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Norris MR, Becker LJ, Bilbily J, Chang YH, Borges G, Dunn SS, Madasu MK, Vazquez CR, Cariello SA, Al-Hasani R, Creed MC, McCall JG. Spared nerve injury decreases motivation in long-access homecage-based operant tasks in mice. Pain 2024; 165:1247-1265. [PMID: 38015628 PMCID: PMC11095834 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Neuropathic pain causes both sensory and emotional maladaptation. Preclinical animal studies of neuropathic pain-induced negative affect could result in novel insights into the mechanisms of chronic pain. Modeling pain-induced negative affect, however, is variable across research groups and conditions. The same injury may or may not produce robust negative affective behavioral responses across different species, strains, and laboratories. Here, we sought to identify negative affective consequences of the spared nerve injury model on C57BL/6J male and female mice. We found no significant effect of spared nerve injury across a variety of approach-avoidance conflict, hedonic choice, and coping strategy assays. We hypothesized these inconsistencies may stem in part from the short test duration of these assays. To test this hypothesis, we used the homecage-based Feeding Experimentation Device version 3 to conduct 12-hour, overnight progressive ratio testing to determine whether mice with chronic spared nerve injury had decreased motivation to earn palatable food rewards. Our data demonstrate that despite equivalent task learning, spared nerve injury mice are less motivated to work for a sugar pellet than sham controls. Furthermore, when we normalized behavioral responses across all the behavioral assays we tested, we found that a combined normalized behavioral score is predictive of injury state and significantly correlates with mechanical thresholds. Together, these results suggest that homecage-based operant behaviors provide a useful platform for modeling nerve injury-induced negative affect and that valuable pain-related information can arise from agglomerative data analyses across behavioral assays-even when individual inferential statistics do not demonstrate significant mean differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makenzie R. Norris
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Léa J. Becker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - John Bilbily
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yu-Hsuan Chang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gustavo Borges
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Samantha S. Dunn
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Manish K. Madasu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Chayla R. Vazquez
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Solana A. Cariello
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Ream Al-Hasani
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Meaghan C. Creed
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jordan G. McCall
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, St. Louis College of Pharmacy, St. Louis, MO, USA; Center for Clinical Pharmacology, St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA; Washington University Pain Center, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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Ferland S, Wang F, De Koninck Y, Ferrini F. An improved conflict avoidance assay reveals modality-specific differences in pain hypersensitivity across sexes. Pain 2024; 165:1304-1316. [PMID: 38277178 PMCID: PMC11090034 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003132] [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: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Abnormal encoding of somatosensory modalities (ie, mechanical, cold, and heat) are a critical part of pathological pain states. Detailed phenotyping of patients' responses to these modalities have raised hopes that analgesic treatments could one day be tailored to a patient's phenotype. Such precise treatment would require a profound understanding of the underlying mechanisms of specific pain phenotypes at molecular, cellular, and circuitry levels. Although preclinical pain models have helped in that regard, the lack of a unified assay quantifying detailed mechanical, cold, and heat pain responses on the same scale precludes comparing how analgesic compounds act on different sensory phenotypes. The conflict avoidance assay is promising in that regard, but testing conditions require validation for its use with multiple modalities. In this study, we improve upon the conflict avoidance assay to provide a validated and detailed assessment of all 3 modalities within the same animal, in mice. We first optimized testing conditions to minimize the necessary amount of training and to reduce sex differences in performances. We then tested what range of stimuli produce dynamic stimulus-response relationships for different outcome measures in naive mice. We finally used this assay to show that nerve injury produces modality-specific sex differences in pain behavior. Our improved assay opens new avenues to study the basis of modality-specific abnormalities in pain behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Feng Wang
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Faculty of Dentistry, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Yves De Koninck
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Francesco Ferrini
- CERVO Brain Research Centre, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Journée SH, Mathis VP, Fillinger C, Veinante P, Yalcin I. Janus effect of the anterior cingulate cortex: Pain and emotion. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105362. [PMID: 37595650 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 20 years, clinical and preclinical studies point to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) as a site of interest for several neurological and psychiatric conditions. The ACC plays a critical role in emotion, autonomic regulation, pain processing, attention, memory and decision making. An increasing number of studies have demonstrated the involvement of the ACC in the emotional component of pain and its comorbidity with emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression. Thanks to the development of animal models combined with state-of-the-art technologies, we now have a better mechanistic understanding of the functions of the ACC. Hence, the primary aim of this review is to compile the most recent preclinical studies on the role of ACC in the emotional component and consequences of chronic pain. Herein, we thus thoroughly describe the pain-induced electrophysiological, molecular and anatomical alterations in the ACC and in its related circuits. Finally, we discuss the next steps that are needed to strengthen our understanding of the involvement of the ACC in emotional and pain processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H Journée
