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Xiong H, Tang F, Guo Y, Xu R, Lei P. Neural Circuit Changes in Neurological Disorders: Evidence from in vivo Two-photon Imaging. Ageing Res Rev 2023; 87:101933. [PMID: 37061201 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Neural circuits, such as synaptic plasticity and neural activity, are critical components of healthy brain function. The consequent dynamic remodeling of neural circuits is an ongoing procedure affecting neuronal activities. Disruption of this essential process results in diseases. Advanced microscopic applications such as two-photon laser scanning microscopy have recently been applied to understand neural circuit changes during disease since it can visualize fine structural and functional cellular activation in living animals. In this review, we have summarized the latest work assessing the dynamic rewiring of postsynaptic dendritic spines and modulation of calcium transients in neurons of the intact living brain, focusing on their potential roles in neurological disorders (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and epilepsy). Understanding the fine changes that occurred in the brain during disease is crucial for future clinical intervention developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Xiong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, China; Department of Neurology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Fei Tang
- Department of Neurology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yujie Guo
- Department of Neurology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ruxiang Xu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, China
| | - Peng Lei
- Department of Neurology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Sichuan, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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2
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Danjo Y, Shigetomi E, Hirayama YJ, Kobayashi K, Ishikawa T, Fukazawa Y, Shibata K, Takanashi K, Parajuli B, Shinozaki Y, Kim SK, Nabekura J, Koizumi S. Transient astrocytic mGluR5 expression drives synaptic plasticity and subsequent chronic pain in mice. J Exp Med 2022; 219:213089. [PMID: 35319723 PMCID: PMC8952801 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20210989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Activation of astrocytes has a profound effect on brain plasticity and is critical for the pathophysiology of several neurological disorders including neuropathic pain. Here, we show that metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5), which reemerges in astrocytes in a restricted time frame, is essential for these functions. Although mGluR5 is absent in healthy adult astrocytes, it transiently reemerges in astrocytes of the somatosensory cortex (S1). During a limited spatiotemporal time frame, astrocytic mGluR5 drives Ca2+ signals; upregulates multiple synaptogenic molecules such as Thrombospondin-1, Glypican-4, and Hevin; causes excess excitatory synaptogenesis; and produces persistent alteration of S1 neuronal activity, leading to mechanical allodynia. All of these events were abolished by the astrocyte-specific deletion of mGluR5. Astrocytes dynamically control synaptic plasticity by turning on and off a single molecule, mGluR5, which defines subsequent persistent brain functions, especially under pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Danjo
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,Yamanashi GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Eiji Shigetomi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,Yamanashi GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Yukiho J Hirayama
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Kenji Kobayashi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,Yamanashi GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Ishikawa
- Department of Functional Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Yugo Fukazawa
- Division of Brain Structure and Function, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Keisuke Shibata
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Kenta Takanashi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Bijay Parajuli
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,Yamanashi GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Youichi Shinozaki
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,Yamanashi GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Junichi Nabekura
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate School for Advanced Study, Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Schuichi Koizumi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.,Yamanashi GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
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3
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Kim YR, Kim SJ. Altered synaptic connections and inhibitory network of the primary somatosensory cortex in chronic pain. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2022; 26:69-75. [PMID: 35203057 PMCID: PMC8890942 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2022.26.2.69] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain is induced by tissue or nerve damage and is accompanied by pain hypersensitivity (i.e., allodynia and hyperalgesia). Previous studies using in vivo two-photon microscopy have shown functional and structural changes in the primary somatosensory (S1) cortex at the cellular and synaptic levels in inflammatory and neuropathic chronic pain. Furthermore, alterations in local cortical circuits were revealed during the development of chronic pain. In this review, we summarize recent findings regarding functional and structural plastic changes of the S1 cortex and alteration of the S1 inhibitory network in chronic pain. Finally, we discuss potential neuromodulators driving modified cortical circuits and suggest further studies to understand the cortical mechanisms that induce pain hypersensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoo Rim Kim
