use connectomics to reconstruct and analyze neural circuits downstream of the largest somatosensory organ in the Drosophila leg, the femoral chordotonal organ (FeCO). The FeCO has been proposed to support both proprioceptive sensing of the fly's femur-tibia joint and exteroceptive sensing of substrate vibrations, but it remains unknown which sensory neurons and central circuits contribute to each of these functions. We found that different subtypes of FeCO sensory neurons feed into distinct proprioceptive and exteroceptive pathways. Position- and movement-encoding FeCO neurons connect to local leg motor control circuits in the ventral nerve cord (VNC), indicating a proprioceptive function. In contrast, signals from the vibration-encoding FeCO neurons are integrated across legs and transmitted to auditory regions in the brain, indicating an exteroceptive function. Overall, our analyses reveal the structure of specialized circuits for processing proprioceptive and exteroceptive signals from the fly leg. They also demonstrate how analyzing patterns of synaptic connectivity can distill organizing principles from complex sensorimotor circuits.
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George DS, Jayaraj ND, Pacifico P, Ren D, Sriram N, Miller RE, Malfait AM, Miller RJ, Menichella DM. The Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor d (Mrgprd) mediates pain hypersensitivity in painful diabetic neuropathy. Pain 2024; 165:1154-1168. [PMID: 38147415 PMCID: PMC11017747 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003120] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is one of the most common and intractable complications of diabetes. Painful diabetic neuropathy is characterized by neuropathic pain accompanied by dorsal root ganglion (DRG) nociceptor hyperexcitability, axonal degeneration, and changes in cutaneous innervation. However, the complete molecular profile underlying the hyperexcitable cellular phenotype of DRG nociceptors in PDN has not been elucidated. This gap in our knowledge is a critical barrier to developing effective, mechanism-based, and disease-modifying therapeutic approaches that are urgently needed to relieve the symptoms of PDN. Using single-cell RNA sequencing of DRGs, we demonstrated an increased expression of the Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor d (Mrgprd) in a subpopulation of DRG neurons in the well-established high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model of PDN. Importantly, limiting Mrgprd signaling reversed mechanical allodynia in the HFD mouse model of PDN. Furthermore, in vivo calcium imaging allowed us to demonstrate that activation of Mrgprd-positive cutaneous afferents that persist in diabetic mice skin resulted in an increased intracellular calcium influx into DRG nociceptors that we assess in vivo as a readout of nociceptors hyperexcitability. Taken together, our data highlight a key role of Mrgprd-mediated DRG neuron excitability in the generation and maintenance of neuropathic pain in a mouse model of PDN. Hence, we propose Mrgprd as a promising and accessible target for developing effective therapeutics currently unavailable for treating neuropathic pain in PDN.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Dongjun Ren
- Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Rachel E. Miller
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Anne-Marie Malfait
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Richard J. Miller
- Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Daniela Maria Menichella
- Departments of Neurology and
- Pharmacology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States
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Su J, Zhang H, Li H, He K, Tu J, Zhang F, Liu Z, Lv Z, Cui Z, Li Y, Li J, Tang LZ, Chen X. Skin-Inspired Multi-Modal Mechanoreceptors for Dynamic Haptic Exploration. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2311549. [PMID: 38363810 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202311549] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Active sensing is a fundamental aspect of human and animal interactions with the environment, providing essential information about the hardness, texture, and tackiness of objects. This ability stems from the presence of diverse mechanoreceptors in the skin, capable of detecting a wide range of stimuli and from the sensorimotor control of biological mechanisms. In contrast, existing tactile sensors for robotic applications typically excel in identifying only limited types of information, lacking the versatility of biological mechanoreceptors and the requisite sensing strategies to extract tactile information proactively. Here, inspired by human haptic perception, a skin-inspired artificial 3D mechanoreceptor (SENS) capable of detecting multiple mechanical stimuli is developed to bridge sensing and action in a closed-loop sensorimotor system for dynamic haptic exploration. A tensor-based non-linear theoretical model is established to characterize the 3D deformation (e.g., tensile, compressive, and shear deformation) of SENS, providing guidance for the design and optimization of multimode sensing properties with high fidelity. Based on SENS, a closed-loop robotic system capable of recognizing objects with improved accuracy (≈96%) is further demonstrated. This dynamic haptic exploration approach shows promise for a wide range of applications such as autonomous learning, healthcare, and space and deep-sea exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangtao Su
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Hang Zhang
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), The Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR) Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Haicheng Li
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Ke He
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), The Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR) Programme, Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Jiaqi Tu
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Feilong Zhang
