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Wang W, Wang D, Zhao D, Xu L, Jiang S, Zhang Y, Cui M, Liu J, Meng F, Liu C, Liu D, Li W, Li C. Dorsal raphe dopaminergic neurons target CaMKII + neurons in dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis for mediating depression-related behaviors. Transl Psychiatry 2024; 14:408. [PMID: 39358336 PMCID: PMC11447211 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-024-03093-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 10/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) neurons play a crucial role in the development and manifestation of depression, as well as in response to antidepressant treatments. While the function of the predominantly distributed DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is well established, the contribution of a small fraction of DA neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) during depression remains unclear. In this study, we found that chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) induces depression-related behaviors and decreases spontaneous firing rates, excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents of DA neurons in the DRN associated with reduced excitatory synaptic transmission in male and female mice. The chemogenetic inhibition of DA neurons in the DRN produces depressive phenotypes. Conversely, their activation completely reversed the anhedonic and despair behaviors induced by CUS. Furthermore, we showed that a DRN dopaminergic projecting to the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dBNST) selectively controls depressive behaviors by influencing the neural activity and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) mediating EPSC of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II+ (CaMKII+) target neurons by regulating dopamine neurotransmitter and dopamine receptor 2 (DR2) in the dBNST. Overall, these findings highlight the essential role of the DRNDA → dBNSTCaMKII+ neural circuit in bi-directionally mediating stress-induced depression-related behaviors. Our findings indicate that DRN DA neurons are a key component of the neural circuitry involved in regulating depression-related behaviors, making them a potential therapeutic target for depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Di Zhao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Lihong Xu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Shujun Jiang
- Department of Physiology, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Nursing, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong, China
| | - Minghu Cui
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Fantao Meng
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Cuilan Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Dunjiang Liu
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China.
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China.
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China.
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China.
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China.
- Medical Research Center, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China.
- Institute for Metabolic & Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China.
- Department of Psychology, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, China.
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2
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Zhang H, Li L, Zhang X, Ru G, Zang W. Role of the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus in Pain Processing. Brain Sci 2024; 14:982. [PMID: 39451996 PMCID: PMC11506261 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14100982] [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: 08/17/2024] [Revised: 09/20/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) has gained attention owing to its involvement in various physiological functions, such as sleep-awake, feeding, and emotion, with its analgesic role being particularly significant. It is described as the "pain inhibitory nucleus" in the brain. The DRN has diverse projections from hypothalamus, midbrain, and pons. In turn, the DRN is a major source of projections to diverse cortex, limbic forebrain thalamus, and the midbrain and contains highly heterogeneous neuronal subtypes. The activation of DRN neurons in mice prevents the establishment of neuropathic, chronic pain symptoms. Chemogenetic or optogenetic inhibition neurons in the DRN are sufficient to establish pain phenotypes, including long-lasting tactile allodynia, that scale with the extent of stimulation, thereby promoting nociplastic pain. Recent progress has been made in identifying the neural circuits and cellular mechanisms in the DRN that are responsible for sensory modulation. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive review addressing the specific neuron types in the DRN involved in pain modulation. This review summarizes the function of specific cell types within DRN in the pain regulation, and aims to improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying pain regulation in the DRN, ultimately offering insights for further exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijie Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (H.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (H.Z.); (L.L.)
| | - Xujie Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China;
| | - Guanqi Ru
- Department of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
| | - Weidong Zang
- Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; (H.Z.); (L.L.)
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3
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Boi L, Johansson Y, Tonini R, Moratalla R, Fisone G, Silberberg G. Serotonergic and dopaminergic neurons in the dorsal raphe are differentially altered in a mouse model for parkinsonism. eLife 2024; 12:RP90278. [PMID: 38940422 PMCID: PMC11213571 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90278] [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] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor impairments caused by degeneration of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta. In addition to these symptoms, PD patients often suffer from non-motor comorbidities including sleep and psychiatric disturbances, which are thought to depend on concomitant alterations of serotonergic and noradrenergic transmission. A primary locus of serotonergic neurons is the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), providing brain-wide serotonergic input. Here, we identified electrophysiological and morphological parameters to classify serotonergic and dopaminergic neurons in the murine DRN under control conditions and in a PD model, following striatal injection of the catecholamine toxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Electrical and morphological properties of both neuronal populations were altered by 6-OHDA. In serotonergic neurons, most changes were reversed when 6-OHDA was injected in combination with desipramine, a noradrenaline (NA) reuptake inhibitor, protecting the noradrenergic terminals. Our results show that the depletion of both NA and dopamine in the 6-OHDA mouse model causes changes in the DRN neural circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Boi
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
| | - Yvonne Johansson
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
- Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Raffaella Tonini
- Neuromodulation of Cortical and Subcortical Circuits Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenovaItaly
| | - Rosario Moratalla
- Cajal Institute, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)MadridSpain
- CIBERNED, Instituto de Salud Carlos IIIMadridSpain
| | - Gilberto Fisone
- Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
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Buhidma Y, Lama J, Duty S. Insight gained from using animal models to study pain in Parkinson's disease. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2024; 174:99-118. [PMID: 38341233 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2023.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Pain is one of the key non-motor symptoms experienced by a large proportion of people living with Parkinson's disease (PD), yet the mechanisms behind this pain remain elusive and as such its treatment remains suboptimal. It is hoped that through the study of animal models of PD, we can start to unravel some of the contributory mechanisms, and perhaps identify models that prove useful as test beds for assessing the efficacy of potential new analgesics. However, just how far along this journey are we right now? Is it even possible to model pain in PD in animal models of the disease? And have we gathered any insight into pain mechanisms from the use of animal models of PD so far? In this chapter we intend to address these questions and in particular highlight the findings generated by others, and our own group, following studies in a range of rodent models of PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazead Buhidma
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, Guy's Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joana Lama
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, Guy's Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Susan Duty
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre, Guy's Campus, London, United Kingdom.
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Nguyen E, Grajales-Reyes JG, Gereau RW, Ross SE. Cell type-specific dissection of sensory pathways involved in descending modulation. Trends Neurosci 2023; 46:539-550. [PMID: 37164868 PMCID: PMC10836406 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2023.04.002] [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] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Decades of research have suggested that stimulation of supraspinal structures, such as the periaqueductal gray (PAG) and rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), inhibits nocifensive responses to noxious stimulation through a process known as descending modulation. Electrical stimulation and pharmacologic manipulations of the PAG and RVM identified transmitters and neuronal firing patterns that represented distinct cell types. Advances in mouse genetics, in vivo imaging, and circuit tracing methods, in addition to chemogenetic and optogenetic approaches, allowed the characterization of the cells and circuits involved in descending modulation in further detail. Recent work has revealed the importance of PAG and RVM neuronal cell types in the descending modulation of pruriceptive as well as nociceptive behaviors, underscoring their roles in coordinating complex behavioral responses to sensory input. This review summarizes how new technical advances that enable cell type-specific manipulation and recording of neuronal activity have supported, as well as expanded, long-standing views on descending modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eileen Nguyen
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Jose G Grajales-Reyes
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Robert W Gereau
- Washington University Pain Center and Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Sarah E Ross
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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Liu X, He J, Jiang W, Wen S, Xiao Z. The Roles of Periaqueductal Gray and Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Dopaminergic Systems in the Mechanisms of Thermal Hypersensitivity and Depression in Mice. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2023; 24:1213-1228. [PMID: 36796500 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2023.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Depression and thermal hypersensitivity share pathogenic features and symptomology, but their pathophysiologic interactions have not been fully elucidated. Dopaminergic systems in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and dorsal raphe nucleus have been implicated in these conditions due to their antinociception and antidepression effects, although their specific roles and underlying mechanisms remain obscure. In this study, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS) was used to induce depression-like behaviors and thermal hypersensitivity in C57BL/6J (wild-type) or dopamine transporter promoter mice to establish a mouse model of pain and depression comorbidity. Microinjections of quinpirole, a dopamine D2 receptor agonist, up-regulated D2 receptor expression in dorsal raphe nucleus and reduced depressive behaviors and thermal hypersensitivity with CMS, while dorsal raphe nucleus injections of JNJ-37822681, an antagonist of D2 receptors, had the reciprocal effect on dopamine D2 receptor expression and behaviors. Moreover, using a chemical genetics approach to activate or inhibit dopaminergic neurons in vlPAG ameliorated or exacerbated depression-like behaviors and thermal hypersensitivity, respectively, in dopamine transporter promoter-Cre CMS mice. Collectively these results demonstrated the specific role of vlPAG and dorsal raphe nucleus dopaminergic systems in the regulation of pain and depression comorbidity in mice. PERSPECTIVE: The current study provides insights into the complex mechanisms underlying thermal hypersensitivity induced by depression, and the findings suggest that pharmacological and chemogenetic modulation of dopaminergic systems in the vlPAG and dorsal raphe nucleus may be a promising therapeutic strategy to simultaneously mitigate pain and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingfeng Liu
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China; Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Jingxin He
- Graduate School, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Graduate School, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Song Wen
- Department of Pain Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China
| | - Zhi Xiao
- Guizhou Key Laboratory of Brain Science, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China; Guizhou Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Organ Protection, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, Guizhou, China.
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7
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Nishizawa D, Mieda T, Tsujita M, Nakagawa H, Yamaguchi S, Kasai S, Hasegawa J, Nakayama K, Ebata Y, Kitamura A, Shimizu H, Takashima T, Hayashida M, Ikeda K. Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Genetic Polymorphisms Associated with Estimated Minimum Effective Concentration of Fentanyl in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic-Assisted Colectomy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098421. [PMID: 37176129 PMCID: PMC10179231 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098421] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensitivity to opioids varies widely among individuals. To identify potential candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may significantly contribute to individual differences in the minimum effective concentration (MEC) of an opioid, fentanyl, we conducted a three-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) using whole-genome genotyping arrays in 350 patients who underwent laparoscopic-assisted colectomy. To estimate the MEC of fentanyl, plasma and effect-site concentrations of fentanyl over the 24 h postoperative period were estimated with a pharmacokinetic simulation model based on initial bolus doses and subsequent patient-controlled analgesia doses of fentanyl. Plasma and effect-site MECs of fentanyl were indicated by fentanyl concentrations, estimated immediately before each patient-controlled analgesia dose. The GWAS revealed that an intergenic SNP, rs966775, that mapped to 5p13 had significant associations with the plasma MEC averaged over the 6 h postoperative period and the effect-site MEC averaged over the 12 h postoperative period. The minor G allele of rs966775 was associated with increases in these MECs of fentanyl. The nearest protein-coding gene around this SNP was DRD1, encoding the dopamine D1 receptor. In the gene-based analysis, the association was significant for the SERP2 gene in the dominant model. Our findings provide valuable information for personalized pain treatment after laparoscopic-assisted colectomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Nishizawa
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Mieda
- Department of Anesthesiology, Saitama Medical University Hospital, Saitama 350-0495, Japan
| | - Miki Tsujita
- Department of Anesthesiology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama 350-1298, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Nakagawa
- Department of Anesthesiology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama 350-1298, Japan
| | - Shigeki Yamaguchi
- Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo 162-8666, Japan
| | - Shinya Kasai
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Junko Hasegawa
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Kyoko Nakayama
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Yuko Ebata
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Akira Kitamura
- Department of Anesthesiology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama 350-1298, Japan
| | - Hirotomo Shimizu
- Laboratory for Safety Assessment and ADME, Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Shizuoka 410-2321, Japan
| | - Tadayuki Takashima
- Laboratory for Safety Assessment and ADME, Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation, Shizuoka 410-2321, Japan
| | - Masakazu Hayashida
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, Saitama 350-1298, Japan
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan
| | - Kazutaka Ikeda
- Addictive Substance Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
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Allen A, Heisler E, Kittelberger JM. Dopamine injections to the midbrain periaqueductal gray inhibit vocal-motor production in a teleost fish. Physiol Behav 2023; 263:114131. [PMID: 36796532 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Across vertebrates, the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a critical role in social and vocal behavior. Dopaminergic neurotransmission also modulates these behaviors, and dopaminergic innervation of the PAG has been well documented. Nonetheless, the potential role of dopamine in shaping vocal production at the level of the PAG is not well understood. Here, we tested the hypothesis that dopamine modulates vocal production in the PAG, using a well-characterized vertebrate model system for the study of vocal communication, the plainfin midshipman fish, Porichthys notatus. We found that focal dopamine injections to the midshipman PAG rapidly and reversibly inhibited vocal production triggered by stimulation of known vocal-motor structures in the preoptic area / anterior hypothalamus. While dopamine inhibited vocal-motor output, it did not alter behaviorally-relevant parameters of this output, such as vocalization duration and frequency. Dopamine-induced inhibition of vocal production was prevented by the combined blockade of D1- and D2-like receptors but was unaffected by isolated blockade of either D1-receptors or D2-receptors. Our results suggest dopamine neuromodulation in the midshipman PAG may inhibit natural vocal behavior, in courtship and/or agonistic social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Allen
- Department of Biology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, United States
| | - Elizabeth Heisler
- Department of Biology, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA 17325, United States
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Buhidma Y, Hobbs C, Malcangio M, Duty S. Periaqueductal grey and spinal cord pathology contribute to pain in Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2023; 9:69. [PMID: 37100804 PMCID: PMC10133233 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-023-00510-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is a key non-motor feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) that significantly impacts on life quality. The mechanisms underlying chronic pain in PD are poorly understood, hence the lack of effective treatments. Using the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rat model of PD, we identified reductions in dopaminergic neurons in the periaqueductal grey (PAG) and Met-enkephalin in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord that were validated in human PD tissue samples. Pharmacological activation of D1-like receptors in the PAG, identified as the DRD5+ phenotype located on glutamatergic neurons, alleviated the mechanical hypersensitivity seen in the Parkinsonian model. Downstream activity in serotonergic neurons in the Raphé magnus (RMg) was also reduced in 6-OHDA lesioned rats, as detected by diminished c-FOS positivity. Furthermore, we identified increased pre-aggregate α-synuclein, coupled with elevated activated microglia in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in those people that experienced PD-related pain in life. Our findings have outlined pathological pathways involved in the manifestation of pain in PD that may present targets for improved analgesia in people with PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazead Buhidma
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Carl Hobbs
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Marzia Malcangio
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Susan Duty
- King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, Guy's Campus, London, SE1 1UL, UK.
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Chronic Ethanol Exposure Modulates Periaqueductal Gray to Extended Amygdala Dopamine Circuit. J Neurosci 2023; 43:709-721. [PMID: 36526372 PMCID: PMC9899080 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1219-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a component of the extended amygdala that regulates motivated behavior and affective states and plays an integral role in the development of alcohol-use disorder (AUD). The dorsal subdivision of the BNST (dBNST) receives dense dopaminergic input from the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG)/dorsal raphe (DR). To date, no studies have examined the effects of chronic alcohol on this circuit. Here, we used chronic intermittent ethanol exposure (CIE), a well-established rodent model of AUD, to functionally interrogate the vlPAG/DR-BNST dopamine (DA) circuit during acute withdrawal. We selectively targeted vlPAG/DRDA neurons in tyrosine hydroxylase-expressing transgenic adult male mice. Using ex vivo electrophysiology, we found hyperexcitability of vlPAG/DRDA neurons in CIE-treated mice. Further, using optogenetic approaches to target vlPAG/DRDA terminals in the dBNST, we revealed a CIE-mediated shift in the vlPAG/DR-driven excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) ratio to a hyperexcitable state in dBNST. Additionally, to quantify the effect of CIE on endogenous DA signaling, we coupled optogenetics with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry to measure pathway-specific DA release in dBNST. CIE-treated mice had significantly reduced signal half-life, suggestive of faster clearance of DA signaling. CIE treatment also altered the ratio of vlPAG/DRDA-driven cellular inhibition and excitation of a subset of dBNST neurons. Overall, our findings suggest a dysregulation of vlPAG/DR to BNST dopamine circuit, which may contribute to pathophysiological phenotypes associated with AUD.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dBNST) is highly implicated in the pathophysiology of alcohol-use disorder and receives dopaminergic inputs from ventrolateral periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe regions (vlPAG/DR). The present study highlights the plasticity within the vlPAG/DR to dBNST dopamine (DA) circuit during acute withdrawal from chronic ethanol exposure. More specifically, our data reveal that chronic ethanol strengthens vlPAG/DR-dBNST glutamatergic transmission while altering both DA transmission and dopamine-mediated cellular inhibition of dBNST neurons. The net result is a shift toward a hyperexcitable state in dBNST activity. Together, our findings suggest chronic ethanol may promote withdrawal-related plasticity by dysregulating the vlPAG/DR-dBNST DA circuit.
