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Ma L, Yue L, Liu S, Xu S, Tong J, Sun X, Su L, Cui S, Liu FY, Wan Y, Yi M. A distinct neuronal ensemble of prelimbic cortex mediates spontaneous pain in rats with peripheral inflammation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7922. [PMID: 39256428 PMCID: PMC11387830 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52243-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The absence of a comprehensive understanding of the neural basis of spontaneous pain limits the development of therapeutic strategies targeting this primary complaint of patients with chronic pain. Here we report a distinct neuronal ensemble within the prelimbic cortex which processes signals related to spontaneous pain in rats with chronic inflammatory pain. This neuronal ensemble specifically encodes spontaneous pain-related behaviors, independently of other locomotive and evoked behaviors. Activation of this neuronal ensemble elicits marked spontaneous pain-like behaviors and enhances nociceptive responses, whereas prolonged silencing of its activities alleviates spontaneous pain and promotes overall recovery from inflammatory pain. Notably, afferents from the primary somatosensory cortex and infralimbic cortex bidirectionally modulate the activities of the spontaneous pain-responsive prelimbic cortex neuronal ensemble and pain behaviors. These findings reveal the cortical basis of spontaneous pain at the neuronal level, highlighting a distinct neuronal ensemble within the prelimbic cortex and its associated pain-regulatory brain networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longyu Ma
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lupeng Yue
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China
| | - Shuting Liu
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shi Xu
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jifu Tong
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Sun
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Li Su
- Center of Medical and Health Analysis, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuang Cui
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Feng-Yu Liu
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - You Wan
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education / National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, China.
| | - Ming Yi
- Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education / National Health Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China.
- Medical Innovation Center (Taizhou) of Peking University, Taizhou, China.
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2
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Pratt ML, Plumb AN, Manjrekar A, Cardona LM, Chan CK, John JM, Sadler KE. Microbiome contributions to pain: a review of the preclinical literature. Pain 2024:00006396-990000000-00702. [PMID: 39258679 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Over the past 2 decades, the microbiome has received increasing attention for the role that it plays in health and disease. Historically, the gut microbiome was of particular interest to pain scientists studying nociplastic visceral pain conditions given the anatomical juxtaposition of these microorganisms and the neuroimmune networks that drive pain in such diseases. More recently, microbiomes both inside and across the surface of the body have been recognized for driving sensory symptoms in a broader set of diseases. Microbiomes have never been a more popular topic in pain research, but to date, there has not been a systematic review of the preclinical microbiome pain literature. In this article, we identified all animal studies in which both the microbiome was manipulated and pain behaviors were measured. Our analysis included 303 unique experiments across 97 articles. Microbiome manipulation methods and behavioral outcomes were recorded for each experiment so that field-wide trends could be quantified and reported. This review specifically details the animal species, injury models, behavior measures, and microbiome manipulations used in preclinical pain research. From this analysis, we were also able to conclude how manipulations of the microbiome alter pain thresholds in naïve animals and persistent pain intensity and duration in cutaneous and visceral pain models. This review summarizes by identifying existing gaps in the literature and providing recommendations for how to best plan, implement, and interpret data collected in preclinical microbiome pain experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- McKenna L Pratt
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
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3
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McCoy ES, Park SK, Patel RP, Ryan DF, Mullen ZJ, Nesbitt JJ, Lopez JE, Taylor-Blake B, Vanden KA, Krantz JL, Hu W, Garris RL, Snyder MG, Lima LV, Sotocinal SG, Austin JS, Kashlan AD, Shah S, Trocinski AK, Pudipeddi SS, Major RM, Bazick HO, Klein MR, Mogil JS, Wu G, Zylka MJ. Development of PainFace software to simplify, standardize, and scale up mouse grimace analyses. Pain 2024; 165:1793-1805. [PMID: 39024163 PMCID: PMC11287051 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Facial grimacing is used to quantify spontaneous pain in mice and other mammals, but scoring relies on humans with different levels of proficiency. Here, we developed a cloud-based software platform called PainFace ( http://painface.net ) that uses machine learning to detect 4 facial action units of the mouse grimace scale (orbitals, nose, ears, whiskers) and score facial grimaces of black-coated C57BL/6 male and female mice on a 0 to 8 scale. Platform accuracy was validated in 2 different laboratories, with 3 conditions that evoke grimacing-laparotomy surgery, bilateral hindpaw injection of carrageenan, and intraplantar injection of formalin. PainFace can generate up to 1 grimace score per second from a standard 30 frames/s video, making it possible to quantify facial grimacing over time, and operates at a speed that scales with computing power. By analyzing the frequency distribution of grimace scores, we found that mice spent 7x more time in a "high grimace" state following laparotomy surgery relative to sham surgery controls. Our study shows that PainFace reproducibly quantifies facial grimaces indicative of nonevoked spontaneous pain and enables laboratories to standardize and scale-up facial grimace analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S. McCoy