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Zhihua Liu
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
| | - Zhisheng Lv
- Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore, 138634, Singapore
| | - Zequn Cui
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Yanzhen Li
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Jiaofu Li
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Leng Ze Tang
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
| | - Xiaodong Chen
- Innovative Centre for Flexible Devices (iFLEX), Max Planck-NTU Joint Lab for Artificial Senses, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore
- Institute for Digital Molecular Analytics and Science (IDMxS), Nanyang Technological University, 59 Nanyang Drive, Singapore, 636921, Singapore
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Seyyar GK, Aras O, Aras B, Turkmen U. Two-Point Discrimination for Upper Extremity and Face in Healthy Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study. Neurol India 2024; 72:540-545. [PMID: 39041970 DOI: 10.4103/ni.ni_1286_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM The threshold values of two-point discrimination (TPD) provide a numerical measure of tactile acuity. Normal reference values are needed to decide whether sensory variability is within normal sensorial limits. The study aimed to determine the upper extremity and face threshold values in healthy young adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS Static TPD thresholds of 67 healthy young adults aged 18-35 years were assessed. Eight skin areas in the face and upper extremity on the dominant side were assessed using a "method of limits" approach with an aesthesiometer. Differences between genders were examined with the Mann-Whitney U test. The Spearman correlation analysis investigated the relationship between age and TPD measurements. RESULTS TPD values ranged between 4.66 and 19.16 mm and 1.33-68.66 mm in the face and upper extremity, respectively, in the participants with a mean age of 23.83 ± 4.66 years. Fingertips and the area over the lateral mandibula showed the greatest sensitivity. The threshold values of TPD showed both interindividual and intraindividual variability. There was no statistical difference in the TPD values according to gender in any of the measured areas, and there was no relationship between age and TPD test values. CONCLUSIONS The threshold values of TPD have clinical applicability in various diseases affecting the sensation of the upper extremity and/or face. These data may help the detection of early sensory loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulce Kallem Seyyar
- Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kutahya Health Sciences University, Kutahya, Turkey
| | - Ozgen Aras
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kutahya Health Sciences University, Kutahya, Turkey
| | - Bahar Aras
- Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Kutahya Health Sciences University, Kutahya, Turkey
| | - Utku Turkmen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Yoncalı Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital, Kutahya, Turkey (The author's address where the work was conducted)
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Wang K, Liao Y, Li W, Li J, Su H, Chen R, Park JH, Zhang Y, Zhou X, Wu C, Liu Z, Guo T, Kim TW. Memory-electroluminescence for multiple action-potentials combination in bio-inspired afferent nerves. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3505. [PMID: 38664383 PMCID: PMC11045776 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47641-6] [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: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of optoelectronics mimicking the functions of the biological nervous system is important to artificial intelligence. This work demonstrates an optoelectronic, artificial, afferent-nerve strategy based on memory-electroluminescence spikes, which can realize multiple action-potentials combination through a single optical channel. The memory-electroluminescence spikes have diverse morphologies due to their history-dependent characteristics and can be used to encode distributed sensor signals. As the key to successful functioning of the optoelectronic, artificial afferent nerve, a driving mode for light-emitting diodes, namely, the non-carrier injection mode, is proposed, allowing it to drive nanoscale light-emitting diodes to generate a memory-electroluminescence spikes that has multiple sub-peaks. Moreover, multiplexing of the spikes can be obtained by using optical signals with different wavelengths, allowing for a large signal bandwidth, and the multiple action-potentials transmission process in afferent nerves can be demonstrated. Finally, sensor-position recognition with the bio-inspired afferent nerve is developed and shown to have a high recognition accuracy of 98.88%. This work demonstrates a strategy for mimicking biological afferent nerves and offers insights into the construction of artificial perception systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Wang
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Yitao Liao
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Wenhao Li
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Junlong Li
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Hao Su
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Rong Chen
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Jae Hyeon Park
- Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, Korea
| | - Yongai Zhang
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Xiongtu Zhou
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou, 350108, China
| | - Chaoxing Wu
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- Research and Development Center for Semiconductor Lighting Technology, Institute of Semiconductors, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Tailiang Guo
- College of Physics and Information Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
- Fujian Science & Technology Innovation Laboratory for Optoelectronic Information of China, Fuzhou, 350108, China.
| | - Tae Whan Kim
- Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 133-791, Korea.
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Upadhyay A, Gradwell MA, Vajtay TJ, Conner J, Sanyal AA, Azadegan C, Patel KR, Thackray JK, Bohic M, Imai F, Ogundare SO, Yoshida Y, Abdus-Saboor I, Azim E, Abraira VE. The Dorsal Column Nuclei Scale Mechanical Sensitivity in Naive and Neuropathic Pain States. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.20.581208. [PMID: 38712022 PMCID: PMC11071288 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.20.581208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Tactile perception relies on reliable transmission and modulation of low-threshold information as it travels from the periphery to the brain. During pathological conditions, tactile stimuli can aberrantly engage nociceptive pathways leading to the perception of touch as pain, known as mechanical allodynia. Two main drivers of peripheral tactile information, low-threshold mechanoreceptors (LTMRs) and postsynaptic dorsal column neurons (PSDCs), terminate in the brainstem dorsal column nuclei (DCN). Activity within the DRG, spinal cord, and DCN have all been implicated in mediating allodynia, yet the DCN remains understudied at the cellular, circuit, and functional levels compared to the other two. Here, we show that the gracile nucleus (Gr) of the DCN mediates tactile sensitivity for low-threshold stimuli and contributes to mechanical allodynia during neuropathic pain in mice. We found that the Gr contains local inhibitory interneurons in addition to thalamus-projecting neurons, which are differentially innervated by primary afferents and spinal inputs. Functional manipulations of these distinct Gr neuronal populations resulted in bidirectional changes to tactile sensitivity, but did not affect noxious mechanical or thermal sensitivity. During neuropathic pain, silencing Gr projection neurons or activating Gr inhibitory neurons was able to reduce tactile hypersensitivity, and enhancing inhibition was able to ameliorate paw withdrawal signatures of neuropathic pain, like shaking. Collectively, these results suggest that the Gr plays a specific role in mediating hypersensitivity to low-threshold, innocuous mechanical stimuli during neuropathic pain, and that Gr activity contributes to affective, pain-associated phenotypes of mechanical allodynia. Therefore, these brainstem circuits work in tandem with traditional spinal circuits underlying allodynia, resulting in enhanced signaling of tactile stimuli in the brain during neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aman Upadhyay
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Neuroscience PhD program at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Mark A Gradwell
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Thomas J Vajtay
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - James Conner
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Arnab A Sanyal
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Chloe Azadegan
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Komal R Patel
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joshua K Thackray
- Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Manon Bohic
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Fumiyasu Imai
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, New York City, New York, USA
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Simon O Ogundare
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Yutaka Yoshida
- Burke Neurological Institute, White Plains, New York City, New York, USA
- Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Ishmail Abdus-Saboor
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Eiman Azim
- Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
- Lead contact
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40
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Schnepel P, Paricio-Montesinos R, Ezquerra-Romano I, Haggard P, Poulet JFA. Cortical cellular encoding of thermotactile integration. Curr Biol 2024; 34:1718-1730.e3. [PMID: 38582078 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.018] [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: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 12/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that primary sensory cortical regions play a role in the integration of information from multiple sensory modalities. How primary cortical neurons integrate different sources of sensory information is unclear, partly because non-primary sensory input to a cortical sensory region is often weak or modulatory. To address this question, we take advantage of the robust representation of thermal (cooling) and tactile stimuli in mouse forelimb primary somatosensory cortex (fS1). Using a thermotactile detection task, we show that the perception of threshold-level cool or tactile information is enhanced when they are presented simultaneously, compared with presentation alone. To investigate the cortical cellular correlates of thermotactile integration, we performed in vivo extracellular recordings from fS1 in awake resting and anesthetized mice during unimodal and bimodal stimulation of the forepaw. Unimodal stimulation evoked thermal- or tactile- specific excitatory and inhibitory responses of fS1 neurons. The most prominent features of combined thermotactile stimulation are the recruitment of unimodally silent fS1 neurons, non-linear integration features, and response dynamics that favor longer response durations with additional spikes. Together, we identify quantitative and qualitative changes in cortical encoding that may underlie the improvement in perception of thermotactile surfaces during haptic exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Schnepel
- Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin-Buch, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ricardo Paricio-Montesinos
- Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin-Buch, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ivan Ezquerra-Romano
- Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin-Buch, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany; Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London (UCL), London WC1N 3AZ, UK
| | - Patrick Haggard
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London (UCL), London WC1N 3AZ, UK
| | - James F A Poulet
- Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin-Buch, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany; Neuroscience Research Center, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany.