- Departments of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Departments of Physiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul 03080, Korea
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4
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Koizumi S. Glial Purinergic Signals and Psychiatric Disorders. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 15:822614. [PMID: 35069121 PMCID: PMC8766327 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2021.822614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotion-related neural networks are regulated in part by the activity of glial cells, and glial dysfunction can be directly related to emotional diseases such as depression. Here, we discuss three different therapeutic strategies involving astrocytes that are effective for treating depression. First, the antidepressant, fluoxetine, acts on astrocytes and increases exocytosis of ATP. This has therapeutic effects via brain-derived neurotrophic factor-dependent mechanisms. Second, electroconvulsive therapy is a well-known treatment for drug-resistant depression. Electroconvulsive therapy releases ATP from astrocytes to induce leukemia inhibitory factors and fibroblast growth factor 2, which leads to antidepressive actions. Finally, sleep deprivation therapy is well-known to cause antidepressive effects. Sleep deprivation also increases release of ATP, whose metabolite, adenosine, has antidepressive effects. These independent treatments share the same mechanism, i.e., ATP release from astrocytes, indicating an essential role of glial purinergic signals in the pathogenesis of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Schuichi Koizumi
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
- GLIA Center, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
- *Correspondence: Schuichi Koizumi
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5
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Bak MS, Park H, Kim SK. Neural Plasticity in the Brain during Neuropathic Pain. Biomedicines 2021; 9:624. [PMID: 34072638 PMCID: PMC8228570 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9060624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is an intractable chronic pain, caused by damage to the somatosensory nervous system. To date, treatment for neuropathic pain has limited effects. For the development of efficient therapeutic methods, it is essential to fully understand the pathological mechanisms of neuropathic pain. Besides abnormal sensitization in the periphery and spinal cord, accumulating evidence suggests that neural plasticity in the brain is also critical for the development and maintenance of this pain. Recent technological advances in the measurement and manipulation of neuronal activity allow us to understand maladaptive plastic changes in the brain during neuropathic pain more precisely and modulate brain activity to reverse pain states at the preclinical and clinical levels. In this review paper, we discuss the current understanding of pathological neural plasticity in the four pain-related brain areas: the primary somatosensory cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex, the periaqueductal gray, and the basal ganglia. We also discuss potential treatments for neuropathic pain based on the modulation of neural plasticity in these brain areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeong Seong Bak
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea; (M.S.B.); (H.P.)
| | - Haney Park
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea; (M.S.B.); (H.P.)
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Science in Korean Medicine, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea; (M.S.B.); (H.P.)
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
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6
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Kummer KK, Mitrić M, Kalpachidou T, Kress M. The Medial Prefrontal Cortex as a Central Hub for Mental Comorbidities Associated with Chronic Pain. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3440. [PMID: 32414089 PMCID: PMC7279227 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21103440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain patients frequently develop and suffer from mental comorbidities such as depressive mood, impaired cognition, and other significant constraints of daily life, which can only insufficiently be overcome by medication. The emotional and cognitive components of pain are processed by the medial prefrontal cortex, which comprises the anterior cingulate cortex, the prelimbic, and the infralimbic cortex. All three subregions are significantly affected by chronic pain: magnetic resonance imaging has revealed gray matter loss in all these areas in chronic pain conditions. While the anterior cingulate cortex appears hyperactive, prelimbic, and infralimbic regions show reduced activity. The medial prefrontal cortex receives ascending, nociceptive input, but also exerts important top-down control of pain sensation: its projections are the main cortical input of the periaqueductal gray, which is part of the descending inhibitory pain control system at the spinal level. A multitude of neurotransmitter systems contributes to the fine-tuning of the local circuitry, of which cholinergic and GABAergic signaling are particularly emerging as relevant components of affective pain processing within the prefrontal cortex. Accordingly, factors such as distraction, positive mood, and anticipation of pain relief such as placebo can ameliorate pain by affecting mPFC function, making this cortical area a promising target region for medical as well as psychosocial interventions for pain therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Michaela Kress
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria; (K.K.K.); (M.M.); (T.K.)
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7
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Abstract
Acute pain has an evolutionary role in the detection of physical harm and the response to it. In some cases, however, acute pain can impair function and lead to other morbidities. Chronic pain, meanwhile, can present as a psychopathological condition that significantly interferes with daily living. Most basic and translational pain research has focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms in the spinal and peripheral nervous systems. In contrast, the brain plays a key role in the affective manifestation and cognitive control of pain. In particular, several cortical regions, such as the somatosensory cortex, prefrontal cortex, insular, and anterior cingulate cortex, are well known to be activated by acute pain signals, and neurons in these regions have been demonstrated to undergo changes in response to chronic pain. Furthermore, these cortical regions can project to a number of forebrain and limbic structures to exert powerful top-down control of not only sensory pain transmission but also affective pain expression, and such cortical regulatory mechanisms are particularly relevant in chronic pain states. Newer techniques have emerged that allow for detailed studies of central pain circuits in animal models, as well as how such circuits are modified by the presence of chronic pain and other predisposing psychosomatic factors. These mechanistic approaches can complement imaging in human studies. At the therapeutic level, a number of pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions have recently been shown to engage these top-down control systems to provide analgesia. In this review, we will discuss how pain signals reach important cortical regions and how these regions in turn project to subcortical areas of the brain to exert profound modulation of the pain experience. In addition, we will discuss the clinical relevance of such top-down pain regulation mechanisms.
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8
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Yoon MS, Koh CS, Lee J, Shin J, Kong C, Jung HH, Chang JW. Injecting NMDA and Ro 25-6981 in insular cortex induce neuroplastic changes and neuropathic pain-like behaviour. Eur J Pain 2018; 22:1691-1700. [PMID: 29862605 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuropathic pain is associated with abnormal sensitivity of the central nervous system. Although the mechanism underlying the development of sensitization remains to be fully elucidated, recent studies have reported that neuroplastic changes in the pain circuitry may be involved in hypersensitivity associated with neuropathic pain. However, it is difficult to investigate such phenomena in existing animal pain model. Therefore, in this study, we developed a novel animal model - the circuit plasticity reconstruction (CPR) model - to mimic central sensitization associated with neuroplastic changes. METHOD NMDA and Ro 25-6981 were injected into the right insular cortex of Sprague-Dawley rats, while electrical stimulation was delivered to the contralateral hind paw. Mechanical allodynia was tested by von Frey test with up-down method, and neuroplastic changes were confirmed by PSA-NCAM-positive immunostaining. RESULT The mechanical withdrawal threshold of the left hind paw decreased beginning 1 day after CPR modelling and persisted until day 21 comparing to the modified CPR 1 (mod-CPR 1) group (CPR: 91.68 ± 1.8%, mod-CPR 1: 42.71 ± 3.4%, p < 0.001). In contrast, mod-CPR 2 surgery without electrical stimulation did not induce mechanical allodynia. Immunostaining for PSA-NCAM also revealed that neuroplastic changes had occurred in the CPR group. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrated that CPR modelling induced neuroplasticity within the insular cortex, leading to alterations in the neural circuitry and central sensitization. SIGNIFICANCE This article represents that the CPR model can mimic the neuropathic pain derived by neuroplastic changes. Our findings indicate that the CPR model may aid the development of novel therapeutic strategies for neuropathic pain and in elucidating the mechanisms underlying pain induced by central sensitization and neuroplastic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Yoon
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - C S Koh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - J Lee
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - J Shin
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - C Kong
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - H H Jung
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
| | - J W Chang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.,Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
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9
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Wang YJ, Zuo ZX, Wu C, Liu L, Feng ZH, Li XY. Cingulate Alpha-2A Adrenoceptors Mediate the Effects of Clonidine on Spontaneous Pain Induced by Peripheral Nerve Injury. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:289. [PMID: 28955200 PMCID: PMC5600928 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is an important brain area for the regulation of neuropathic pain. The α2A adrenoceptor is a good target for pain management. However, the role of cingulate α2A adrenoceptors in the regulation of neuropathic pain has been less studied. In this study, we investigated the involvement of cingulate α2A adrenoceptors in the regulation of neuropathic pain at different time points after peripheral nerve injury in mice. The application of clonidine, either systemically (0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally) or specifically to the ACC, increased paw withdrawal thresholds (PWTs) and induced conditioned place preference (CPP) at day 7 after nerve injury, suggesting that cingulate α2 adrenoceptors are involved in the regulation of pain-like behaviors. Quantitative real-time PCR data showed that α2A adrenoceptors are the dominant α2 adrenoceptors in the ACC. Furthermore, the expression of cingulate α2A adrenoceptors was increased at day 3 and day 7 after nerve injury, but decreased at day 14, while no change was detected in the concentration of adrenaline or noradrenaline. BRL-44408 maleate, a selective antagonist of α2A adrenoceptors, was microinfused into the ACC. This blocking of cingulate α2A adrenoceptors activity abolished the CPP induced by clonidine (0.5 mg/kg intraperitoneally) but not the effects on PWTs at day 7. However, clonidine applied systemically or specifically to the ACC at day 14 increased the PWTs but failed to induce CPP; this negative effect was reversed by the overexpression of cingulate α2A adrenoceptors. These results suggest that cingulate α2A adrenoceptors are necessary for the analgesic effects of clonidine on spontaneous pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Jie Wang
- Center for Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'an, China.,The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'an, China
| | - Zhen-Xing Zuo
- Department of Surgery, Tongji Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji UniversityShanghai, China
| | - Cheng Wu
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou, China
| | - Li Liu
- Core Facility of School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Hui Feng
- Center for Mitochondrial Biology and Medicine, Frontier Institute of Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'an, China.,The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of the Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'an, China
| | - Xiang-Yao Li
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityHangzhou, China
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10
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Kim SK, Nabekura J, Koizumi S. Astrocyte-mediated synapse remodeling in the pathological brain. Glia 2017; 65:1719-1727. [PMID: 28569048 DOI: 10.1002/glia.23169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Astrocytes, a major type of glia, reciprocally influence synaptic transmission and connectivity, forming the "tripartite synapses". Astrocytic metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-mediated Ca2+ waves and release of gliotransmitters or synaptogenic molecules mediate this neuron-glia interaction in the developing brain, but this signaling has been challenged for adult brain. However, cumulative evidence has suggested that mature astrocytes exhibit re-awakening of such immature phenotype in the pathological adult brain. This phenotypic change in astrocytes in response to injury may induce neural circuit and synapse plasticity. In this review article, we summarize astrocyte-mediated synapse remodeling during physiological development, discuss re-emergence of immature astrocytic signaling in adult pathological brain, and finally highlight its contribution to significant modification of synaptic connections correlating with functional progress of brain pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Korea
| | - Junichi Nabekura
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, 444-8585, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate School for Advanced Study, Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo, 102-0076, Japan
| | - Schuichi Koizumi
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo, 102-0076, Japan.,Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, 409-3898, Japan
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11
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Kim W, Kim SK, Nabekura J. Functional and structural plasticity in the primary somatosensory cortex associated with chronic pain. J Neurochem 2017; 141:499-506. [PMID: 28278355 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.14012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Tissue or nerve injury induces widespread plastic changes from the periphery and spinal cord up to the cortex, resulting in chronic pain. Although many clinicians and researchers have extensively studied altered nociceptive signaling and neural circuit plasticity at the spinal cord level, effective treatments to ameliorate chronic pain are still insufficient. For about the last two decades, the rapid development in macroscopic brain imaging studies on humans and animal models have revealed maladaptive plastic changes in the 'pain matrix' brain regions, which may subsequently contribute to chronic pain. Among these brain regions, our group has concentrated for many years on the primary somatosensory (S1) cortex with a help of advanced imaging techniques and has found the functional and structural changes in neurons/glia as well as individual synapses in the S1 cortex during chronic pain. Taken together, it is now believed that such S1 plasticity is one of the causes for chronic pain, not a simple and passive epiphenomenon following tissue/nerve injury as previously thought. In this small review, we discuss the relation of plasticity in the S1 cortex with chronic pain, based on clinical trials and experimental studies conducted on this field. This article is part of the special article series "Pain".