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Sang Kyoon Park
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Rahul P. Patel
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Dan F. Ryan
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | | | | | - Josh E. Lopez
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Bonnie Taylor-Blake
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kelly A. Vanden
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - James L. Krantz
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Wenxin Hu
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Rosanna L. Garris
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Magdalyn G. Snyder
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Lucas V. Lima
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Susana G. Sotocinal
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Sebastien Austin
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Adam D. Kashlan
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Sanya Shah
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Abigail K. Trocinski
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Samhitha S. Pudipeddi
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Rami M. Major
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hannah O. Bazick
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Morgan R. Klein
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jeffrey S. Mogil
- Departments of Psychology and Anesthesia, Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Guorong Wu
- Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Department of Computer Science, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Mark J. Zylka
- UNC Neuroscience Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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Pattison LA, Cloake A, Chakrabarti S, Hilton H, Rickman RH, Higham JP, Meng MY, Paine LW, Dannawi M, Qiu L, Ritoux A, Bulmer DC, Callejo G, Smith ESJ. Digging deeper into pain: an ethological behavior assay correlating well-being in mice with human pain experience. Pain 2024; 165:1761-1773. [PMID: 38452214 PMCID: PMC11247454 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003190] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT The pressing need for safer, more efficacious analgesics is felt worldwide. Preclinical tests in animal models of painful conditions represent one of the earliest checkpoints novel therapeutics must negotiate before consideration for human use. Traditionally, the pain status of laboratory animals has been inferred from evoked nociceptive assays that measure their responses to noxious stimuli. The disconnect between how pain is tested in laboratory animals and how it is experienced by humans may in part explain the shortcomings of current pain medications and highlights a need for refinement. Here, we survey human patients with chronic pain who assert that everyday aspects of life, such as cleaning and leaving the house, are affected by their ongoing level of pain. Accordingly, we test the impact of painful conditions on an ethological behavior of mice, digging. Stable digging behavior was observed over time in naive mice of both sexes. By contrast, deficits in digging were seen after acute knee inflammation. The analgesia conferred by meloxicam and gabapentin was compared in the monosodium iodoacetate knee osteoarthritis model, with meloxicam more effectively ameliorating digging deficits, in line with human patients finding meloxicam more effective. Finally, in a visceral pain model, the decrease in digging behavior correlated with the extent of disease. Ultimately, we make a case for adopting ethological assays, such as digging, in studies of pain in laboratory animals, which we believe to be more representative of the human experience of pain and thus valuable in assessing clinical potential of novel analgesics in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luke A. Pattison
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexander Cloake
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sampurna Chakrabarti
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Helen Hilton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rebecca H. Rickman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - James P. Higham
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Michelle Y. Meng
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luke W. Paine
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maya Dannawi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lanhui Qiu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anne Ritoux
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David C. Bulmer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerard Callejo
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ewan St. John Smith
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Dr. Chakrabarti is now with Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany. Dr. Callejo is now with Department of Biomedicine, Medical School, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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5
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Rodríguez García DM, Szabo A, Mikesell AR, Zorn SJ, Tsafack UK, Sriram A, Waltz TB, Enders JD, Mecca CM, Stucky CL, Sadler KE. High-speed imaging of evoked rodent mechanical behaviors yields variable results that are not predictive of inflammatory injury. Pain 2024; 165:1569-1582. [PMID: 38314814 PMCID: PMC11189758 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Few analgesics identified using preclinical models have successfully translated to clinical use. These translational limitations may be due to the unidimensional nature of behavioral response measures used to assess rodent nociception. Advances in high-speed videography for pain behavior allow for objective quantification of nuanced aspects of evoked paw withdrawal responses. However, whether videography-based assessments of mechanical hypersensitivity outperform traditional measurement reproducibility is unknown. First, we determined whether high-speed videography of paw withdrawal was reproducible across experimenters. Second, we examined whether this method distinguishes behavioral responses exhibited by naive mice and mice with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammation. Twelve experimenters stimulated naive C57BL/6 mice with varying mechanical stimuli. Paw withdrawal responses were recorded with high-speed videography and scored offline by one individual. Our group was unable to replicate the original findings produced by high-speed videography analysis. Surprisingly, ∼80% of variation was not accounted for by variables previously reported to distinguish between responses to innocuous and noxious stimuli (paw height, paw velocity, and pain score), or by additional variables (experimenter, time-of-day, and animal), but rather by unidentified factors. Similar high-speed videography assessments were performed in CFA- and vehicle-treated animals, and the cumulative data failed to reveal an effect of CFA injection on withdrawal as measured by high-speed videography. This study does not support using paw height, velocity, or pain score measurements from high-speed recordings to delineate behavioral responses to innocuous and noxious stimuli. Our group encourages the continued use of traditional mechanical withdrawal assessments until additional high-speed withdrawal measures are validated in established pain models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianise M Rodríguez García
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Aniko Szabo
- Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Alexander R Mikesell
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Samuel J Zorn
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Ulrich Kemmo Tsafack
- Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Anvitha Sriram
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Tyler B Waltz
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Jonathan D Enders
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Christina M Mecca
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Cheryl L Stucky
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Katelyn E Sadler
- Department of Neuroscience, Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, United States
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O'Brien JA, Austin PJ. Minocycline Abrogates Individual Differences in Nerve Injury-Evoked Affective Disturbances in Male Rats and Prevents Associated Supraspinal Neuroinflammation. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2024; 19:30. [PMID: 38878098 PMCID: PMC11180027 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-024-10132-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
Chronic neuropathic pain precipitates a complex range of affective and behavioural disturbances that differ markedly between individuals. While the reasons for differences in pain-related disability are not well understood, supraspinal neuroimmune interactions are implicated. Minocycline has antidepressant effects in humans and attenuates affective disturbances in rodent models of pain, and acts by reducing neuroinflammation in both the spinal cord and brain. Previous studies, however, tend not to investigate how minocycline modulates individual affective responses to nerve injury, or rely on non-naturalistic behavioural paradigms that fail to capture the complexity of rodent behaviour. We investigated the development and resolution of pain-related affective disturbances in nerve-injured male rats by measuring multiple spontaneous ethological endpoints on a longitudinal naturalistic foraging paradigm, and the effect of chronic oral minocycline administration on these changes. Disrupted foraging behaviours appeared in 22% of nerve-injured rats - termed 'affected' rats - and were present at day 14 but partially resolved by day 21 post-injury. Minocycline completely prevented the emergence of an affected subgroup while only partly attenuating mechanical allodynia, dissociating the relationship between pain and affect. This was associated with a lasting downregulation of ΔFosB expression in ventral hippocampal neurons at day 21 post-injury. Markers of microglia-mediated neuroinflammation were not present by day 21, however proinflammatory microglial polarisation was apparent in the medial prefrontal cortex of affected rats and not in CCI minocycline rats. Individual differences in affective disturbances following nerve injury are therefore temporally related to altered microglial morphology and hippocampal neuronal activation, and are abrogated by minocycline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayden A O'Brien
- Brain and Mind Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul J Austin
- Brain and Mind Centre, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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7
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Nasello C, Poppi LA, Wu J, Kowalski TF, Thackray JK, Wang R, Persaud A, Mahboob M, Lin S, Spaseska R, Johnson CK, Gordon D, Tissir F, Heiman GA, Tischfield JA, Bocarsly M, Tischfield MA. Human mutations in high-confidence Tourette disorder genes affect sensorimotor behavior, reward learning, and striatal dopamine in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2307156121. [PMID: 38683996 PMCID: PMC11087812 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2307156121] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Tourette disorder (TD) is poorly understood, despite affecting 1/160 children. A lack of animal models possessing construct, face, and predictive validity hinders progress in the field. We used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate mice with mutations orthologous to human de novo variants in two high-confidence Tourette genes, CELSR3 and WWC1. Mice with human mutations in Celsr3 and Wwc1 exhibit cognitive and/or sensorimotor behavioral phenotypes consistent with TD. Sensorimotor gating deficits, as measured by acoustic prepulse inhibition, occur in both male and female Celsr3 TD models. Wwc1 mice show reduced prepulse inhibition only in females. Repetitive motor behaviors, common to Celsr3 mice and more pronounced in females, include vertical rearing and grooming. Sensorimotor gating deficits and rearing are attenuated by aripiprazole, a partial agonist at dopamine type II receptors. Unsupervised machine learning reveals numerous changes to spontaneous motor behavior and less predictable patterns of movement. Continuous fixed-ratio reinforcement shows that Celsr3 TD mice have enhanced motor responding and reward learning. Electrically evoked striatal dopamine release, tested in one model, is greater. Brain development is otherwise grossly normal without signs of striatal interneuron loss. Altogether, mice expressing human mutations in high-confidence TD genes exhibit face and predictive validity. Reduced prepulse inhibition and repetitive motor behaviors are core behavioral phenotypes and are responsive to aripiprazole. Enhanced reward learning and motor responding occur alongside greater evoked dopamine release. Phenotypes can also vary by sex and show stronger affection in females, an unexpected finding considering males are more frequently affected in TD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Nasello
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Lauren A. Poppi
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
| | - Junbing Wu
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
| | - Tess F. Kowalski
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
| | - Joshua K. Thackray
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Riley Wang
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Angelina Persaud
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
| | - Mariam Mahboob
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ07103
| | - Sherry Lin
- Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
| | - Rodna Spaseska
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - C. K. Johnson
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Derek Gordon
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Fadel Tissir
- College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha34110, Qatar
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Institute of Neuroscience, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels1200, Belgium
| | - Gary A. Heiman
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Jay A. Tischfield
- Department of Genetics and the Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
| | - Miriam Bocarsly
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ07103
| | - Max A. Tischfield
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ08854
- Child Health Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ08901
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8
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James JG, McCall NM, Hsu AI, Oswell CS, Salimando GJ, Mahmood M, Wooldridge LM, Wachira M, Jo A, Sandoval Ortega RA, Wojick JA, Beattie K, Farinas SA, Chehimi SN, Rodrigues A, Ejoh LSL, Kimmey BA, Lo E, Azouz G, Vasquez JJ, Banghart MR, Creasy KT, Beier KT, Ramakrishnan C, Crist RC, Reiner BC, Deisseroth K, Yttri EA, Corder G. Mimicking opioid analgesia in cortical pain circuits. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.26.591113. [PMID: 38746090 PMCID: PMC11092437 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.26.591113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the cognitive and affective aspects of pain perception. Both endogenous and exogenous opioid signaling within the cingulate mitigate cortical nociception, reducing pain unpleasantness. However, the specific functional and molecular identities of cells mediating opioid analgesia in the cingulate remain elusive. Given the complexity of pain as a sensory and emotional experience, and the richness of ethological pain-related behaviors, we developed a standardized, deep-learning platform for deconstructing the behavior dynamics associated with the affective component of pain in mice-LUPE (Light aUtomated Pain Evaluator). LUPE removes human bias in behavior quantification and accelerated analysis from weeks to hours, which we leveraged to discover that morphine altered attentional and motivational pain behaviors akin to affective analgesia in humans. Through activity-dependent genetics and single-nuclei RNA sequencing, we identified specific ensembles of nociceptive cingulate neuron-types expressing mu-opioid receptors. Tuning receptor expression in these cells bidirectionally modulated morphine analgesia. Moreover, we employed a synthetic opioid receptor promoter-driven approach for cell-type specific optical and chemical genetic viral therapies to mimic morphine's pain-relieving effects in the cingulate, without reinforcement. This approach offers a novel strategy for precision pain management by targeting a key nociceptive cortical circuit with on-demand, non-addictive, and effective analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin G. James
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nora M. McCall
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alex I. Hsu
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, and Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Corinna S. Oswell
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Gregory J. Salimando
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Malaika Mahmood
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lisa M. Wooldridge
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Meghan Wachira
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Adrienne Jo
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Jessica A. Wojick
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Katherine Beattie
- Dept. of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Sofia A. Farinas
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Samar N. Chehimi
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Amrith Rodrigues
- Dept. of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lind-say L. Ejoh
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Blake A. Kimmey
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Emily Lo
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ghalia Azouz
- Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jose J. Vasquez
- Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Matthew R. Banghart
- Dept. of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kate Townsend Creasy
- Dept. of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, School of Nursing, and Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kevin T. Beier
- Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Richard C. Crist
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benjamin C. Reiner
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Karl Deisseroth
- CNC Program, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Dept. of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eric A. Yttri
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Gregory Corder
- Dept. of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Dept. of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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9
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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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10
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Fattori V, González-Rodríguez S, González-Cano R. Editorial: Use of Artificial Intelligence to evaluate drug-related behavioral changes in rodents. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1396454. [PMID: 38708083 PMCID: PMC11066194 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1396454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Fattori
- Vascular Biology Program, Department of Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital-Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sara González-Rodríguez
- Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, The University Institute of Oncology of Asturias (IUOPA), University of Oviedo, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Rafael González-Cano
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Research Center, Neurosciences Institute, Biosanitary Research Institute ibs.GRANADA, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
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11
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Ozdemir Y, Nakamoto K, Boivin B, Bullock D, Andrews NA, González-Cano R, Costigan M. Quantification of stimulus-evoked tactile allodynia in free moving mice by the chainmail sensitivity test. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1352464. [PMID: 38464715 PMCID: PMC10920263 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1352464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain occurs at epidemic levels throughout the population. Hypersensitivity to touch, is a cardinal symptom of chronic pain. Despite dedicated research for over a century, quantifying this hypersensitivity has remained impossible at scale. To address these issues, we developed the Chainmail Sensitivity Test (CST). Our results show that control mice spend significantly more time on the chainmail portion of the device than mice subject to neuropathy. Treatment with gabapentin abolishes this difference. CST-derived data correlate well with von Frey measurements and quantify hypersensitivity due to inflammation. Our study demonstrates the potential of the CST as a standardized tool for assessing mechanical hypersensitivity in mice with minimal operator input.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yildirim Ozdemir
- The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kazuo Nakamoto
- The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Bruno Boivin
- The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Daniel Bullock
- The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nick A. Andrews
- The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- In Vivo Scientific Services, The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Rafael González-Cano
- The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Research Center (Neurosciences Institute), Biosanitary Research Institute ibs.GRANADA, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Michael Costigan
- The Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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12
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Bavencoffe AG, Lopez ER, Johnson KN, Tian J, Gorgun FM, Shen BQ, Zhu MX, Dessauer CW, Walters ET. Widespread latent hyperactivity of nociceptors outlasts enhanced avoidance behavior following incision injury. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.30.578108. [PMID: 38352319 PMCID: PMC10862851 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.30.578108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Nociceptors with somata in dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) exhibit an unusual readiness to switch from an electrically silent state to a hyperactive state of tonic, nonaccommodating, low-frequency, irregular discharge of action potentials (APs). Ongoing activity (OA) during this state is present in vivo in rats months after spinal cord injury (SCI), and has been causally linked to SCI pain. OA induced by various neuropathic conditions in rats, mice, and humans is retained in nociceptor somata after dissociation and culturing, providing a powerful tool for investigating its mechanisms and functions. An important question is whether similar nociceptor OA is induced by painful conditions other than neuropathy. The present study shows that probable nociceptors dissociated from DRGs of rats subjected to postsurgical pain (induced by plantar incision) exhibit OA. The OA was most apparent when the soma was artificially depolarized to a level within the normal range of membrane potentials where large, transient depolarizing spontaneous fluctuations (DSFs) can approach AP threshold. This latent hyperactivity persisted for at least 3 weeks, whereas behavioral indicators of affective pain - hindpaw guarding and increased avoidance of a noxious substrate in an operant conflict test - persisted for 1 week or less. An unexpected discovery was latent OA in neurons from thoracic DRGs that innervate dermatomes distant from the injured tissue. The most consistent electrophysiological alteration associated with OA was enhancement of DSFs. Potential in vivo functions of widespread, low-frequency nociceptor OA consistent with these and other findings are to amplify hyperalgesic priming and to drive anxiety-related hypervigilance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis G. Bavencoffe
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Elia R. Lopez
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Kayla N. Johnson
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Jinbin Tian
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Falih M. Gorgun
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Breanna Q. Shen
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Michael X. Zhu
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Carmen W. Dessauer
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
| | - Edgar T. Walters
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
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13
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Rosner J, de Andrade DC, Davis KD, Gustin SM, Kramer JLK, Seal RP, Finnerup NB. Central neuropathic pain. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2023; 9:73. [PMID: 38129427 PMCID: PMC11329872 DOI: 10.1038/s41572-023-00484-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Central neuropathic pain arises from a lesion or disease of the central somatosensory nervous system such as brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis or related neuroinflammatory conditions. The incidence of central neuropathic pain differs based on its underlying cause. Individuals with spinal cord injury are at the highest risk; however, central post-stroke pain is the most prevalent form of central neuropathic pain worldwide. The mechanisms that underlie central neuropathic pain are not fully understood, but the pathophysiology likely involves intricate interactions and maladaptive plasticity within spinal circuits and brain circuits associated with nociception and antinociception coupled with neuronal hyperexcitability. Modulation of neuronal activity, neuron-glia and neuro-immune interactions and targeting pain-related alterations in brain connectivity, represent potential therapeutic approaches. Current evidence-based pharmacological treatments include antidepressants and gabapentinoids as first-line options. Non-pharmacological pain management options include self-management strategies, exercise and neuromodulation. A comprehensive pain history and clinical examination form the foundation of central neuropathic pain classification, identification of potential risk factors and stratification of patients for clinical trials. Advanced neurophysiological and neuroimaging techniques hold promise to improve the understanding of mechanisms that underlie central neuropathic pain and as predictive biomarkers of treatment outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Rosner
- Danish Pain Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Spinal Cord Injury Center, Balgrist University Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Bern, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniel C de Andrade
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Karen D Davis
- Division of Brain, Imaging and Behaviour, Krembil Brain Institute, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Surgery and Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sylvia M Gustin
- Centre for Pain IMPACT, Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- NeuroRecovery Research Hub, School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John L K Kramer
- International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries, ICORD, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
- Department of Anaesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Rebecca P Seal
- Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Departments of Neurobiology and Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Nanna B Finnerup
- Danish Pain Research Center, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
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14
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Dedek C, Azadgoleh MA, Prescott SA. Reproducible and fully automated testing of nocifensive behavior in mice. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100650. [PMID: 37992707 PMCID: PMC10783627 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Pain in rodents is often inferred from their withdrawal from noxious stimulation. Threshold stimulus intensity or response latency is used to quantify pain sensitivity. This usually involves applying stimuli by hand and measuring responses by eye, which limits reproducibility and throughput. We describe a device that standardizes and automates pain testing by providing computer-controlled aiming, stimulation, and response measurement. Optogenetic and thermal stimuli are applied using blue and infrared light, respectively. Precise mechanical stimulation is also demonstrated. Reflectance of red light is used to measure paw withdrawal with millisecond precision. We show that consistent stimulus delivery is crucial for resolving stimulus-dependent variations in withdrawal and for testing with sustained stimuli. Moreover, substage video reveals "spontaneous" behaviors for consideration alongside withdrawal metrics to better assess the pain experience. The entire process was automated using machine learning. RAMalgo (reproducible automated multimodal algometry) improves the standardization, comprehensiveness, and throughput of preclinical pain testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Dedek
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada
| | - Mehdi A Azadgoleh
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Steven A Prescott
- Neurosciences and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada; Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G9, Canada; Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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15
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Graham RD, Creed MC. An automaton for preclinical pain testing. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100668. [PMID: 38086383 PMCID: PMC10753377 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
In this issue of Cell Reports Methods, Dedek et al. present RAMalgo-an AI-powered, automated platform for quantifying nociceptive behaviors in mice. With integrated video tracking and mechanical, thermal, and optogenetic stimulation, RAMalgo has the potential to increase standardization and throughput of pain behavior measurement in rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert D Graham
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Center, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Meaghan C Creed
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Center, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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16
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Nasello C, Poppi LA, Wu J, Kowalski TF, Thackray JK, Wang R, Persaud A, Mahboob M, Lin S, Spaseska R, Johnson CK, Gordon D, Tissir F, Heiman GA, Tischfield JA, Bocarsly M, Tischfield MA. Human mutations in high-confidence Tourette disorder genes affect sensorimotor behavior, reward learning, and striatal dopamine in mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.28.569034. [PMID: 38077033 PMCID: PMC10705456 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.28.569034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
Tourette disorder (TD) is poorly understood, despite affecting 1/160 children. A lack of animal models possessing construct, face, and predictive validity hinders progress in the field. We used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to generate mice with mutations orthologous to human de novo variants in two high-confidence Tourette genes, CELSR3 and WWC1 . Mice with human mutations in Celsr3 and Wwc1 exhibit cognitive and/or sensorimotor behavioral phenotypes consistent with TD. Sensorimotor gating deficits, as measured by acoustic prepulse inhibition, occur in both male and female Celsr3 TD models. Wwc1 mice show reduced prepulse inhibition only in females. Repetitive motor behaviors, common to Celsr3 mice and more pronounced in females, include vertical rearing and grooming. Sensorimotor gating deficits and rearing are attenuated by aripiprazole, a partial agonist at dopamine type II receptors. Unsupervised machine learning reveals numerous changes to spontaneous motor behavior and less predictable patterns of movement. Continuous fixed-ratio reinforcement shows Celsr3 TD mice have enhanced motor responding and reward learning. Electrically evoked striatal dopamine release, tested in one model, is greater. Brain development is otherwise grossly normal without signs of striatal interneuron loss. Altogether, mice expressing human mutations in high-confidence TD genes exhibit face and predictive validity. Reduced prepulse inhibition and repetitive motor behaviors are core behavioral phenotypes and are responsive to aripiprazole. Enhanced reward learning and motor responding occurs alongside greater evoked dopamine release. Phenotypes can also vary by sex and show stronger affection in females, an unexpected finding considering males are more frequently affected in TD. Significance Statement We generated mouse models that express mutations in high-confidence genes linked to Tourette disorder (TD). These models show sensorimotor and cognitive behavioral phenotypes resembling TD-like behaviors. Sensorimotor gating deficits and repetitive motor behaviors are attenuated by drugs that act on dopamine. Reward learning and striatal dopamine is enhanced. Brain development is grossly normal, including cortical layering and patterning of major axon tracts. Further, no signs of striatal interneuron loss are detected. Interestingly, behavioral phenotypes in affected females can be more pronounced than in males, despite male sex bias in the diagnosis of TD. These novel mouse models with construct, face, and predictive validity provide a new resource to study neural substrates that cause tics and related behavioral phenotypes in TD.