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41
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Malapert P, Robert G, Brunet E, Chemin J, Bourinet E, Moqrich A. A novel Na v1.8-FLPo driver mouse for intersectional genetics to uncover the functional significance of primary sensory neuron diversity. iScience 2024; 27:109396. [PMID: 38510134 PMCID: PMC10952036 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109396] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The recent development of single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing has highlighted the extraordinary diversity of dorsal root ganglia neurons. However, the few available genetic tools limit our understanding of the functional significance of this heterogeneity. We generated a new mouse line expressing the flippase recombinase from the scn10a locus. By crossing Nav1.8Ires-FLPo mice with the AdvillinCre and RC::FL-hM3Dq mouse lines in an intersectional genetics approach, we were able to obtain somatodendritic expression of hM3Dq-mCherry selectively in the Nav1.8 lineage. The bath application of clozapine N-oxide triggered strong calcium responses selectively in mCherry+ neurons. The intraplantar injection of CNO caused robust flinching, shaking, and biting responses accompanied by strong cFos activation in the ipsilateral lumbar spinal cord. The Nav1.8Ires-FLPo mouse model will be a valuable tool for extending our understanding of the in vivo functional specialization of neuronal subsets of the Nav1.8 lineage for which inducible Cre lines are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascale Malapert
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, Marseille, France
| | - Guillaume Robert
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, Marseille, France
| | - Elena Brunet
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, Marseille, France
| | - Jean Chemin
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Emmanuel Bourinet
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle (IGF), Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Aziz Moqrich
- Aix-Marseille Université, CNRS, Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, UMR 7288, case 907, 13288 Marseille Cedex 09, Marseille, France
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42
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Eichler K, Hampel S, Alejandro-García A, Calle-Schuler SA, Santana-Cruz A, Kmecova L, Blagburn JM, Hoopfer ED, Seeds AM. Somatotopic organization among parallel sensory pathways that promote a grooming sequence in Drosophila. eLife 2024; 12:RP87602. [PMID: 38634460 PMCID: PMC11026096 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Mechanosensory neurons located across the body surface respond to tactile stimuli and elicit diverse behavioral responses, from relatively simple stimulus location-aimed movements to complex movement sequences. How mechanosensory neurons and their postsynaptic circuits influence such diverse behaviors remains unclear. We previously discovered that Drosophila perform a body location-prioritized grooming sequence when mechanosensory neurons at different locations on the head and body are simultaneously stimulated by dust (Hampel et al., 2017; Seeds et al., 2014). Here, we identify nearly all mechanosensory neurons on the Drosophila head that individually elicit aimed grooming of specific head locations, while collectively eliciting a whole head grooming sequence. Different tracing methods were used to reconstruct the projections of these neurons from different locations on the head to their distinct arborizations in the brain. This provides the first synaptic resolution somatotopic map of a head, and defines the parallel-projecting mechanosensory pathways that elicit head grooming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Eichler
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Stefanie Hampel
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Adrián Alejandro-García
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Steven A Calle-Schuler
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Alexis Santana-Cruz
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Lucia Kmecova
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Jonathan M Blagburn
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
| | - Eric D Hoopfer
- Neuroscience Program, Carleton CollegeNorthfieldUnited States
| | - Andrew M Seeds
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences CampusSan JuanPuerto Rico
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43
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Gradwell MA, Ozeri-Engelhard N, Eisdorfer JT, Laflamme OD, Gonzalez M, Upadhyay A, Medlock L, Shrier T, Patel KR, Aoki A, Gandhi M, Abbas-Zadeh G, Oputa O, Thackray JK, Ricci M, George A, Yusuf N, Keating J, Imtiaz Z, Alomary SA, Bohic M, Haas M, Hernandez Y, Prescott SA, Akay T, Abraira VE. Multimodal sensory control of motor performance by glycinergic interneurons of the mouse spinal cord deep dorsal horn. Neuron 2024; 112:1302-1327.e13. [PMID: 38452762 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.01.027] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Sensory feedback is integral for contextually appropriate motor output, yet the neural circuits responsible remain elusive. Here, we pinpoint the medial deep dorsal horn of the mouse spinal cord as a convergence point for proprioceptive and cutaneous input. Within