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McPherson KB, Ingram SL. Cellular and circuit diversity determines the impact of endogenous opioids in the descending pain modulatory pathway. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:963812. [PMID: 36045708 PMCID: PMC9421147 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.963812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The descending pain modulatory pathway exerts important bidirectional control of nociceptive inputs to dampen and/or facilitate the perception of pain. The ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) integrates inputs from many regions associated with the processing of nociceptive, cognitive, and affective components of pain perception, and is a key brain area for opioid action. Opioid receptors are expressed on a subset of vlPAG neurons, as well as on both GABAergic and glutamatergic presynaptic terminals that impinge on vlPAG neurons. Microinjection of opioids into the vlPAG produces analgesia and microinjection of the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone blocks stimulation-mediated analgesia, highlighting the role of endogenous opioid release within this region in the modulation of nociception. Endogenous opioid effects within the vlPAG are complex and likely dependent on specific neuronal circuits activated by acute and chronic pain stimuli. This review is focused on the cellular heterogeneity within vlPAG circuits and highlights gaps in our understanding of endogenous opioid regulation of the descending pain modulatory circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie B. McPherson
- Division of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy,Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Susan L. Ingram
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, United States,*Correspondence: Susan L. Ingram
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12
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Central nervous system monoaminergic activity in hip osteoarthritis patients with disabling pain: associations with pain severity and central sensitization. Pain Rep 2022; 7:e988. [PMID: 35097309 PMCID: PMC8789209 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
In patients with osteoarthritis undergoing total hip arthroplasty, higher cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of serotonin and dopamine metabolites are associated with increased pain severity and central sensitization. Introduction: Objectives: Methods: Results: Conclusions:
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13
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Hussein MC, Bektas N, Ozturk Y, Arslan R. Antinociception Induced by Moringa Stenopetela (Baker f.) Cufod. Leaves Extract and Possible Mechanisms of Action. BRAZ J PHARM SCI 2022. [DOI: 10.1590/s2175-97902020000118578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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14
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Pati D, Kash TL. Tumor necrosis factor-α modulates GABAergic and dopaminergic neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray of female mice. J Neurophysiol 2021; 126:2119-2129. [PMID: 34817244 PMCID: PMC8715045 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00251.2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroimmune signaling is increasingly identified as a critical component of various illnesses, including chronic pain, substance use disorder, and depression. However, the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), may play a role by modulating synaptic function and long-term plasticity. The midbrain structure periaqueductal gray (PAG) plays a well-established role in pain processing, and although TNF-α inhibitors have emerged as a therapeutic strategy for pain-related disorders, the impact of TNF-α on PAG neuronal activity has not been thoroughly characterized. Recent studies have identified subpopulations of ventrolateral PAG (vlPAG) with opposing effects on nociception, with dopamine (DA) neurons driving pain relief in contrast to GABA neurons. Therefore, we used slice physiology to examine the impact of TNF-α on neuronal activity of both these subpopulations. We focused on female mice since the PAG is a sexually dimorphic region and most studies use male subjects, limiting our understanding of mechanistic variations in females. We selectively targeted GABA and DA neurons using transgenic reporter lines. Following exposure to TNF-α, there was an increase in excitability of GABA neurons along with a reduction in glutamatergic synaptic transmission. In DA neurons, TNF-α exposure resulted in a robust decrease in excitability along with a modest reduction in glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Interestingly, TNF-α had no effect on inhibitory transmission onto DA neurons. Collectively, these data suggest that TNF-α differentially affects the function of GABA and DA neurons in female mice and enhances our understanding of how TNF-α-mediated signaling modulates vlPAG function.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study describes the effects of TNF-α on two distinct subpopulations of neurons in the vlPAG. We show that TNF-α alters both neuronal excitability and glutamatergic synaptic transmission on GABA and dopamine neurons within the vlPAG of female mice. This provides critical new information on the role of TNF-α in the potential modulation of pain, since activation of vlPAG GABA neurons drives nociception, whereas activation of dopamine neurons drives analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipanwita Pati
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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15
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Li T, Wang L, Zhang L, Li B, Wang D, Zhang L, Wang T, Fu F. Rotigotine-loaded microspheres exerts the antinociceptive effect via central dopaminergic system. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 910:174443. [PMID: 34464604 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Rotigotine-loaded microspheres (RoMS), a sustained-release formulation with a continuous release of rotigotine for more than 7 days in vivo, have been conducted a clinical trial for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous work from our laboratory showed that RoMS exerted an antinociceptive effect in rat models of inflammatory pain. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of action underlying the antinociceptive effect of RoMS. A rat model of inflammatory pain was prepared by an intraplantar injection of carrageenan. The hot plate test and the Randall-Selitto test were used to evaluate the effect of domperidone (selective D2 receptor antagonist), D2D3 shRNA, and naloxone (nonselective opioid receptor antagonist) on RoMS-mediated antinociceptive efficacy. The expressions of D2 and D3 receptors in the striatum and periaqueductal gray were measured by Western blotting. Intracerebroventricular injection of domperidone abated the antinociceptive effect of RoMS. However, intraperitoneal injection of domperidone had no significant effect on the antinociceptive action of RoMS. Intracerebroventricular injection with D2D3 shRNA significantly attenuated the expressions of D2 and D3 receptors in the striatum and the periaqueductal gray. D2 and D3 receptors silence significantly weakened RoMS-mediated antinociceptive effect. Intracerebroventricular injection of naloxone also alleviated the antinociceptive effect of RoMS. The results suggest that RoMS-mediated antinociceptive efficacy is associated with activating central dopamine D2 and D3 receptors. Opioid receptors play a role in the antinociceptive effect of RoMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Li
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China
| | - Linlin Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China
| | - Linjie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China
| | - Baoxia Li
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China
| | - Daohui Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China
| | - Leiming Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China
| | - Tian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China.
| | - Fenghua Fu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation, Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Long-acting and Targeting Drug Delivery Technologies, Luye Pharma Group Ltd., Yantai, Shandong, 264003, PR China.
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16
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Gilpin NW, Yu W, Kash TL. Forebrain-Midbrain Circuits and Peptides Involved in Hyperalgesia After Chronic Alcohol Exposure. Alcohol Res 2021; 41:13. [PMID: 34729286 PMCID: PMC8549866 DOI: 10.35946/arcr.v41.1.13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
People living with pain report drinking alcohol to relieve pain. Acute alcohol use reduces pain, and chronic alcohol use facilitates the emergence or exaggeration of pain. Recently, funding agencies and neuroscientists involved in basic research have turned their attention to understanding the neurobiological mechanisms that underlie pain-alcohol interactions, with a focus on circuit and molecular mediators of alcohol-induced changes in pain-related behavior. This review briefly discusses some examples of work being done in this area, with a focus on reciprocal projections between the midbrain and extended amygdala, as well as some neurochemical mediators of pain-related phenotypes after alcohol exposure. Finally, as more work accumulates on this topic, the authors highlight the need for the neuroscience field to carefully consider sex and age in the design and analysis of pain-alcohol interaction experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.,Department of Neuroscience, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.,Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana.,Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Intramural Program, Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care System, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Waylin Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Department of Pharmacology, Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
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17
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Williams VM, Bhagwandin A, Swiegers J, Bertelsen MF, Hård T, Sherwood CC, Manger PR. Nuclear organization of catecholaminergic neurons in the brains of a lar gibbon and a chimpanzee. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:1476-1499. [PMID: 34605227 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Using tyrosine hydroxylase immunohistochemistry, we describe the nuclear parcellation of the catecholaminergic system in the brains of a lar gibbon (Hylobates lar) and a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes). The parcellation of catecholaminergic nuclei in the brains of both apes is virtually identical to that observed in humans and shows very strong similarities to that observed in mammals more generally, particularly other primates. Specific variations of this system in the apes studied include an unusual high-density cluster of A10dc neurons, an enlarged retrorubral nucleus (A8), and an expanded distribution of the neurons forming the dorsolateral division of the locus coeruleus (A4). The additional A10dc neurons may improve dopaminergic modulation of the extended amygdala, the enlarged A8 nucleus may be related to the increased use of communicative facial expressions in the hominoids compared to other primates, while the expansion of the A4 nucleus appears to be related to accelerated evolution of the cerebellum in the hominoids compared to other primates. In addition, we report the presence of a compact division of the locus coeruleus proper (A6c), as seen in other primates, that is not present in other mammals apart from megachiropteran bats. The presence of this nucleus in primates and megachiropteran bats may reflect homology or homoplasy, depending on the evolutionary scenario adopted. The fact that the complement of homologous catecholaminergic nuclei is mostly consistent across mammals, including primates, is advantageous for the selection of model animals for the study of specific dysfunctions of the catecholaminergic system in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M Williams
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Adhil Bhagwandin
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.,Division of Clinical Anatomy and Biological Anthropology, Department of Human Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jordan Swiegers
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Mads F Bertelsen
- Centre for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | - Chet C Sherwood
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Paul R Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
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18
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Yu W, Pati D, Pina MM, Schmidt KT, Boyt KM, Hunker AC, Zweifel LS, McElligott ZA, Kash TL. Periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe dopamine neurons contribute to sex differences in pain-related behaviors. Neuron 2021; 109:1365-1380.e5. [PMID: 33740416 PMCID: PMC9990825 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Sex differences in pain severity, response, and pathological susceptibility are widely reported, but the neural mechanisms that contribute to these outcomes remain poorly understood. Here we show that dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray/dorsal raphe (vlPAG/DR) differentially regulate pain-related behaviors in male and female mice through projections to the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). We find that activation of vlPAG/DRDA+ neurons or vlPAG/DRDA+ terminals in the BNST reduces nociceptive sensitivity during naive and inflammatory pain states in male mice, whereas activation of this pathway in female mice leads to increased locomotion in the presence of salient stimuli. We additionally use slice physiology and genetic editing approaches to demonstrate that vlPAG/DRDA+ projections to the BNST drive sex-specific responses to pain through DA signaling, providing evidence of a novel ascending circuit for pain relief in males and contextual locomotor response in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waylin Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Dipanwita Pati
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Melanie M Pina
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Karl T Schmidt
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kristen M Boyt
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Avery C Hunker
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Larry S Zweifel
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Zoe A McElligott
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Thomas L Kash
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
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19
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Ferrari LF, Pei J, Zickella M, Rey C, Zickella J, Ramirez A, Taylor NE. D2 Receptors in the Periaqueductal Gray/Dorsal Raphe Modulate Peripheral Inflammatory Hyperalgesia via the Rostral Ventral Medulla. Neuroscience 2021; 463:159-173. [PMID: 33826955 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the periaqueductal gray (PAG)/dorsal raphe are key modulators of antinociception with known supraspinal targets. However, no study has directly tested whether these neurons contribute to descending pain inhibition. We hypothesized that PAG dopamine neurons contribute to the analgesic effect of D-amphetamine via a mechanism that involves descending modulation via the rostral ventral medulla (RVM). Male C57BL/6 mice showed increased c-FOS expression in PAG dopamine neurons and a significant increase in paw withdrawal latency to thermal stimulation after receiving a systemic injection of D-amphetamine. Targeted microinfusion of D-amphetamine, L-DOPA, or the selective D2 agonist quinpirole into the PAG produced analgesia, while a D1 agonist, chloro APB, had no effect. In addition, inhibition of D2 receptors in the PAG by eticlopride prevented the systemic D-amphetamine analgesic effect. D-amphetamine and PAG D2 receptor-mediated analgesia were inhibited by intra-RVM injection of lidocaine or the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol, indicating a PAG-RVM signaling pathway in this model of analgesia. Finally, both systemic D-amphetamine and local PAG microinjection of quinpirole, inhibited inflammatory hyperalgesia induced by carrageenan. This hyperalgesia was transiently restored by intra-PAG injection of eticlopride, as well as RVM microinjection of muscimol. We conclude that D-amphetamine analgesia is partially mediated by descending inhibition and that D2 receptors in the PAG are responsible for this effect via modulating neurons that project to the RVM. These results further our understanding of the antinociceptive effects of dopamine and elucidate a mechanism by which clinically available dopamine modulators produce analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz F Ferrari
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States.
| | - JunZhu Pei
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Florida International University, United States.
| | - Michael Zickella
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States
| | - Charles Rey
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States
| | - Jacqueline Zickella
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States
| | - Anna Ramirez
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States.
| | - Norman E Taylor
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah School of Medicine, 30 N 1900 E, RM 3C444 SOM, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, United States.
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20
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The Distinct Functions of Dopaminergic Receptors on Pain Modulation: A Narrative Review. Neural Plast 2021; 2021:6682275. [PMID: 33688340 PMCID: PMC7920737 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6682275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is considered an economic burden on society as it often results in disability, job loss, and early retirement. Opioids are the most common analgesics prescribed for the management of moderate to severe pain. However, chronic exposure to these drugs can result in opioid tolerance and opioid-induced hyperalgesia. On pain modulation strategies, exploiting the multitarget drugs with the ability of the superadditive or synergistic interactions attracts more attention. In the present report, we have reviewed the analgesic effects of different dopamine receptors, particularly D1 and D2 receptors, in different regions of the central nervous system, including the spinal cord, striatum, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and periaqueductal gray (PAG). According to the evidence, these regions are not only involved in pain modulation but also express a high density of DA receptors. The findings can be categorized as follows: (1) D2-like receptors may exert a higher analgesic potency, but D1-like receptors act in different manners across several mechanisms in the mentioned regions; (2) in the spinal cord and striatum, antinociception of DA is mainly mediated by D2-like receptors, while in the NAc and PAG, both D1- and D2-like receptors are involved as analgesic targets; and (3) D2-like receptor agonists can act as adjuvants of μ-opioid receptor agonists to potentiate analgesic effects and provide a better approach to pain relief.
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21
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Lin R, Liang J, Luo M. The Raphe Dopamine System: Roles in Salience Encoding, Memory Expression, and Addiction. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:366-377. [PMID: 33568331 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) were traditionally viewed as an extension of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) DA population. While the VTA DA population is known to play important roles in reward processing, emerging evidence now supports the view that DRN DA neurons are a specialized midbrain DA subsystem that performs distinct functions in parallel to the VTA DA population. Recent studies have shed new light on the roles of DRN DA neurons in encoding incentive salience and in regulating memory expression and arousal. Here, we review recent findings using mouse models about the physiology and behavioral functions of DRN DA neurons, highlight the engagement of DRN DA neurons and their upstream circuits in opioid addiction, and discuss emerging lines of investigation that reveal multifaceted heterogeneity among DRN DA neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Lin
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing 102206, China.
| | - Jingwen Liang
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing 102206, China
| | - Minmin Luo
- National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing 102206, China; Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing 102206, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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22
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Paparella G, Di Stefano G, Fasolino A, Di Pietro G, Colella D, Truini A, Cruccu G, Berardelli A, Bologna M. Painful stimulation increases spontaneous blink rate in healthy subjects. Sci Rep 2020; 10:20014. [PMID: 33203984 PMCID: PMC7672065 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76804-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous blink rate is considered a biomarker of central dopaminergic activity. Recent evidence suggests that the central dopaminergic system plays a role in nociception. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether pain modulates spontaneous blink rate in healthy subjects. We enrolled 15 participants. Spontaneous blink rate was quantified with an optoelectronic system before and after: (1) a painful laser stimulation, and (2) an acoustic startling stimulation. In control experiments, we investigated whether laser stimulation effects depended on stimulation intensity and whether laser stimulation induced any changes in the blink reflex recovery cycle. Finally, we investigated any relationship between spontaneous blink rate modification and pain modulation effect during the cold pressor test. Laser, but not acoustic, stimulation increased spontaneous blink rate. This effect was independent of stimulation intensity and negatively correlated with pain perception. No changes in trigeminal-facial reflex circuit excitability were elicited by laser stimulation. The cold pressor test also induced an increased spontaneous blink rate. Our study provides evidence on the role of dopamine in nociception and suggests that dopaminergic activity may be involved in pain modulation. These findings lay the groundwork for further investigations in patients with pathological conditions characterized by dopaminergic deficit and pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giulia Di Stefano
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Fasolino
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Di Pietro
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Donato Colella
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Truini
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Cruccu
- Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Alfredo Berardelli
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy. .,Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Matteo Bologna
- IRCCS Neuromed, Pozzilli, IS, Italy.,Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università, 30, 00185, Rome, Italy
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23
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Bagley EE, Ingram SL. Endogenous opioid peptides in the descending pain modulatory circuit. Neuropharmacology 2020; 173:108131. [PMID: 32422213 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The opioid epidemic has led to a serious examination of the use of opioids for the treatment of pain. Opioid drugs are effective due to the expression of opioid receptors throughout the body. These receptors respond to endogenous opioid peptides that are expressed as polypeptide hormones that are processed by proteolytic cleavage. Endogenous opioids are expressed throughout the peripheral and central nervous system and regulate many different neuronal circuits and functions. One of the key functions of endogenous opioid peptides is to modulate our responses to pain. This review will focus on the descending pain modulatory circuit which consists of the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (PAG) projections to the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM). RVM projections modulate incoming nociceptive afferents at the level of the spinal cord. Stimulation within either the PAG or RVM results in analgesia and this circuit has been studied in detail in terms of the actions of exogenous opioids, such as morphine and fentanyl. Further emphasis on understanding the complex regulation of endogenous opioids will help to make rational decisions with regard to the use of opioids for pain. We also include a discussion of the actions of endogenous opioids in the amygdala, an upstream brain structure that has reciprocal connections to the PAG that contribute to the brain's response to pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena E Bagley
- Discipline of Pharmacology and Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Susan L Ingram
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA.
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Role of hippocampal dopamine receptors in the antinociceptive responses induced by chemical stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus in animal model of acute pain. Brain Res 2020; 1734:146759. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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25
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Grenier P, Mailhiot MC, Cahill CM, Olmstead MC. Blockade of dopamine D1 receptors in male rats disrupts morphine reward in pain naïve but not in chronic pain states. J Neurosci Res 2019; 100:297-308. [PMID: 31721270 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The rewarding effect of opiates is mediated through dissociable neural systems in drug naïve and drug-dependent states. Neuroadaptations associated with chronic drug use are similar to those produced by chronic pain, suggesting that opiate reward could also involve distinct mechanisms in chronic pain and pain-naïve states. We tested this hypothesis by examining the effect of dopamine (DA) antagonism on morphine reward in a rat model of neuropathic pain.Neuropathic pain was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats through chronic constriction (CCI) of the sciatic nerve; reward was assessed in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in separate groups at early (4-8 days post-surgery) and late (11-15 days post-surgery) phases of neuropathic pain. Minimal effective doses of morphine that produced a CPP in early and late phases of neuropathic pain were 6 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg respectively. The DA D1 receptor antagonist, SCH23390, blocked a morphine CPP in sham, but not CCI, rats at a higher dose (0.5 mg/kg), but had no effect at a lower dose (0.1 mg/kg). The DA D2 receptor antagonist, eticlopride (0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg), had no effect on a morphine CPP in sham or CCI rats, either in early or late phases of neuropathic pain. In the CPP paradigm, morphine reward involves DA D1 mechanisms in pain-naïve but not chronic pain states. This could reflect increased sensitivity to drug effects in pain versus no pain conditions and/or differential mediation of opiate reward in these two states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Grenier
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | | | - Catherine M Cahill
- Hatos Center for Neuropharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Mary C Olmstead
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.,Centre for Neuroscience Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
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Campos ACP, Berzuino MB, Hernandes MS, Fonoff ET, Pagano RL. Monoaminergic regulation of nociceptive circuitry in a Parkinson's disease rat model. Exp Neurol 2019; 318:12-21. [DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 03/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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27
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Dikmen DY, Okcay Y, Arslan R, Bektas N. Cannabinoid system involves in the analgesic effect of protocatechuic acid. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 27:605-612. [PMID: 31325037 DOI: 10.1007/s40199-019-00288-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Protocatechuic acid is an antioxidant which is shown to have analgesic activity in limited studies. However, the mechanisms of action remain unclear. OBJECTIVES It is aimed to investigate the possible contribution of cannabinoid system that supresses the nociceptive process by the activation of CB1 and CB2 receptors in central and peripheral levels of pain pathways, to the analgesic activity of protocatechuic acid. METHODS The analgesic activity of protocatechuic acid was determined at the doses of 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg (i.p.) by acetic acid-induced writhing and tail-immersion tests in mice. The results were compared to the analgesic effect of 300 mg/kg (i.p.) dipyrone and non-specific CB receptor agonist 5 mg/kg (i.p.) WIN 55,212-2. For investigating the contribution of cannabinoid system to protocatechuic acid analgesia; pre-treatment with 8 mg/kg (i.p.) CB1 antagonist AM251 and 8 mg/kg (i.p.) CB2 antagonist AM630 were performed separately before 300 mg/kg protocatechuic acid administration. RESULTS It was determined that protocatechuic acid has dose-dependent analgesic effect independently from locomotor activity and is comparable with effects of dipyrone and WIN 55,212-2. Pre-treatment with CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 significantly antagonized the protocatechuic acid-induced analgesia in the tail-immersion and writhing tests, whereas pre-treatment of CB2 receptor antagonist AM630 was found to be effective only in the tail-immersion test. CONCLUSION It is concluded that cannabinoid modulation contributes to the analgesic effect of protocatechuic acid in spinal level rather than peripheral. CB1 receptor stimulation rather than CB2 receptor stimulation mediates the analgesic effect of protocatechuic acid in both levels, especially peripheral. Graphical abstract Protocatechuic acid inhibits pain response via cannabinoidergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duygu Yesim Dikmen
- Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Anadolu University, 26470, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Yagmur Okcay
- Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Pharmacology, Anadolu University, 26470, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Rana Arslan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Anadolu University, 26470, Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Nurcan Bektas
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Anadolu University, 26470, Eskisehir, Turkey.
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Rahimi K, Sajedianfard J, Owji AA. Effects of Salmon Calcitonin on the Concentrations of Monoamines in Periaqueductal Gray in Formalin Test. Balkan Med J 2019; 36:263-269. [PMID: 31218879 PMCID: PMC6711249 DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.galenos.2019.2018.12.88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The receptors of salmon calcitonin, located on certain areas of the brain such as the periaqueductal gray matter, are responsible for pain modulation. Aims: The effects of intracerebroventricular injection of salmon calcitonin on the behavioral response to pain and on the levels of monoamines in the periaqueductal gray were explored using a biphasic animal model of pain. Study Design: Animal experiment. Methods: A total of 45 male rats were divided into four groups (n=6). Salmon calcitonin was injected into the lateral ventricle of the brain (1.5 nmol, with a volume of 5 μL). After 20 min, 2.5% formalin was subcutaneously injected into the right leg claw, and pain behavior was recorded on a numerical basis. At the time of the formalin test, the periaqueductal gray area was microdialized. High-performance liquid chromatography method was used to gauge the levels of monoamines and their metabolites. Results: Intracerebroventricular injections of salmon calcitonin resulted in pain reduction in the formalin test (p<0.05). The dialysate concentrations of serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic, and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglycol increased in the periaqueductal gray area in different phases of the formalin pain test (p<0.05). Conclusion: Salmon calcitonin reduced pain by increasing the concentrations of monoamines and the metabolites derived from them in the periaqueductal gray area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaveh Rahimi
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Javad Sajedianfard
- Department of Basic Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ali Akbar Owji
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
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29
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Silva C, McNaughton N. Are periaqueductal gray and dorsal raphe the foundation of appetitive and aversive control? A comprehensive review. Prog Neurobiol 2019; 177:33-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Enhanced antinociception with repeated microinjections of apomorphine into the periaqueductal gray of male and female rats. Behav Pharmacol 2019; 29:234-240. [PMID: 29256893 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Dopamine neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (PAG) have been reported to contribute to antinociception. The objective of this study was to determine how this dopamine-mediated antinociception differs from what is known about morphine-induced antinociception. Microinjection of the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine into the PAG produced a dose-dependent increase in hot plate latency and a decrease in open field activity that was greater in male than in female rats. The peak antinociceptive effect occurred 5 min after apomorphine administration. Surprisingly, the antinociceptive potency of apomorphine was enhanced following systemic administration of the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone in male, but not in female rats. The antinociceptive potency of microinjecting apomorphine into the ventrolateral PAG in male and female rats was also enhanced following twice-daily injections for 2 days. The characteristics of apomorphine-induced antinociception differ from previous reports of morphine antinociception following PAG microinjections in that morphine antinociception peaks at 15 min, is blocked by naloxone, and is susceptible to tolerance with repeated administration. These results indicate that apomorphine-induced antinociception is distinct from opioid-induced antinociception, and that dopamine receptor agonists may provide a novel approach to pain modulation.
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31
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Abstract
As important as perceiving pain is the ability to modulate this perception in some contextual salient situations. The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is perhaps the most important site of endogenous pain modulation; however, little is known about dopaminergic mechanisms underlying PAG-mediated antinociception. In this study, we used a pharmacological approach to evaluate this subject. We found that µ-opioid receptor-induced antinociception (DAMGO, 0.3 μg) from PAG was blocked by the coadministration of either D1-like or D2-like dopaminergic antagonists (SCH23390, 2, 4, and 6 μg or raclopride, 2 and 4 μg, respectively) both in the tail-flick and in the mechanical paw-withdrawal test. A selective D2-like receptor agonist (piribedil, 6 and 12 μg into the PAG) induced antinociception in the mechanical paw-withdrawal test, but not in the tail-flick test. This effect was blocked by the coadministration of its selective antagonist (raclopride 4 μg), as well as by either a GABAA agonist (muscimol, 0.1 μg) or an opioid receptor antagonist (naloxone, 0.5 μg). A selective D1-like receptor agonist (SKF38393, 1, 5, and 10 μg into the PAG) induced a poor and transient antinociceptive effect, but when combined with piribedil, a potentiated antinociceptive effect emerged. None of these treatments affected locomotion in the open-field test. These findings suggest that µ-opioid antinociception from the PAG depends on dopamine acting on both D1-like and D2-like receptors. Selective activation of PAG D2-like receptors induces antinociception mediated by supraspinal mechanisms dependent on inhibition of GABAA and activation of opioid neurotransmission.
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32
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Matthews GA, Tye KM. Neural mechanisms of social homeostasis. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019; 1457:5-25. [PMID: 30875095 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.14016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2018] [Revised: 12/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Social connections are vital to survival throughout the animal kingdom and are dynamic across the life span. There are debilitating consequences of social isolation and loneliness, and social support is increasingly a primary consideration in health care, disease prevention, and recovery. Considering social connection as an "innate need," it is hypothesized that evolutionarily conserved neural systems underlie the maintenance of social connections: alerting the individual to their absence and coordinating effector mechanisms to restore social contact. This is reminiscent of a homeostatic system designed to maintain social connection. Here, we explore the identity of neural systems regulating "social homeostasis." We review findings from rodent studies evaluating the rapid response to social deficit (in the form of acute social isolation) and propose that parallel, overlapping circuits are engaged to adapt to the vulnerabilities of isolation and restore social connection. By considering the neural systems regulating other homeostatic needs, such as energy and fluid balance, we discuss the potential attributes of social homeostatic circuitry. We reason that uncovering the identity of these circuits/mechanisms will facilitate our understanding of how loneliness perpetuates long-term disease states, which we speculate may result from sustained recruitment of social homeostatic circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian A Matthews
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Kay M Tye
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,The Salk Institute for Biological Sciences, La Jolla, California
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33
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Domenici RA, Campos ACP, Maciel ST, Berzuino MB, Hernandes MS, Fonoff ET, Pagano RL. Parkinson's disease and pain: Modulation of nociceptive circuitry in a rat model of nigrostriatal lesion. Exp Neurol 2019; 315:72-81. [PMID: 30772369 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes progressive dysfunction of dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic neurons, generating motor and nonmotor signs and symptoms. Pain is reported as the most bothersome nonmotor symptom in PD; however, pain remains overlooked and poorly understood. In this study, we evaluated the nociceptive behavior and the descending analgesia circuitry in a rat model of PD. Three independent experiments were performed to investigate: i) thermal nociceptive behavior; ii) mechanical nociceptive behavior and dopaminergic repositioning; and iii) modulation of the pain control circuitry. The rat model of PD, induced by unilateral striatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), did not interfere with thermal nociceptive responses; however, the mechanical nociceptive threshold was decreased bilaterally compared to that of naive or striatal saline-injected rats. This response was reversed by apomorphine or levodopa treatment. Striatal 6-OHDA induced motor impairments and reduced dopaminergic neuron immunolabeling as well as the pattern of neuronal activation (c-Fos) in the substantia nigra ipsilateral (IPL) to the lesion. In the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG), 6-OHDA-induced lesion increased IPL and decreased contralateral PAG GABAergic labeling compared to control. In the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, lesioned rats showed bilateral inhibition of enkephalin and μ-opioid receptor labeling. Taken together, we demonstrated that the unilateral 6-OHDA-induced PD model induces bilateral mechanical hypernociception, which is reversed by dopamine restoration, changes in the PAG circuitry, and inhibition of spinal opioidergic regulation, probably due to impaired descending analgesic control. A better understanding of pain mechanisms in PD patients is critical for developing better therapeutic strategies to improve their quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta A Domenici
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Soraya T Maciel
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Miriã B Berzuino
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marina S Hernandes
- Department of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States of America
| | - Erich T Fonoff
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Division of Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rosana L Pagano
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Abstract
Chronic pain is a frequent condition that affects an estimated 20% of people worldwide, accounting for 15%-20% of doctors' appointments (Treede et al., 2015). It lacks the acute warning function of physiologic nociception, and instead involves the activation of multiple neurophysiologic mechanisms in the somatosensory system, a complex neuronal network under the control of powerful autoregulatory loops and able to undergo rapid neuroplastic alteration (Verdu et al., 2008). There is a growing body of research suggesting that some such pathways are shared by major psychologic disorders such as depression and anxiety, opening new avenues in co-treatment strategies. In particular, besides anticonvulsants, which are today used as analgesics, other psychopharmaceuticals, such as the tricyclic antidepressants, are displaying efficacy in the treatment of neuropathic and nociceptive chronic pain. The state of the art regarding the mechanisms of nociception and the pharmacology of both the neurotransmitters involved and the wide range of psychoactive compounds that may be useful in the treatment of chronic pain are discussed.
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35
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Taylor NE, Pei J, Zhang J, Vlasov KY, Davis T, Taylor E, Weng FJ, Van Dort CJ, Solt K, Brown EN. The Role of Glutamatergic and Dopaminergic Neurons in the Periaqueductal Gray/Dorsal Raphe: Separating Analgesia and Anxiety. eNeuro 2019; 6:ENEURO.0018-18.2019. [PMID: 31058210 PMCID: PMC6498422 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0018-18.2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a significant modulator of both analgesic and fear behaviors in both humans and rodents, but the underlying circuitry responsible for these two phenotypes is incompletely understood. Importantly, it is not known if there is a way to produce analgesia without anxiety by targeting the PAG, as modulation of glutamate or GABA neurons in this area initiates both antinociceptive and anxiogenic behavior. While dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventrolateral PAG (vlPAG)/dorsal raphe display a supraspinal antinociceptive effect, their influence on anxiety and fear are unknown. Using DAT-cre and Vglut2-cre male mice, we introduced designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADD) to DA and glutamate neurons within the vlPAG using viral-mediated delivery and found that levels of analgesia were significant and quantitatively similar when DA and glutamate neurons were selectively stimulated. Activation of glutamatergic neurons, however, reliably produced higher indices of anxiety, with increased freezing time and more time spent in the safety of a dark enclosure. In contrast, animals in which PAG/dorsal raphe DA neurons were stimulated failed to show fear behaviors. DA-mediated antinociception was inhibitable by haloperidol and was sufficient to prevent persistent inflammatory pain induced by carrageenan. In summary, only activation of DA neurons in the PAG/dorsal raphe produced profound analgesia without signs of anxiety, indicating that PAG/dorsal raphe DA neurons are an important target involved in analgesia that may lead to new treatments for pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - JunZhu Pei
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, MA
| | - Jie Zhang
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City 84112, UT
| | | | | | - Emma Taylor
- University of Massachusetts, Lowell 01854, MA
| | - Feng-Ju Weng
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge 02139, MA
| | | | - Ken Solt
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, MA
| | - Emery N Brown
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, MA
- Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston 02114, MA
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36
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Bravo L, Llorca-Torralba M, Berrocoso E, Micó JA. Monoamines as Drug Targets in Chronic Pain: Focusing on Neuropathic Pain. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1268. [PMID: 31942167 PMCID: PMC6951279 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoamines are involved in regulating the endogenous pain system and indeed, peripheral and central monoaminergic dysfunction has been demonstrated in certain types of pain, particularly in neuropathic pain. Accordingly, drugs that modulate the monaminergic system and that were originally designed to treat depression are now considered to be first line treatments for certain types of neuropathic pain (e.g., serotonin and noradrenaline (and also dopamine) reuptake inhibitors). The analgesia induced by these drugs seems to be mediated by inhibiting the reuptake of these monoamines, thereby reinforcing the descending inhibitory pain pathways. Hence, it is of particular interest to study the monoaminergic mechanisms involved in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. Other analgesic drugs may also be used in combination with monoamines to facilitate descending pain inhibition (e.g., gabapentinoids and opioids) and such combinations are often also used to alleviate certain types of chronic pain. By contrast, while NSAIDs are thought to influence the monoaminergic system, they just produce consistent analgesia in inflammatory pain. Thus, in this review we will provide preclinical and clinical evidence of the role of monoamines in the modulation of chronic pain, reviewing how this system is implicated in the analgesic mechanism of action of antidepressants, gabapentinoids, atypical opioids, NSAIDs and histaminergic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Bravo
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Meritxell Llorca-Torralba
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esther Berrocoso
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Psychology, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Micó
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Psychobiology Research Group, Department of Neuroscience, University of Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Biomédica de Cádiz, INiBICA, Hospital Universitario Puerta del Mar, Cádiz, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Juan Antonio Micó,
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Sokolov AY, Popova NS, Povarenkov AS, Amelin AV. The Role of Dopamine in Primary Headaches. NEUROCHEM J+ 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s1819712418030145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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38
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Engels G, McCoy B, Vlaar A, Theeuwes J, Weinstein H, Scherder E, Douw L. Clinical pain and functional network topology in Parkinson's disease: a resting-state fMRI study. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2018; 125:1449-1459. [PMID: 30132078 PMCID: PMC6132917 DOI: 10.1007/s00702-018-1916-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Pain is an important non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD), but its underlying pathophysiological mechanisms are still unclear. Research has shown that functional connectivity during the resting-state may be involved in persistent pain in PD. In the present cross-sectional study, 24 PD patients (both during on and off medication phase) and 27 controls participated. We assessed pain with the colored analogue scale and the McGill pain questionnaire. We examined a possible pathophysiological mechanism with resting-state fMRI using functional network topology, i.e., the architecture of functional connections. We took betweenness centrality (BC) to assess hubness, and global efficiency (GE) to assess integration of the network. We aimed to (1) assess the differences between PD patients and controls with respect to pain and resting-state network topology, and (2) investigate how resting-state network topology (BC and GE) is associated with clinical pain in both PD patients and controls. Results show that PD patients experienced more pain than controls. GE of the whole brain was higher in PD patients (on as well as off medication) compared to healthy controls. GE of the specialized pain network was also higher in PD patients compared to controls, but only when patients were on medication. BC of the pain network was lower in PD patients off medication compared to controls. We found a positive association between pain and GE of the pain network in PD patients off medication. For healthy controls, a negative association was found between pain and GE of the pain network, and also between pain and BC of the pain network. Our results suggest that functional network topology differs between PD patients and healthy controls, and that this topology can be used to investigate the underlying neural mechanisms of pain symptoms in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwenda Engels
- Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavior- and Movement Sciences, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Brónagh McCoy
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology & Institute of Brain and Behavior Amsterdam, Faculty of Behavior- and Movement Sciences, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Vlaar
- Department of Neurology, OLVG West, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Theeuwes
- Department of Experimental and Applied Psychology & Institute of Brain and Behavior Amsterdam, Faculty of Behavior- and Movement Sciences, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henry Weinstein
- Department of Neurology, OLVG West, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Scherder
- Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavior- and Movement Sciences, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Linda Douw
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, VU University Medical Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, 149 13th St, Charlestown, MA, USA
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Hirotsu C, Pedroni MN, Berro LF, Tufik S, Andersen ML. Nicotine and sleep deprivation: impact on pain sensitivity and immune modulation in rats. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13837. [PMID: 30218019 PMCID: PMC6138689 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32276-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Repeated nicotine administration has been associated with increased paradoxical sleep in rats and antinociceptive properties, whereas paradoxical sleep deprivation (PSD) elicits pronociceptive and inflammatory responses. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effect of repeated nicotine administration and its withdrawal combined with PSD on pain sensitivity and inflammatory markers. Sixty adult male Wistar rats were subjected to repeated injections of saline (SAL) or nicotine (NIC) for 12 days or 7 days of nicotine followed by acute mecamylamine administration on day 8 to precipitate nicotine abstinence (ABST). On day 9, the animals were submitted to PSD for 72 h or remained in control condition (CTRL); on day 12, thermal pain threshold was assessed by the hot plate test. PSD significantly decreased the latency to paw withdrawal in all groups compared to their respective controls. ABST-PSD animals presented higher levels of interleukin (IL)-6 compared to all groups, except ABST-CTRL. After adjustment for weight loss, IL-6, IL-4 and tumor necrosis factor alpha, ABST-PSD was associated with the lowest pain threshold. Nicotine and IL-4 levels were predictors of higher pain threshold. Hyperalgesia induced by PSD prevailed over the antinociceptive action of nicotine, while the association between PSD and ABST synergistically increased IL-6 concentrations and decreased pain threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Hirotsu
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Laís Fernanda Berro
- Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, USA
| | - Sergio Tufik
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Monica Levy Andersen
- Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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The effects of a dopamine agonist (apomorphine) on experimental and spontaneous pain in patients with chronic radicular pain: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0195287. [PMID: 29621293 PMCID: PMC5886417 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0195287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Although evidence suggests that dopaminergic systems are involved in pain processing, the effects of dopaminergic interventions on pain remains questionable. This randomized, double blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was aimed at exploring the effect of the dopamine agonist apomorphine on experimental pain evoked by cold stimulation and on spontaneous pain in patients with lumbar radicular (neuropathic) pain. Methods Data was collected from 35 patients with chronic lumbar radiculopathy (18 men, mean age 56.2±13 years). The following parameters were evaluated before (baseline) and 30, 75 and 120 minutes subsequent to a subcutaneous injection of 1.5 mg apomorphine or placebo: cold pain threshold and tolerance in the painful site (ice pack, affected leg) and in a remote non-painful site (12°C water bath, hand), and spontaneous (affected leg) pain intensity (NPS, 0–100). Results One-hundred and twenty minutes following apomorphine (but not placebo) injection, cold pain threshold and tolerance in the hand increased significantly compared to baseline (from a median of 8.0 seconds (IQR = 5.0) to 10 seconds (IQR = 9.0), p = 0.001 and from a median of 19.5 seconds (IQR = 30.2) to 27.0 seconds (IQR = 37.5), p<0.001, respectively). In addition, apomorphine prolonged cold pain tolerance but not threshold in the painful site (from a median of 43.0 seconds (IQR = 63.0) at baseline to 51.0 seconds (IQR = 78.0) at 120 min, p = 0.02). Apomorphine demonstrated no superiority over placebo in reducing spontaneous pain intensity. Conclusion These findings are in line with previous results in healthy subjects, showing that apomorphine increases the ability to tolerate cold pain and therefore suggesting that dopaminergic interventions can have potential clinical relevance.