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Victor P Mathis
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Clémentine Fillinger
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Veinante
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Ipek Yalcin
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France; Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
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4
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Wei H, Chen Z, Lei J, You HJ, Pertovaara A. Sex-related correspondence between mechanical hypersensitivity and the discharge of medullary pain control neurons in neuropathic rats. Neurosci Lett 2023; 813:137415. [PMID: 37544582 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Here we studied whether the sex-related difference in mechanical hypersensitivity induced by neuropathy is associated with the discharge rate of medullary pain control neurons. We performed experiments in male and female rats with spared nerve injury (SNI) model of peripheral neuropathy. Mechanical hypersensitivity was assessed behaviorally by monofilaments. Discharge rates of pain-control neurons were determined using in vivo single unit recordings under light anesthesia. Recording targets were two medullary nuclei involved in descending pain control: the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) and the medullary dorsal reticular nucleus (DRt). Based on the response to peripheral noxious stimulus, neurons were classified as pronociceptive RVM ON-like or DRt neurons, or antinociceptive RVM OFF-like neurons. Behavioral results indicated that the mechanical hypersensitivity induced by SNI was significantly stronger in females than males. The ongoing discharge rates of pronociceptive RVM ON-like neurons were higher and those of antinociceptive RVM OFF-like neurons lower in SNI females than SNI males. Ongoing discharge rates of pronociceptive DRt neurons were not significantly different between SNI females and males. The results suggest that a sex difference in the discharge rate of pain control neurons in the RVM but not DRt may contribute to the maintenance of stronger neuropathic hypersensitivity in females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Wei
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zuyue Chen
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Medical Imaging, School of Medicine, Shaoxing University, Shaoxing, PR China
| | - Jing Lei
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Center for Translational Medicine Research on Sensory-Motor Diseases, Yan'an University, Yan'an, PR China
| | - Hao-Jun You
- Center for Translational Medicine Research on Sensory-Motor Diseases, Yan'an University, Yan'an, PR China
| | - Antti Pertovaara
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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Becker LJ, Fillinger C, Waegaert R, Journée SH, Hener P, Ayazgok B, Humo M, Karatas M, Thouaye M, Gaikwad M, Degiorgis L, Santin MDN, Mondino M, Barrot M, Ibrahim EC, Turecki G, Belzeaux R, Veinante P, Harsan LA, Hugel S, Lutz PE, Yalcin I. The basolateral amygdala-anterior cingulate pathway contributes to depression-like behaviors and comorbidity with chronic pain behaviors in male mice. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2198. [PMID: 37069164 PMCID: PMC10110607 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37878-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
While depression and chronic pain are frequently comorbid, underlying neuronal circuits and their psychopathological relevance remain poorly defined. Here we show in mice that hyperactivity of the neuronal pathway linking the basolateral amygdala to the anterior cingulate cortex is essential for chronic pain-induced depression. Moreover, activation of this pathway in naive male mice, in the absence of on-going pain, is sufficient to trigger depressive-like behaviors, as well as transcriptomic alterations that recapitulate core molecular features of depression in the human brain. These alterations notably impact gene modules related to myelination and the oligodendrocyte lineage. Among these, we show that Sema4a, which was significantly upregulated in both male mice and humans in the context of altered mood, is necessary for the emergence of emotional dysfunction. Overall, these results place the amygdalo-cingulate pathway at the core of pain and depression comorbidity, and unravel the role of Sema4a and impaired myelination in mood control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa J Becker
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Clinical Pharmacology Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Clémentine Fillinger
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Robin Waegaert
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sarah H Journée
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Hener
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Beyza Ayazgok
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Hacettepe, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Muris Humo
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Meltem Karatas
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
- Laboratory of Engineering, Informatics and Imaging (ICube), Integrative multimodal imaging in healthcare (IMIS), CNRS, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Maxime Thouaye
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mithil Gaikwad
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Laetitia Degiorgis
- Laboratory of Engineering, Informatics and Imaging (ICube), Integrative multimodal imaging in healthcare (IMIS), CNRS, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Marie des Neiges Santin
- Laboratory of Engineering, Informatics and Imaging (ICube), Integrative multimodal imaging in healthcare (IMIS), CNRS, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Mary Mondino
- Laboratory of Engineering, Informatics and Imaging (ICube), Integrative multimodal imaging in healthcare (IMIS), CNRS, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Michel Barrot
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - El Chérif Ibrahim
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, INT, Inst Neurosci Timone, Marseille, France
| | - Gustavo Turecki
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Raoul Belzeaux
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, INT, Inst Neurosci Timone, