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do Espírito-Santo RF, Margerison SM, Zhang Y, Pak J, Ro JY, Da Silva JT. Age- and Sex-Dependent Effects of Moderate Exercise on Endogenous Pain Inhibition in Rats. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1122. [PMID: 38791084 PMCID: PMC11117727 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12051122] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNICs), or the pain inhibits pain phenomenon, refer to reduced pain-like behaviors that are displayed following a noxious conditioning stimulus located far from the test stimulus and have also been referred to as "descending control of nociception" when measured in awake-behaving animals. In this study, we sought to determine the impact of moderate long-term exercise on the DCN response and determine if this effect differed across age and sex. After a six-week exercise program consisting of 30 min of moderate treadmill running 5 days a week, the animals' forepaws were injected with capsaicin, and DCN responses were assessed using thermal withdrawal latencies of the hind paw. Young, exercised male and female rats displayed prolonged DCN responses relative to their sedentary counterparts, with the young exercised male group displaying longer-lasting DCN facilitation than the young exercised females. Exercise did not impact DCN responses in either male or female aged rats. Additionally, the serum testosterone levels did not change following exercise in any group. Importantly, the levels of corticosterone did not change following the exercise program, indicating that changes in the DCN response are not due to stress-induced analgesia. Our findings suggest that moderate exercise can facilitate the DCN response in young animals, even when this exercise does not change the levels of serum testosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renan F. do Espírito-Santo
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (R.F.d.E.-S.); (S.M.M.); (Y.Z.); (J.P.); (J.Y.R.)
| | - Sarah M. Margerison
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (R.F.d.E.-S.); (S.M.M.); (Y.Z.); (J.P.); (J.Y.R.)
- Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Youping Zhang
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (R.F.d.E.-S.); (S.M.M.); (Y.Z.); (J.P.); (J.Y.R.)
| | - Joshua Pak
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (R.F.d.E.-S.); (S.M.M.); (Y.Z.); (J.P.); (J.Y.R.)
| | - Jin Y. Ro
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (R.F.d.E.-S.); (S.M.M.); (Y.Z.); (J.P.); (J.Y.R.)
| | - Joyce T. Da Silva
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA; (R.F.d.E.-S.); (S.M.M.); (Y.Z.); (J.P.); (J.Y.R.)
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Da Silva JT, Hernandez-Rojas LG, Mekonen HK, Hanson S, Melemedjian O, Scott AJ, Ernst RK, Seminowicz DA, Traub RJ. Sex differences in visceral sensitivity and brain activity in a rat model of comorbid pain: a longitudinal study. Pain 2024; 165:698-706. [PMID: 37756658 PMCID: PMC10859847 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are 2 chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs) that present with significant comorbidity. Both conditions are more prevalent in women and are exacerbated by stress. While peripheral mechanisms might contribute to pain hypersensitivity for each individual condition, mechanisms underlying the comorbidity are poorly understood, complicating pain management when multiple conditions are involved. In this study, longitudinal behavioral and functional MRI-based brain changes have been identified in an animal model of TMD-like pain (masseter muscle inflammation followed by stress) that induces de novo IBS-like comorbid visceral pain hypersensitivity in rats. In particular, data indicate that increased activity in the insula and regions of the reward and limbic systems are associated with more pronounced and longer-lasting visceral pain behaviors in female rats, while the faster pain resolution in male rats may be due to increased activity in descending pain inhibitory pathways. These findings suggest the critical role of brain mechanisms in chronic pain conditions and that sex may be a risk factor of developing COPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce T. Da Silva
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- UM Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Luis G. Hernandez-Rojas
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- UM Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Department of Computing, School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Zapopan, Mexico
| | - Hayelom K. Mekonen
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- UM Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shelby Hanson
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Ohannes Melemedjian
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- UM Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Alison J. Scott
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Maastricht Multimodal Molecular Imaging (M4I) Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Robert K. Ernst
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David A. Seminowicz
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Richard J. Traub
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD, United States
- UM Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Fiatcoski F, Jesus CHA, de Melo Turnes J, Chichorro JG, Kopruszinski CM. Sex differences in descending control of nociception (DCN) responses after chronic orofacial pain induction in rats and the contribution of kappa opioid receptors. Behav Brain Res 2024; 459:114789. [PMID: 38036264 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Descending control of nociception (DCN), a measure of efficiency of descending pain inhibition, can be assessed in animals by the combined application of test and conditioning noxious stimuli. Evidence from pre-clinical and clinical studies indicates that this mechanism of pain control may differ between sexes and might be impaired in many chronic pain states. However, little is known about sex differences in DCN efficiency in models of acute and chronic orofacial pain. Herein, we first evaluated DCN responses in male and female rats by the applying formalin into the upper lip or capsaicin into the forepaw as the conditioning stimulus, followed by mechanical stimulation (Randall-Selitto) of the hind paw as the test stimulus. The same protocol (i.e., capsaicin in the forepaw followed by mechanical stimulation of the hind paw) was evaluated in male and female rats on day 3 after intraoral incision and on day 15 and 30 after chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve (CCI-ION). Additionally, we assessed the effect of the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist Norbinaltorphimine (nor-BNI) on DCN responses of female nerve-injured rats. This study shows that naïve female rats exhibit less efficient DCN compared to males. Postoperative pain did not alter DCN responses in female and male rats, but CCI-ION induced loss of DCN responses in females but not in males. Systemic pretreatment with nor-BNI prevented the loss of DCN induced by CCI-ION in female rats. The results reveal sex differences in DCN responses and female-specific impairment of DCN following chronic orofacial pain. Moreover, the findings suggest that, at least for females, blocking KOR could be a promising therapeutic approach to prevent maladaptive changes in chronic orofacial pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Fiatcoski
- Department of Pharmacology, Biological Sciences Sector, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | | | - Joelle de Melo Turnes
- Department of Pharmacology, Biological Sciences Sector, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Juliana Geremias Chichorro
- Department of Pharmacology, Biological Sciences Sector, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
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Monoaminergic mediation of hyperalgesic and analgesic descending control of nociception in mice. Pain 2022; 164:1096-1105. [PMID: 36448969 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Descending control of nociception (DCN; also known as conditioned pain modulation [CPM], the behavioral correlate of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls) is the phenomenon whereby pain inhibits pain in another part of the body and is the subject of increasing study because it may represent a biomarker of chronic pain. We recently discovered that pain modulation upon application of a DCN paradigm involving low-intensity test stimuli occurs in the direction of hyperalgesia in healthy mice and rats, whereas the use of high-intensity stimuli produces analgesia. To elucidate the physiological mechanisms underlying hyperalgesic DCN, we administered agonists and antagonists of norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) receptors, key neurochemical players in the production of analgesic DCN. We find that three different monoamine reuptake inhibitors-the NE-selective reboxetine, the 5-HT-selective fluoxetine, and the dual NE/5-HT agonist duloxetine-all abolish hyperalgesic DCN when administered into the spinal cord (but not systemically), with no effect on heat or mechanical pain sensitivity. Reboxetine's attenuation of hyperalgesic DCN is mediated by α 2 -adrenergic receptors (i.e., blocked by atipamezole), and fluoxetine's effect is mediated by 5-HT 7 receptors (i.e., blocked by SB269970). In contrast, analgesic DCN was found to be reversed by atipamezole and SB269970 themselves, with no effect of reboxetine or fluoxetine. Thus, hyperalgesic DCN appears to be the neurochemical opposite to analgesic DCN. These data further validate and help elucidate a pre-clinical paradigm that mimics dysfunctional CPM, and thus may form the basis of translational experiments that aim to reveal preventative pharmacological strategies for individuals predisposed to persistent pain.