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Affiliation(s)
- Woojin Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Junichi Nabekura
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan.,Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate School for Advanced Study, Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan.,Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo, Japan
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12
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Kim SK, Hayashi H, Ishikawa T, Shibata K, Shigetomi E, Shinozaki Y, Inada H, Roh SE, Kim SJ, Lee G, Bae H, Moorhouse AJ, Mikoshiba K, Fukazawa Y, Koizumi S, Nabekura J. Cortical astrocytes rewire somatosensory cortical circuits for peripheral neuropathic pain. J Clin Invest 2016; 126:1983-97. [PMID: 27064281 PMCID: PMC4855913 DOI: 10.1172/jci82859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-term treatments to ameliorate peripheral neuropathic pain that includes mechanical allodynia are limited. While glial activation and altered nociceptive transmission within the spinal cord are associated with the pathogenesis of mechanical allodynia, changes in cortical circuits also accompany peripheral nerve injury and may represent additional therapeutic targets. Dendritic spine plasticity in the S1 cortex appears within days following nerve injury; however, the underlying cellular mechanisms of this plasticity and whether it has a causal relationship to allodynia remain unsolved. Furthermore, it is not known whether glial activation occurs within the S1 cortex following injury or whether it contributes to this S1 synaptic plasticity. Using in vivo 2-photon imaging with genetic and pharmacological manipulations of murine models, we have shown that sciatic nerve ligation induces a re-emergence of immature metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) signaling in S1 astroglia, which elicits spontaneous somatic Ca2+ transients, synaptogenic thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) release, and synapse formation. This S1 astrocyte reactivation was evident only during the first week after injury and correlated with the temporal changes in S1 extracellular glutamate levels and dendritic spine turnover. Blocking the astrocytic mGluR5-signaling pathway suppressed mechanical allodynia, while activating this pathway in the absence of any peripheral injury induced long-lasting (>1 month) allodynia. We conclude that reawakened astrocytes are a key trigger for S1 circuit rewiring and that this contributes to neuropathic mechanical allodynia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
| | - Hideaki Hayashi
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Ishikawa
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate School for Advanced Study, Hayama, Japan
| | - Keisuke Shibata
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Eiji Shigetomi
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Youichi Shinozaki
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Inada
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
| | - Seung Eon Roh
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sang Jeong Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Gihyun Lee
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyunsu Bae
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Andrew J. Moorhouse
- School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
| | - Katsuhiko Mikoshiba
- Laboratory for Developmental Neurobiology, Brain Science Institute, RIKEN, Saitama, Japan
| | - Yugo Fukazawa
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- Division of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Department of Histological and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medical Science, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan
| | - Schuichi Koizumi
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Neuropharmacology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan
| | - Junichi Nabekura
- Division of Homeostatic Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Japan
- Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Saitama, Japan
- Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate School for Advanced Study, Hayama, Japan
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13
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Kim W, Kim SK. Neural circuit remodeling and structural plasticity in the cortex during chronic pain. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY & PHARMACOLOGY : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSIOLOGICAL SOCIETY AND THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF PHARMACOLOGY 2015; 20:1-8. [PMID: 26807017 PMCID: PMC4722182 DOI: 10.4196/kjpp.2016.20.1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Damage in the periphery or spinal cord induces maladaptive plastic changes along the somatosensory nervous system from the periphery to the cortex, often leading to chronic pain. Although the role of neural circuit remodeling and structural synaptic plasticity in the 'pain matrix' cortices in chronic pain has been thought as a secondary epiphenomenon to altered nociceptive signaling in the spinal cord, progress in whole brain imaging studies on human patients and animal models has suggested a possibility that plastic changes in cortical neural circuits may actively contribute to chronic pain symptoms. Furthermore, recent development in two-photon microscopy and fluorescence labeling techniques have enabled us to longitudinally trace the structural and functional changes in local circuits, single neurons and even individual synapses in the brain of living animals. These technical advances has started to reveal that cortical structural remodeling following tissue or nerve damage could rapidly occur within days, which are temporally correlated with functional plasticity of cortical circuits as well as the development and maintenance of chronic pain behavior, thereby modifying the previous concept that it takes much longer periods (e.g. months or years). In this review, we discuss the relation of neural circuit plasticity in the 'pain matrix' cortices, such as the anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex and primary somatosensory cortex, with chronic pain. We also introduce how to apply long-term in vivo two-photon imaging approaches for the study of pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woojin Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