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Antinociceptive Activity of Methanolic Extract of Clinacanthus nutans Leaves: Possible Mechanisms of Action Involved. Pain Res Manag 2018; 2018:9536406. [PMID: 29686743 PMCID: PMC5857305 DOI: 10.1155/2018/9536406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Methanolic extract of Clinacanthus nutans Lindau leaves (MECN) has been proven to possess antinociceptive activity that works via the opioid and NO-dependent/cGMP-independent pathways. In the present study, we aimed to further determine the possible mechanisms of antinociception of MECN using various nociceptive assays. The antinociceptive activity of MECN was (i) tested against capsaicin-, glutamate-, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-, bradykinin-induced nociception model; (ii) prechallenged against selective antagonist of opioid receptor subtypes (β-funaltrexamine, naltrindole, and nor-binaltorphimine); (iii) prechallenged against antagonist of nonopioid systems, namely, α2-noradrenergic (yohimbine), β-adrenergic (pindolol), adenosinergic (caffeine), dopaminergic (haloperidol), and cholinergic (atropine) receptors; (iv) prechallenged with inhibitors of various potassium channels (glibenclamide, apamin, charybdotoxin, and tetraethylammonium chloride). The results demonstrated that the orally administered MECN (100, 250, and 500 mg/kg) significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the nociceptive effect of all models in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the antinociceptive activity of 500 mg/kg MECN was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited by (i) antagonists of μ-, δ-, and κ-opioid receptors; (ii) antagonists of α2-noradrenergic, β-adrenergic, adenosinergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic receptors; and (iii) blockers of different K+ channels (voltage-activated-, Ca2+-activated, and ATP-sensitive-K+ channels, resp.). In conclusion, MECN-induced antinociception involves modulation of protein kinase C-, bradykinin-, TRVP1 receptors-, and glutamatergic-signaling pathways; opioidergic, α2-noradrenergic, β-adrenergic, adenosinergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic receptors; and nonopioidergic receptors as well as the opening of various K+ channels. The antinociceptive activity could be associated with the presence of several flavonoid-based bioactive compounds and their synergistic action with nonvolatile bioactive compounds.
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Arslan R, Aydin S, Nemutlu Samur D, Bektas N. The possible mechanisms of protocatechuic acid-induced central analgesia. Saudi Pharm J 2018; 26:541-545. [PMID: 29844727 PMCID: PMC5962643 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is aimed to investigate the central antinociceptive effect of protocatechuic acid and the involvement of stimulation of opioidergic, serotonin 5-HT2A/2C, α2-adrenergic and muscarinic receptors in protocatechuic acid-induced central analgesia in mice. Time-dependent antinociceptive effects of protocatechuic acid at the oral doses of 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg were tested in hot-plate (integrated supraspinal response) and tail-immersion (spinal reflex) tests in mice. To investigate the mechanisms of action; the mice administered 300 mg/kg protocatechuic acid (p.o.) were pre-treated with non-specific opioid antagonist naloxone (5 mg/kg, i.p.), serotonin 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist ketanserin (1 mg/kg, i.p.), α2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and non-specific muscarinic antagonist atropine (5 mg/kg, i.p.), respectively. The antinociceptive effect of protocatechuic acid was observed at the doses of 75, 150 and 300 mg/kg in tail-immersion test, at the doses of 150 and 300 mg/kg in hot-plate test at different time interval. The enhancement in the latency of protocatechuic acid-induced response to thermal stimuli was antagonized by yohimbine, naloxone and atropine in tail-immersion test, while it was antagonized only by yohimbine and naloxone pretreatments in hot-plate test. These results indicated that protocatechuic acid has the central antinociceptive action that is probably organized by spinal mediated cholinergic and opiodiergic, also spinal and supraspinal mediated noradrenergic modulation. However, further studies are required to understand how protocatechuic acid organizes the interactions of these modulatory systems. As a whole, these findings reinforce that protocatechuic acid is a potential agent that might be used for pain relief. Additionally, the clarification of the effect and mechanisms of action of protocatechuic acid will contribute to new therapeutic approaches and provide guidance for new drug development studies.
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Key Words
- ATR, atropine
- Antinociception
- CTRL, control group
- HT, serotonin
- KTS, ketanserin
- MPE, maximal possible effect
- Muscarinic receptors
- NLX, naloxone
- Opioidergic receptors
- PCA, protocatechuic acid
- Protocatechuic acid
- Serotonin 5-HT2A/2C receptors
- YOH, yohimbine
- i.p., intraperitoneal
- p.o., per oral
- α2-adrenoceptors
- δ, delta
- κ, kappa
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Arslan
- Anadolu University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, 26470 Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Sule Aydin
- Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, 26040 Eskisehir, Turkey
| | - Dilara Nemutlu Samur
- Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, 07450 Antalya, Turkey
| | - Nurcan Bektas
- Anadolu University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, 26470 Eskisehir, Turkey
- Corresponding author.