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17
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MacDonald DI, Jayabalan M, Seaman J, Nickolls A, Chesler A. Pain persists in mice lacking both Substance P and CGRPα signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.15.567208. [PMID: 38076807 PMCID: PMC10705526 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.15.567208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
The neuropeptides Substance P and CGRPα have long been thought important for pain sensation. Both peptides and their receptors are expressed at high levels in pain-responsive neurons from the periphery to the brain making them attractive therapeutic targets. However, drugs targeting these pathways individually did not relieve pain in clinical trials. Since Substance P and CGRPα are extensively co-expressed we hypothesized that their simultaneous inhibition would be required for effective analgesia. We therefore generated Tac1 and Calca double knockout (DKO) mice and assessed their behavior using a wide range of pain-relevant assays. As expected, Substance P and CGRPα peptides were undetectable throughout the nervous system of DKO mice. To our surprise, these animals displayed largely intact responses to mechanical, thermal, chemical, and visceral pain stimuli, as well as itch. Moreover, chronic inflammatory pain and neurogenic inflammation were unaffected by loss of the two peptides. Finally, neuropathic pain evoked by nerve injury or chemotherapy treatment was also preserved in peptide-deficient mice. Thus, our results demonstrate that even in combination, Substance P and CGRPα are not required for the transmission of acute and chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald Iain MacDonald
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Monessha Jayabalan
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Jonathan Seaman
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Alec Nickolls
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Alexander Chesler
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
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Perez-Sanchez J, Middleton SJ, Pattison LA, Hilton H, Awadelkareem MA, Zuberi SR, Renke MB, Hu H, Yang X, Clark AJ, Smith ESJ, Bennett DL. A humanized chemogenetic system inhibits murine pain-related behavior and hyperactivity in human sensory neurons. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eadh3839. [PMID: 37792955 PMCID: PMC7615191 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adh3839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Hyperexcitability in sensory neurons is known to underlie many of the maladaptive changes associated with persistent pain. Chemogenetics has shown promise as a means to suppress such excitability, yet chemogenetic approaches suitable for human applications are needed. PSAM4-GlyR is a modular system based on the human α7 nicotinic acetylcholine and glycine receptors, which responds to inert chemical ligands and the clinically approved drug varenicline. Here, we demonstrated the efficacy of this channel in silencing both mouse and human sensory neurons by the activation of large shunting conductances after agonist administration. Virally mediated expression of PSAM4-GlyR in mouse sensory neurons produced behavioral hyposensitivity upon agonist administration, which was recovered upon agonist washout. Stable expression of the channel led to similar reversible suppression of pain-related behavior even after 10 months of viral delivery. Mechanical and spontaneous pain readouts were also ameliorated by PSAM4-GlyR activation in acute and joint pain inflammation mouse models. Furthermore, suppression of mechanical hypersensitivity generated by a spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain was also observed upon activation of the channel. Effective silencing of behavioral hypersensitivity was reproduced in a human model of hyperexcitability and clinical pain: PSAM4-GlyR activation decreased the excitability of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived sensory neurons and spontaneous activity due to a gain-of-function NaV1.7 mutation causing inherited erythromelalgia. Our results demonstrate the contribution of sensory neuron hyperexcitability to neuropathic pain and the translational potential of an effective, stable, and reversible humanized chemogenetic system for the treatment of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Perez-Sanchez
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Steven J. Middleton
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Luke A. Pattison
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge; Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | - Helen Hilton
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge; Cambridge CB2 1PD, UK
| | | | - Sana R. Zuberi
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Maria B. Renke
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Huimin Hu
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Xun Yang
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Alex J. Clark
- Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry; London E1 2AT, UK
| | | | - David L. Bennett
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
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MacDonald DI, Chesler AT. Painspotting. Neuron 2023; 111:2773-2774. [PMID: 37734319 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
How do we know an animal is feeling pain? In this issue of Neuron, Bohic et al.1 develop computational methods to detect pain in mice, shining a light on the behavioral changes that occur during pain, its relief, and recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald Iain MacDonald
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Alexander T Chesler
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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