this region, we identify a population of tonically active glycinergic inhibitory neurons expressing parvalbumin. Using anatomy and electrophysiology, we demonstrate that deep dorsal horn parvalbumin-expressing interneuron (dPV) activity is shaped by convergent proprioceptive, cutaneous, and descending input. Selectively targeting spinal dPVs, we reveal their widespread ipsilateral inhibition onto pre-motor and motor networks and demonstrate their role in gating sensory-evoked muscle activity using electromyography (EMG) recordings. dPV ablation altered limb kinematics and step-cycle timing during treadmill locomotion and reduced the transitions between sub-movements during spontaneous behavior. These findings reveal a circuit basis by which sensory convergence onto dorsal horn inhibitory neurons modulates motor output to facilitate smooth movement and context-appropriate transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Gradwell
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nofar Ozeri-Engelhard
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jaclyn T Eisdorfer
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Olivier D Laflamme
- Dalhousie PhD program, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; Department of Medical Neuroscience, Atlantic Mobility Action Project, Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Melissa Gonzalez
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Aman Upadhyay
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Laura Medlock
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Tara Shrier
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Komal R Patel
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Adin Aoki
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Melissa Gandhi
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Gloria Abbas-Zadeh
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Olisemaka Oputa
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Joshua K Thackray
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA; Tourette International Collaborative Genetics Study (TIC Genetics)
| | - Matthew Ricci
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Arlene George
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Nusrath Yusuf
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; Neuroscience PhD program, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jessica Keating
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Zarghona Imtiaz
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Simona A Alomary
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Manon Bohic
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Michael Haas
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Yurdiana Hernandez
- W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Steven A Prescott
- Neurosciences & Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Turgay Akay
- Department of Medical Neuroscience, Atlantic Mobility Action Project, Brain Repair Center, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Victoria E Abraira
- Cell Biology and Neuroscience Department, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA; W.M. Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
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Jeon SM, Pradeep A, Chang D, McDonough L, Chen Y, Latremoliere A, Crawford LK, Caterina MJ. Skin Reinnervation by Collateral Sprouting Following Spared Nerve Injury in Mice. J Neurosci 2024; 44:e1494232024. [PMID: 38471780 PMCID: PMC11007315 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1494-23.2024] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Following peripheral nerve injury, denervated tissues can be reinnervated via regeneration of injured neurons or collateral sprouting of neighboring uninjured afferents into denervated territory. While there has been substantial focus on mechanisms underlying regeneration, collateral sprouting has received less attention. Here, we used immunohistochemistry and genetic neuronal labeling to define the subtype specificity of sprouting-mediated reinnervation of plantar hindpaw skin in the mouse spared nerve injury (SNI) model, in which productive regeneration cannot occur. Following initial loss of cutaneous afferents in the tibial nerve territory, we observed progressive centripetal reinnervation by multiple subtypes of neighboring uninjured fibers into denervated glabrous and hairy plantar skin of male mice. In addition to dermal reinnervation, CGRP-expressing peptidergic fibers slowly but continuously repopulated denervated epidermis, Interestingly, GFRα2-expressing nonpeptidergic fibers exhibited a transient burst of epidermal reinnervation, followed by a trend towards regression. Presumptive sympathetic nerve fibers also sprouted into denervated territory, as did a population of myelinated TrkC lineage fibers, though the latter did so inefficiently. Conversely, rapidly adapting Aβ fiber and C fiber low threshold mechanoreceptor (LTMR) subtypes failed to exhibit convincing sprouting up to 8 weeks after nerve injury in males or females. Optogenetics and behavioral assays in male mice further demonstrated the functionality of collaterally sprouted fibers in hairy plantar skin with restoration of punctate mechanosensation without hypersensitivity. Our findings advance understanding of differential collateral sprouting among sensory neuron subpopulations and may guide strategies to promote the progression of sensory recovery or limit maladaptive sensory phenomena after peripheral nerve injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Min Jeon