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Dougalis AG, Matthews GAC, Liss B, Ungless MA. Ionic currents influencing spontaneous firing and pacemaker frequency in dopamine neurons of the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray and dorsal raphe nucleus (vlPAG/DRN): A voltage-clamp and computational modelling study. J Comput Neurosci 2017; 42:275-305. [PMID: 28367595 PMCID: PMC5403876 DOI: 10.1007/s10827-017-0641-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Revised: 10/28/2016] [Accepted: 03/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Dopamine (DA) neurons of the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) fire spontaneous action potentials (APs) at slow, regular patterns in vitro but a detailed account of their intrinsic membrane properties responsible for spontaneous firing is currently lacking. To resolve this, we performed a voltage-clamp electrophysiological study in brain slices to describe their major ionic currents and then constructed a computer model and used simulations to understand the mechanisms behind autorhythmicity in silico. We found that vlPAG/DRN DA neurons exhibit a number of voltage-dependent currents activating in the subthreshold range including, a hyperpolarization-activated cation current (IH), a transient, A-type, potassium current (IA), a background, ‘persistent’ (INaP) sodium current and a transient, low voltage activated (LVA) calcium current (ICaLVA). Brain slice pharmacology, in good agreement with computer simulations, showed that spontaneous firing occurred independently of IH, IA or calcium currents. In contrast, when blocking sodium currents, spontaneous firing ceased and a stable, non-oscillating membrane potential below AP threshold was attained. Using the DA neuron model we further show that calcium currents exhibit little activation (compared to sodium) during the interspike interval (ISI) repolarization while, any individual potassium current alone, whose blockade positively modulated AP firing frequency, is not required for spontaneous firing. Instead, blockade of a number of potassium currents simultaneously is necessary to eliminate autorhythmicity. Repolarization during ISI is mediated initially via the deactivation of the delayed rectifier potassium current, while a sodium background ‘persistent’ current is essentially indispensable for autorhythmicity by driving repolarization towards AP threshold.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios G Dougalis
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Applied Physiology, University of Ulm, Faculty of Medicine, 89073, Ulm, Germany
| | - Gillian A C Matthews
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.,Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Birgit Liss
- Institute of Applied Physiology, University of Ulm, Faculty of Medicine, 89073, Ulm, Germany
| | - Mark A Ungless
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences (LMS), Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK. .,Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), Imperial College London, Faculty of Medicine, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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Voulalas PJ, Ji Y, Jiang L, Asgar J, Ro JY, Masri R. Loss of dopamine D1 receptors and diminished D1/5 receptor-mediated ERK phosphorylation in the periaqueductal gray after spinal cord lesion. Neuroscience 2016; 343:94-105. [PMID: 27932310 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2016.11.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Revised: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain resulting from spinal cord injury is often accompanied by maladaptive plasticity of the central nervous system, including the opioid receptor-rich periaqueductal gray (PAG). Evidence suggests that sensory signaling via the PAG is robustly modulated by dopamine D1- and D2-like receptors, but the effect of damage to the spinal cord on D1 and D2 receptor protein expression and function in the PAG has not been examined. Here we show that 21days after a T10 or C6 spinothalamic tract lesion, both mice and rats display a remarkable decline in the expression of D1 receptors in the PAG, revealed by western blot analysis. These changes were associated with a significant reduction in hindpaw withdrawal thresholds in lesioned animals compared to sham-operated controls. We investigated the consequences of diminished D1 receptor levels by quantifying D1-like receptor-mediated phosphorylation of ERK1,2 and CREB, events that have been observed in numerous brain structures. In naïve animals, western blot analysis revealed that ERK1,2, but not CREB phosphorylation was significantly increased in the PAG by the D1-like agonist SKF 81297. Using immunohistochemistry, we found that SKF 81297 increased ERK1,2 phosphorylation in the PAG of sham animals. However, in lesioned animals, basal pERK1,2 levels were elevated and did not significantly increase after exposure to SKF 81297. Our findings provide support for the hypothesis that molecular adaptations resulting in a decrease in D1 receptor expression and signaling in the PAG are a consequence of SCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela J Voulalas
- University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Department of Endodontics, Periodontics & Prosthodontics, 650 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Yadong Ji
- University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Department of Endodontics, Periodontics & Prosthodontics, 650 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Li Jiang
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jamila Asgar
- University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, 650 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Jin Y Ro
- University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; Kyung Hee University, School of Dentistry, Department of Oral Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Radi Masri
- University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Department of Endodontics, Periodontics & Prosthodontics, 650 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, 650 W. Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
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Electrophysiological assessment of nociception in patients with Parkinson's disease: A multi-methods approach. J Neurol Sci 2016; 368:59-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2016.06.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Liu S, Tao F. Application of optogenetics-mediated motor cortex stimulation in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 2:286-288. [PMID: 28217367 DOI: 10.15761/jts.1000153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Motor cortex stimulation provides an alternate approach for intractable pain treatment. Optogenetic manipulation can produce gain- or loss-of-function in specific type of cells following light application. This state-of-the-art technology may be used in motor cortex stimulation to produce circuit-specific neuromodulation and regulate neuronal activities in motor cortex, thereby treating pain in the clinic. Here, we discuss the principle of optogenetics-mediated motor cortex stimulation and discuss its potential application in the treatment of chronic neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sufang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Physiology, Zhengzhou University School of Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Feng Tao
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas, USA; Center for Craniofacial Research and Diagnosis, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas, USA
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Posa L, Accarie A, Noble F, Marie N. Methadone Reverses Analgesic Tolerance Induced by Morphine Pretreatment. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2016; 19:pyv108. [PMID: 26390873 PMCID: PMC4966270 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyv108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opiates such as morphine are the most powerful analgesics, but their protracted use is restrained by the development of tolerance to analgesic effects. Recent works suggest that tolerance to morphine might be due to its inability to promote mu opioid receptor endocytosis, and the co-injection of morphine with a mu opioid receptor internalizing agonist like [D-Ala(2),N-Me-Phe(4),Gly-ol(5)]enkephalin reduces tolerance to morphine. So far, no studies have been conducted to evaluate the ability of methadone to reduce morphine tolerance in morphine-pretreated animals, a treatment sequence that could be encountered in opiate rotation protocol. We investigated the ability of methadone (a mu opioid receptor internalizing agonist used in therapy) to reverse morphine tolerance and the associated cellular mechanisms in the periaqueductal gray matter, a region involved in pain control. METHODS We measured analgesic response following a challenge dose of morphine in the hot plate test and investigated regulation of mu opioid receptor (coupling and endocytosis) and some cellular mechanisms involved in tolerance such as adenylate cyclase superactivation and changes in N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunits expression and phosphorylation state. RESULTS A chronic treatment with morphine promoted tolerance to its analgesic effects and was associated with a lack of mu opioid receptor endocytosis, adenylate cyclase overshoot, NR2A and NR2B downregulation, and phosphorylation of NR1. We reported that a methadone treatment in morphine-treated mice reversed morphine tolerance to analgesia by promoting mu opioid receptor endocytosis and blocking cellular mechanisms of tolerance. CONCLUSIONS Our data might lead to rational strategies to tackle opiate tolerance in the frame of opiate rotation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Posa
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche, Paris, France; Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes, Laboratoire de Neuropsychopharmacologie des Addictions, Paris, France
| | - Alison Accarie
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche, Paris, France; Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes, Laboratoire de Neuropsychopharmacologie des Addictions, Paris, France
| | - Florence Noble
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche, Paris, France; Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes, Laboratoire de Neuropsychopharmacologie des Addictions, Paris, France.
| | - Nicolas Marie
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche, Paris, France; Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes, Laboratoire de Neuropsychopharmacologie des Addictions, Paris, France
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Mu Opioid Receptor Modulation of Dopamine Neurons in the Periaqueductal Gray/Dorsal Raphe: A Role in Regulation of Pain. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:2122-32. [PMID: 26792442 PMCID: PMC4908643 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Revised: 01/08/2016] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a brain region involved in nociception modulation, and an important relay center for the descending nociceptive pathway through the rostral ventral lateral medulla. Given the dense expression of mu opioid receptors and the role of dopamine in pain, the recently characterized dopamine neurons in the ventral PAG (vPAG)/dorsal raphe (DR) region are a potentially critical site for the antinociceptive actions of opioids. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate synaptic modulation of the vPAG/DR dopamine neurons by mu opioid receptors and to (2) dissect the anatomy and neurochemistry of these neurons, in order to assess the downstream loci and functions of their activation. Using a mouse line that expresses eGFP under control of the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) promoter, we found that mu opioid receptor activation led to a decrease in inhibitory inputs onto the vPAG/DR dopamine neurons. Furthermore, combining immunohistochemistry, optogenetics, electrophysiology, and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry in a TH-cre mouse line, we demonstrated that these neurons also express the vesicular glutamate type 2 transporter and co-release dopamine and glutamate in a major downstream projection structure-the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Finally, activation of TH-positive neurons in the vPAG/DR using Gq designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs displayed a supraspinal, but not spinal, antinociceptive effect. These results indicate that vPAG/DR dopamine neurons likely play a key role in opiate antinociception, potentially via the activation of downstream structures through dopamine and glutamate release.
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Luo M, Zhou J, Liu Z. Reward processing by the dorsal raphe nucleus: 5-HT and beyond. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 22:452-60. [PMID: 26286655 PMCID: PMC4561406 DOI: 10.1101/lm.037317.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) represents one of the most sensitive reward sites in the brain. However, the exact relationship between DRN neuronal activity and reward signaling has been elusive. In this review, we will summarize anatomical, pharmacological, optogenetics, and electrophysiological studies on the functions and circuit mechanisms of DRN neurons in reward processing. The DRN is commonly associated with serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT), but this nucleus also contains neurons of the neurotransmitter phenotypes of glutamate, GABA and dopamine. Pharmacological studies indicate that 5-HT might be involved in modulating reward- or punishment-related behaviors. Recent optogenetic stimulations demonstrate that transient activation of DRN neurons produces strong reinforcement signals that are carried out primarily by glutamate. Moreover, activation of DRN 5-HT neurons enhances reward waiting. Electrophysiological recordings reveal that the activity of DRN neurons exhibits diverse behavioral correlates in reward-related tasks. Studies so far thus demonstrate the strong power of DRN neurons in reward signaling and at the same time invite additional efforts to dissect the roles and mechanisms of different DRN neuron types in various processes of reward-related behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minmin Luo
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jingfeng Zhou
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
| | - Zhixiang Liu
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing 102206, China
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West S, Bannister K, Dickenson A, Bennett D. Circuitry and plasticity of the dorsal horn – Toward a better understanding of neuropathic pain. Neuroscience 2015; 300:254-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2015.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Revised: 05/07/2015] [Accepted: 05/08/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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