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Paterson EA, Turner PV. Challenges with Assessing and Treating Pain in Research Primates: A Focused Survey and Literature Review. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:2304. [PMID: 36078024 PMCID: PMC9455027 DOI: 10.3390/ani12172304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Research primates may undergo surgical procedures making effective pain management essential to ensure good animal welfare and unbiased scientific data. Adequate pain mitigation is dependent on whether veterinarians, technicians, researchers, and caregivers can recognize and assess pain, as well as the availability of efficacious therapeutics. A survey was conducted to evaluate primate veterinary approaches to pain assessment and alleviation, as well as expressed challenges for adequately managing primate pain. The survey (n = 93 respondents) collected information regarding institutional policies and procedures for pain recognition, methods used for pain relief, and perceived levels of confidence in primate pain assessment. Results indicated that 71% (n = 60) of respondents worked at institutions that were without formal experimental pain assessment policies. Pain assessment methods were consistent across respondents with the majority evaluating pain based on changes in general activity levels (100%, n = 86) and food consumption (97%, n = 84). Self-reported confidence in recognizing and managing pain ranged from slightly confident to highly confident, and there was a commonly expressed concern about the lack of objective pain assessment tools and science-based evidence regarding therapeutic recommendations of analgesics for research primates. These opinions correspond with significant gaps in the primate pain management literature, including limited specific pharmacokinetic data and efficacy testing for commonly used analgesics in research primate species as well as limited research on objective and specific measures of pain in research primates. These results demonstrate that there are inconsistencies in institutional policies and procedures surrounding pain management in research primates and a lack of objective pain assessment methods. Demonstrating the gaps and challenges in primate pain management can inform guideline development and suggest areas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilie A. Paterson
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 0C4, Canada
| | - Patricia V. Turner
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 0C4, Canada
- Global Animal Welfare and Training, Charles River, Wilmington, MA 01887, USA
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Wen J, Xu Y, Yu Z, Zhou Y, Wang W, Yang J, Wang Y, Bai Q, Li Z. The cAMP Response Element- Binding Protein/Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Pathway in Anterior Cingulate Cortex Regulates Neuropathic Pain and Anxiodepression Like Behaviors in Rats. Front Mol Neurosci 2022; 15:831151. [PMID: 35401106 PMCID: PMC8987281 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2022.831151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is often accompanied by anxiety and depression-like manifestations. Many studies have shown that alterations in synaptic plasticity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) play a critical role, but the specific underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Previously, we showed that cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) acts as a transcription factor contributing to neuropathic pain development. At the same time, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as important targets of CREB, is intricate in neuronal growth, differentiation, as well as the establishment of synaptic plasticity. Here, we found that peripheral nerve injury activated the spinal cord and ACC, and silencing the ACC resulted in significant relief of pain sensitivity, anxiety, and depression in SNI rats. In parallel, the CREB/BDNF pathway was activated in the spinal cord and ACC. Central specific knockdown and peripheral non-specific inhibition of CREB reversed pain sensitivity and anxiodepression induced by peripheral nerve injury. Consequently, we identified cingulate CREB/BDNF as an assuring therapeutic method for treating neuropathic pain as well as related anxiodepression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Wen
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yaowei Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhixiang Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yifan Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenting Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jingjie Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yiming Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Qian Bai
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Qian Bai,
| | - Zhisong Li
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Institute of Neuroscience, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Zhisong Li,
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Dagnino APA, Campos MM. Chronic Pain in the Elderly: Mechanisms and Perspectives. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:736688. [PMID: 35308613 PMCID: PMC8928105 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.736688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain affects a large part of the population causing functional disability, being often associated with coexisting psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety, besides cognitive deficits, and sleep disturbance. The world elderly population has been growing over the last decades and the negative consequences of chronic pain for these individuals represent a current clinical challenge. The main painful complaints in the elderly are related to neurodegenerative and musculoskeletal conditions, peripheral vascular diseases, arthritis, and osteoarthritis, contributing toward poorly life quality, social isolation, impaired physical activity, and dependence to carry out daily activities. Organ dysfunction and other existing diseases can significantly affect the perception and responses to chronic pain in this group. It has been proposed that elderly people have an altered pain experience, with changes in pain processing mechanisms, which might be associated with the degeneration of circuits that modulate the descending inhibitory pathways of pain. Aging has also been linked to an increase in the pain threshold, a decline of painful sensations, and a decrease in pain tolerance. Still, elderly patients with chronic pain show an increased risk for dementia and cognitive impairment. The present review article is aimed to provide the state-of-art of pre-clinical and clinical research about chronic pain in elderly, emphasizing the altered mechanisms, comorbidities, challenges, and potential therapeutic alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana P. A. Dagnino
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde, Escola de Medicina, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisa em Toxicologia e Farmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Maria M. Campos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina e Ciências da Saúde, Escola de Medicina, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisa em Toxicologia e Farmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Odontologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Maria M. Campos, ,
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Townsend K, Imbert I, Eaton V, Stevenson GW, King T. Voluntary exercise blocks ongoing pain and diminishes bone remodeling while sparing protective mechanical pain in a rat model of advanced osteoarthritis pain. Pain 2022; 163:e476-e487. [PMID: 34224496 PMCID: PMC8712625 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Exercise is the most common treatment recommended by healthcare providers for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. We examined whether voluntary running wheel exercise improves pain and bone remodeling in rats with monosodium iodoacetate-induced unilateral knee joint pain. During acquisition of wheel running before osteoarthritis (OA) treatment, rats separated into 2 groups characterized by either high or low levels of voluntary wheel running as indicated by distance and peak speed. After the induction of knee joint OA, all rats showed diminished voluntary wheel running throughout the study. Voluntary wheel running failed to alter evoked nociceptive responses evaluated as weight asymmetry or hind paw tactile thresholds at any timepoint of the study. By contrast, relief of ongoing pain was demonstrated by conditioned place preference produced by lidocaine injection into the monosodium iodoacetate-treated knee in high but not low-running rats. Both high and low voluntary runners showed diminished trabecular bone loss compared with sedentary controls. These observations indicate that both high-intensity and low-intensity exercise is beneficial in protecting against bone remodeling in advanced OA. The data suggest that similar to clinical observation, bone remodeling does not correlate with pain. In addition, these results suggest that higher intensity exercise may relieve persistent ongoing OA pain while maintaining movement-evoked nociception. The relief of ongoing pain can potentially offer significant improvement in quality of life, whereas preservation of responses to movement-evoked pain may be especially important in protecting the joint from damage because of overuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaylee Townsend
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
| | - Ian Imbert
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
| | - Victoria Eaton
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
| | - Glenn W Stevenson
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
| | - Tamara King
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, United States
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Enhanced Ocular Surface and Intraoral Nociception via a Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 Mechanism in a Rat Model of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Neuroscience 2021; 483:66-81. [PMID: 34883200 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), characterized by low arterial oxygen saturation during sleep, is associated with an increased risk of orofacial pain. In this study, we simulated chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) during the sleep/rest phase (light phase) to determine the role of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in mediating enhanced orofacial nocifensive behavior and trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) neuronal responses to capsaicin (a TRPV1 agonist) stimulation in a rat model of OSA. Rats were subjected to CIH (nadir O2, 5%) during the light phase for 8 or 16 consecutive days. CIH yielded enhanced behavioral responses to capsaicin after application to the ocular surface and intraoral mucosa, which was reversed under normoxic conditions. The percentage of TRPV1-immunoreactive trigeminal ganglion neurons was greater in CIH rats than in normoxic rats and recovered under normoxic conditions after CIH. The ratio of large-sized TRPV1-immunoreactive trigeminal ganglion neurons increased in CIH rats. The density of TRPV1 positive primary afferent terminals in the superficial laminae of Vc was higher in CIH rats. Phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK)-immunoreactive cells intermingled with the central terminal of TRPV1-positive afferents in the Vc. The number of pERK-immunoreactive cells following low-dose capsaicin (0.33 µM) application to the tongue was significantly greater in the middle portion of the Vc of CIH rats than of normoxic rats and recovered under normoxic conditions after CIH. These data suggest that CIH during the sleep (light) phase is sufficient to transiently enhance pain on the ocular surface and intraoral mucosa via TRPV1-dependent mechanisms.
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Sexually Dimorphic Expression of Fear-conditioned Analgesia in Rats and Associated Alterations in the Endocannabinoid System in the Periaqueductal Grey. Neuroscience 2021; 480:117-130. [PMID: 34774710 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system within the periaqueductal grey (PAG) has been implicated in fear-conditioned analgesia (FCA), the profound suppression of pain upon re-exposure to a context previously paired with an aversive stimulus. Since the endocannabinoid and nociceptive systems exhibit sexual dimorphism, the aim of the present study was to assess possible sex differences in the expression of FCA, fear in the presence of nociceptive tone, and associated sex-dependent alterations in the endocannabinoid system within the PAG. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats received footshock (10 × 1s; 0.4 mA; every 60 s) or no-footshock in a conditioning arena and 23.5 h later received intraplantar injection of formalin (2.5%) under brief isoflourane anaesthetic into the right hind paw. Nociceptive and fear-related behaviours were assessed 30 min later. Levels of endocannabinoids, N-acylethanolamines and neurotransmitters in the PAG were assessed by LC-MS/MS and expression of endocannabinoid system-related proteins by Western immunoblotting. Male, but not female, rats exhibited robust FCA and greater expression of fear-related behaviours than females. Fear-conditioned formalin-treated males, but not females, had higher levels of N-oleoylethanolamine (OEA) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the PAG, compared with non-fear-conditioned controls. There was no effect of fear conditioning on the levels of FAAH or CB1 receptor expression (CB1R) in the PAG of male or female formalin-treated rats. Non-fear-conditioned females had higher levels of CB1R and PPARγ expression than non-fear-conditioned male counterparts. In summary, our results provide evidence of sexual dimorphism in the expression of FCA and fear-related behaviours, and associated alterations in components of the endocannabinoid system and GABA within the PAG.
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11
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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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Sikes-Keilp C, Rubinow DR. In search of sex-related mediators of affective illness. Biol Sex Differ 2021; 12:55. [PMID: 34663459 PMCID: PMC8524875 DOI: 10.1186/s13293-021-00400-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex differences in the rates of affective disorders have been recognized for decades. Studies of physiologic sex-related differences in animals and humans, however, have generally yielded little in terms of explaining these differences. Furthermore, the significance of these findings is difficult to interpret given the dynamic, integrative, and highly context-dependent nature of human physiology. In this article, we provide an overview of the current literature on sex differences as they relate to mood disorders, organizing existing findings into five levels at which sex differences conceivably influence physiology relevant to affective states. These levels include the following: brain structure, network connectivity, signal transduction, transcription/translation, and epigenesis. We then evaluate the importance and limitations of this body of work, as well as offer perspectives on the future of research into sex differences. In creating this overview, we attempt to bring perspective to a body of research that is complex, poorly synthesized, and far from complete, as well as provide a theoretical framework for thinking about the role that sex differences ultimately play in affective regulation. Despite the overall gaps regarding both the underlying pathogenesis of affective illness and the role of sex-related factors in the development of affective disorders, it is evident that sex should be considered as an important contributor to alterations in neural function giving rise to susceptibility to and expression of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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13
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Bannister K, Kucharczyk MW, Graven-Nielsen T, Porreca F. Introducing descending control of nociception: a measure of diffuse noxious inhibitory controls in conscious animals. Pain 2021; 162:1957-1959. [PMID: 33470750 PMCID: PMC8205930 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty Bannister
- Central Modulation of Pain, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, SE1 1UL. UK
| | - Mateusz W. Kucharczyk
- Central Modulation of Pain, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, SE1 1UL. UK
| | - Thomas Graven-Nielsen
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Frank Porreca
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, AZ 85721. USA
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14
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Tanner JJ, Johnson AJ, Terry EL, Cardoso J, Garvan C, Staud R, Deutsch G, Deshpande H, Lai S, Addison A, Redden D, Goodin BR, Price CC, Fillingim RB, Sibille KT. Resilience, pain, and the brain: Relationships differ by sociodemographics. J Neurosci Res 2021; 99:1207-1235. [PMID: 33606287 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain is disabling to individuals and burdensome to society. A relationship between telomere length and resilience was reported in individuals with consideration for chronic pain intensity. While chronic pain associates with brain changes, little is known regarding the neurobiological interface of resilience. In a group of individuals with chronic MSK pain, we examined the relationships between a previously investigated resilience index, clinical pain and functioning measures, and pain-related brain structures, with consideration for sex and ethnicity/race. A cross-sectional analysis of 166 non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White adults, 45-85 years of age with pain ≥ 1 body site (s) over the past 3 months was completed. Measures of clinical pain and functioning, biobehavioral and psychosocial resilience, and structural MRI were completed. Our findings indicate higher levels of resilience associate with lower levels of clinical pain and functional limitations. Significant associations between resilience, ethnicity/race, and/or sex, and pain-related brain gray matter structure were demonstrated in the right amygdaloid complex, bilateral thalamus, and postcentral gyrus. Our findings provide compelling evidence that in order to decipher the neurobiological code of chronic pain and related protective factors, it will be important to improve how chronic pain is phenotyped; to include an equal representation of females in studies including analyses stratifying by sex, and to consider other sociodemographic factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared J Tanner
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Alisa J Johnson
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ellen L Terry
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Biobehavioral Nursing Science, College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Josue Cardoso
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cynthia Garvan
- Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Roland Staud
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Georg Deutsch
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Hrishikesh Deshpande
- Department of Radiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Song Lai
- Department of Radiation Oncology & CTSI Human Imaging Core, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Adriana Addison
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - David Redden
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Burel R Goodin
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Alabama, Birmingham Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Catherine C Price
- Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Roger B Fillingim
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kimberly T Sibille
- Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.,Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, College of Medicine, UF Pain Research & Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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15