| | - Sun Kwang Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Korean Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 02447, Korea
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Liu MG, Chen J. Preclinical research on pain comorbidity with affective disorders and cognitive deficits: Challenges and perspectives. Prog Neurobiol 2014; 116:13-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2014.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2013] [Revised: 12/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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15
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Lithwick A, Lev S, Binshtok AM. Chronic pain-related remodeling of cerebral cortex - 'pain memory': a possible target for treatment of chronic pain. Pain Manag 2014; 3:35-45. [PMID: 24645930 DOI: 10.2217/pmt.12.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
SUMMARY Chronic pain is a major health problem worldwide, yet its management is nonspecific and often insufficient. In order to be able to alleviate chronic pain, it is crucial to understand the profound and comprehensive mechanisms by which chronic pain is triggered and processed in higher brain areas. Painful stimuli are processed by an intricate axis of peripheral and central components. Adding to the inherent complexity, the system is highly dynamic, undergoing constant plastic changes that often lead to perpetuation of pain. Given the key role that the cerebral cortex plays in sensory perception, understanding pain-related changes in cortical areas allocated to pain sensation is crucial. This review aims to summarize present research on pain-related plastic changes in the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Avigail Lithwick
- Department of Medical Neurobiology, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, The Hebrew University Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
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16
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Su YL, Huang J, Wang N, Wang JY, Luo F. The effects of morphine on basal neuronal activities in the lateral and medial pain pathways. Neurosci Lett 2012; 525:173-8. [PMID: 22841696 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2012.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2012] [Revised: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 07/15/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies indicate that morphine suppresses pain-evoked activities in both spinal and supraspinal regions. However, little is known about the effect of morphine on the basal brain activity in the absence of pain. The present study was designed to assess the effects of single-dose morphine on the spontaneous discharge of many simultaneously recorded single units, as well as their functional connections, in the lateral pain pathway, including the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) and ventral posterolateral thalamus (VPL), and medial pain pathway, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and medial dorsal thalamus (MD), in awake rats. Morphine (5mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally before the recording. Naloxone plus morphine and normal saline injections were performed respectively as controls. The results showed that morphine administration produced significant changes in the spontaneous neuronal activity in more than one third of the total recorded neurons, with primary activation in the lateral pathway while both inhibition and activation in the medial pathway. Naloxone pretreatment completely blocked the effects induced by morphine. In addition, the correlated activities between and within both pain pathways was exclusively suppressed after morphine injection. These results suggest that morphine may play different roles in modulating neural activity in normal vs. pain states. Taken together, this is the first study investigating the morphine modulation of spontaneous neuronal activity within parallel pain pathways. It can be helpful for revealing neuronal population coding for the morphine action in the absence of pain, and shed light on the supraspinal mechanisms for preemptive analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Lin Su
- Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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17
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Synaptic structure and function in the mouse somatosensory cortex during chronic pain: in vivo two-photon imaging. Neural Plast 2012; 2012:640259. [PMID: 22530157 PMCID: PMC3317022 DOI: 10.1155/2012/640259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2011] [Accepted: 11/13/2011] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in two-photon microscopy and fluorescence labeling techniques have enabled us to directly see the structural and functional changes in neurons and glia, and even at synapses, in the brain of living animals. Long-term in vivo two-photon imaging studies have shown that some postsynaptic dendritic spines in the adult cortex are rapidly eliminated or newly generated, in response to altered sensory input or synaptic activity, resulting in experience/activity-dependent rewiring of neuronal circuits. In vivo Ca2+ imaging studies have revealed the distinct, input-specific response patterns of excitatory neurons in the brain. These updated in vivo approaches are just beginning to be used for the study of pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic diseases. In this paper, we introduce recent in vivo two-photon imaging studies demonstrating how plastic changes in synaptic structure and function of the mouse somatosensory cortex, following peripheral injury, contribute to chronic pain conditions, like neuropathic and inflammatory pain.
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