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Aishwarya Pradeep
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Dennis Chang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Leah McDonough
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Yijia Chen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Alban Latremoliere
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - LaTasha K Crawford
- Department of Pathological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin 53706
| | - Michael J Caterina
- Department of Neurosurgery, Neurosurgery Pain Research Institute, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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45
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Bi X, Yao M, Huang Z, Wang Z, Shen H, Wong CP, Jiang C. Biomimetic Electronic Skin Based on a Stretchable Ionogel Mechanoreceptor Composed of Crumpled Conductive Rubber Electrodes for Synchronous Strain, Pressure, and Temperature Detection. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38592053 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c01899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Electronic skin (e-skin) is showing a huge potential in human-computer interaction, intelligent robots, human health, motion monitoring, etc. However, it is still challenging for e-skin to realize distinguishable detection of stretching strain, vertical pressure, and temperature through a simple noncoupling structure design. Here, a stretchable multimodal biomimetic e-skin was fabricated by integrating layer-by-layer self-assembled crumpled reduced graphene oxide/multiwalled carbon nanotubes film on natural rubber (RGO/MWCNTs@NR) as stretchable conductive electrodes and polyacrylamide/NaCl ionogel as a dielectric layer into an ionotropic capacitive mechanoreceptor. Unlike natural skin receptors, the sandwich-like stretchable ionogel mechanoreceptor possessed a distinct ionotropic capacitive behavior for strain and pressure detection. The results showed that the biomimetic e-skin displayed a negative capacitance change with superior stretchability (0-300%) and a high gauge factor of 0.27 in 180-300% strain, while exhibiting a normal positive piezo-capacitance behavior in vertical pressure range of 0-15 kPa with a maximal sensitivity of 1.759 kPa-1. Based on this feature, the biomimetic e-skin showed an excellent synchronous detection capability of planar strain and vertical pressure in practical wearable applications such as gesture recognition and grasping movement detection without a complicated mathematical or signal decoupling process. In addition, the biomimetic e-skin exhibited a quantifiable linear responsiveness to temperature from 20-90 °C with a temperature coefficient of 0.55%/°C. These intriguing properties gave the biomimetic e-skin the ability to perform a complete function similar to natural skin but beyond its performance for future wearable devices and artificial intelligence devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyun Bi
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Manzhao Yao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Zhaoyan Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Zuhao Wang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Huahao Shen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
| | - Ching-Ping Wong
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Can Jiang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Plasma Chemistry and Advanced Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430205, China
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Wang T, Jin T, Lin W, Lin Y, Liu H, Yue T, Tian Y, Li L, Zhang Q, Lee C. Multimodal Sensors Enabled Autonomous Soft Robotic System with Self-Adaptive Manipulation. ACS NANO 2024; 18:9980-9996. [PMID: 38387068 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c11281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Human hands are amazingly skilled at recognizing and handling objects of different sizes and shapes. To date, soft robots rarely demonstrate autonomy equivalent to that of humans for fine perception and dexterous operation. Here, an intelligent soft robotic system with autonomous operation and multimodal perception ability is developed by integrating capacitive sensors with triboelectric sensor. With distributed multiple sensors, our robot system can not only sense and memorize multimodal information but also enable an adaptive grasping method for robotic positioning and grasp control, during which the multimodal sensory information can be captured sensitively and fused at feature level for crossmodally recognizing objects, leading to a highly enhanced recognition capability. The proposed system, combining the performance and physical intelligence of biological systems (i.e., self-adaptive behavior and multimodal perception), will greatly advance the integration of soft actuators and robotics in many fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianhong Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- Advanced Robotics Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117608, Singapore
| | - Tao Jin
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- Advanced Robotics Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117608, Singapore
| | - Weiyang Lin