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Da Silva JT, Tricou C, Zhang Y, Tofighbakhsh A, Seminowicz DA, Ro JY. Pain modulatory network is influenced by sex and age in a healthy state and during osteoarthritis progression in rats. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13292. [PMID: 33400367 PMCID: PMC7884031 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Old age and female sex are risk factors for the development of osteoarthritis (OA) and chronic pain. We investigated the effects of sex and age on pain modulatory networks in a healthy state and during OA progression. We used functional MRI to determine the effects of sex and age on periaqueductal gray functional connectivity (PAG FC) in a healthy state (pre‐OA) and during the early and late phases of monosodium iodoacetate‐induced OA in rats. We then examined how sex and age affect longitudinal changes in PAG FC in OA. In a healthy state, females exhibited more widespread PAG FC than males, and this effect was exaggerated with aging. Young males had moderate PAG FC changes during the early phase but recruited additional brain regions, including the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), during the late phase. Young females exhibited widespread PAG FC in the early phase, which includes connections to insula, caudal ACC, and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Older groups had strong PAG FC with fewer regions in the early phase, but they recruited additional brain regions, including NAc, in the late phase. Overall, our findings show that PAG FC is modulated by sex and age in a healthy state. A widespread PAG network in the early phase of OA pain may contribute to the transition from acute to chronic OA pain and the increased risk of developing chronic pain for females. Enhanced PAG FC with the reward system may represent a potential mechanism underlying chronic OA pain in elderly patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce T. Da Silva
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences School of Dentistry University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
- Department of Psychiatry School of Medicine Johns Hopkins University Baltimore Maryland USA
| | - Christina Tricou
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences School of Dentistry University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
| | - Youping Zhang
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences School of Dentistry University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
| | - Amir Tofighbakhsh
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences School of Dentistry University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
| | - David A. Seminowicz
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences School of Dentistry University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
| | - Jin Y. Ro
- Department of Neural and Pain Sciences School of Dentistry University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
- Center to Advance Chronic Pain Research University of Maryland Baltimore Baltimore Maryland USA
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16
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Irvine KA, Sahbaie P, Ferguson AR, Clark JD. Loss of diffuse noxious inhibitory control after traumatic brain injury in rats: A chronic issue. Exp Neurol 2020; 333:113428. [PMID: 32745472 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2020.113428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is one of the most challenging and debilitating symptoms to manage after traumatic brain injury (TBI), yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. The disruption of normal endogenous pain control mechanisms has been linked to several forms of chronic pain and may play a role in pain after TBI. We hypothesized therefore that dysfunctional descending noradrenergic and serotonergic pain control circuits may contribute to the loss of diffuse noxious inhibitory control (DNIC), a critical endogenous pain control mechanism, weeks to months after TBI. For these studies, the rat lateral fluid percussion model of mild TBI was used along with a DNIC paradigm involving a capsaicin-conditioning stimulus. We observed sustained failure of the DNIC response up to 180-days post injury. We confirmed, that descending α2 adrenoceptor-mediated noradrenergic signaling was critical for endogenous pain inhibition in uninjured rats. However, augmenting descending noradrenergic signaling using reboxetine, a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, failed to restore DNIC after TBI. Furthermore, blocking serotonin-mediated descending signaling using selective spinal serotonergic fiber depletion with 5, 7-dihydroxytryptamine was also unsuccessful at restoring endogenous pain modulation after TBI. Unexpectedly, increasing descending serotonergic signaling using the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram and the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor duloxetine restored the DNIC response in TBI rats at both 49- and 180- days post injury. Consistent with these observations, spinal serotonergic fiber depletion with 5, 7-dihydroxytryptamine eliminated the effects of escitalopram. Intact α2 adrenoceptor signaling, however, was not required for the serotonin-mediated restoration of DNIC after TBI. These results suggest that TBI causes maladaptation of descending nociceptive signaling mechanisms and changes in the function of both adrenergic and serotonergic circuits. Such changes could predispose those with TBI to chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen-Amanda Irvine
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Anesthesiology Service, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, 3801 Miranda Ave (E4-220), Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA.
| | - Peyman Sahbaie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Anesthesiology Service, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, 3801 Miranda Ave (E4-220), Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
| | - Adam R Ferguson
- University of California San Francisco, Brain and Spinal Injury Center, Department Neurosurgery, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA
| | - J David Clark
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Anesthesiology Service, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, 3801 Miranda Ave (E4-220), Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA
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