- Research Institute of Intelligent Control and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangqiao Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongfei Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Tao Yue
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Yingzhong Tian
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Long Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Quan Zhang
- School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
- School of Artificial Intelligence, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengkuo Lee
- Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117583, Singapore
- Center for Intelligent Sensors and MEMS, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 3, Singapore 117583, Singapore
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Huey EL, Turecek J, Delisle MM, Mazor O, Romero GE, Dua M, Sarafis ZK, Hobble A, Booth KT, Goodrich LV, Corey DP, Ginty DD. The auditory midbrain mediates tactile vibration sensing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.584077. [PMID: 38496510 PMCID: PMC10942453 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.584077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Vibrations are ubiquitous in nature, shaping behavior across the animal kingdom. For mammals, mechanical vibrations acting on the body are detected by mechanoreceptors of the skin and deep tissues and processed by the somatosensory system, while sound waves traveling through air are captured by the cochlea and encoded in the auditory system. Here, we report that mechanical vibrations detected by the body's Pacinian corpuscle neurons, which are unique in their ability to entrain to high frequency (40-1000 Hz) environmental vibrations, are prominently encoded by neurons in the lateral cortex of the inferior colliculus (LCIC) of the midbrain. Remarkably, most LCIC neurons receive convergent Pacinian and auditory input and respond more strongly to coincident tactile-auditory stimulation than to either modality alone. Moreover, the LCIC is required for behavioral responses to high frequency mechanical vibrations. Thus, environmental vibrations captured by Pacinian corpuscles are encoded in the auditory midbrain to mediate behavior.
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Howe EE, Apollinaro M, Bent LR. Mechanoreceptor sensory feedback is impaired by pressure induced cutaneous ischemia on the human foot sole and can predict cutaneous microvascular reactivity. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1329832. [PMID: 38629048 PMCID: PMC11019310 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1329832] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The foot sole endures high magnitudes of pressure for sustained periods which results in transient but habitual cutaneous ischemia. Upon unloading, microvascular reactivity in cutaneous capillaries generates an influx of blood flow (PORH: post-occlusive reactive hyperemia). Whether pressure induced cutaneous ischemia from loading the foot sole impacts mechanoreceptor sensitivity remains unknown. Methods Pressure induced ischemia was attained using a custom-built-loading device that applied load to the whole right foot sole at 2 magnitudes (15 or 50% body weight), for 2 durations (2 or 10 minutes) in thirteen seated participants. Mechanoreceptor sensitivity was assessed using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments over the third metatarsal (3MT), medial arch (MA), and heel. Perceptual thresholds (PT) were determined for each site prior to loading and then applied repeatedly to a metronome to establish the time course to return to PT upon unload, defined as PT recovery time. Microvascular flux was recorded from an in-line laser speckle contrast imager (FLPI-2, Moor Instruments Inc.) to establish PORH peak and recovery rates at each site. Results PT recovery and PORH recovery rate were most influenced at the heel and by load duration rather than load magnitude. PT recovery time at the heel was significantly longer with 10 minutes of loading, regardless of magnitude. Heel PORH recovery rate was significantly slower with 10minutes of loading. The 3MT PT recovery time was only longer after 10 minutes of loading at 50% body weight. Microvascular reactivity or sensitivity was not influenced with loading at the MA. A simple linear regression found that PORH recovery rate could predict PT recovery time at the heel (R2=0.184, p<0.001). Conclusion In populations with degraded sensory feedback, such as diabetic neuropathy, the risk for ulcer development is heightened. Our work demonstrated that prolonged loading in healthy individuals can impair skin sensitivity, which highlights the risks of prolonged loading and is likely exacerbated in diabetes. Understanding the direct association between sensory function and microvascular reactivity in age and diabetes related nerve damage, could help detect early progressions of neuropathy and mitigate ulcer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika E. Howe
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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Tan MWM, Wang H, Gao D, Huang P, Lee PS. Towards high performance and durable soft tactile actuators. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:3485-3535. [PMID: 38411597 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs01017a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Soft actuators are gaining significant attention due to their ability to provide realistic tactile sensations in various applications. However, their soft nature makes them vulnerable to damage from external factors, limiting actuation stability and device lifespan. The susceptibility to damage becomes higher with these actuators often in direct contact with their surroundings to generate tactile feedback. Upon onset of damage, the stability or repeatability of the device will be undermined. Eventually, when complete failure occurs, these actuators are disposed of, accumulating waste and driving the consumption of natural resources. This emphasizes the need to enhance the durability of soft tactile actuators for continued operation. This review presents the principles of tactile feedback of actuators, followed by a discussion of the mechanisms, advancements, and challenges faced by soft tactile actuators to realize high actuation performance, categorized by their driving stimuli. Diverse approaches to achieve durability are evaluated, including self-healing, damage resistance, self-cleaning, and temperature stability for soft actuators. In these sections, current challenges and potential material designs are identified, paving the way for developing durable soft tactile actuators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Wei Ming Tan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR), Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Dace Gao
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Peiwen Huang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
| | - Pooi See Lee
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore, 639798, Singapore.
- Singapore-HUJ Alliance for Research and Enterprise (SHARE), Smart Grippers for Soft Robotics (SGSR), Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), Singapore, 138602, Singapore
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Du WJ, Yang H, Tong F, Liu S, Zhang C, Chen Y, Yan Y, Xiang YW, Hua LY, Gong Y, Xu ZX, Liu X, Jiang X, Lu M, Guan JS, Han Q. Ash1L ameliorates psoriasis via limiting neuronal activity-dependent release of miR-let-7b. Br J Pharmacol 2024; 181:1107-1127. [PMID: 37766518 DOI: 10.1111/bph.16254] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Psoriasis is a common autoimmune skin disease that significantly diminishes patients' quality of life. Interactions between primary afferents of the somatosensory system and the cutaneous immune system mediate the pathogenesis of psoriasis. This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of how primary sensory neurons regulate psoriasis formation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Skin and total RNA were extracted from wild-type (WT) and ASH1-like histone lysine methyltransferase (Ash1l+/- ) mice in both naive and imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis models. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) were then performed. Microfluidic chamber coculture was used to investigate the interaction between somatosensory neurons and bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) ex vivo. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were used to evaluate neuronal excitability after Ash1L haploinsufficiency in primary sensory neurons. KEY RESULTS The haploinsufficiency of ASH1L, a histone methyltransferase, in primary sensory neurons causes both neurite hyperinnervation and increased neuronal excitability, which promote miR-let-7b release from primary afferents in the skin in a neuronal activity-dependent manner. With a 'GUUGUGU' core sequence, miR-let-7b functions as an endogenous ligand of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and stimulates the activation of dermal dendritic cells (DCs) and interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis, ultimately exacerbating the symptoms of psoriasis. Thus, by limiting miR-let-7b release from primary afferents, ASH1L prevents dermal DC activation and ameliorates psoriasis. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Somatosensory neuron ASH1L modulates the cutaneous immune system by limiting neuronal activity-dependent release of miR-let-7b, which can directly activate dermal DCs via TLR7 and ultimately lead to aggravated psoriatic lesion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan-Jie Du
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yeying Chen
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE, NHC, CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuze Yan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Wei Xiang
- School of Rehabilitation Science, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling-Yang Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ye Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi-Xiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyan Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xingyu Jiang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Smart Healthcare Engineering, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Biomaterials, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingfang Lu
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE, NHC, CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences and Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ji-Song Guan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingjian Han
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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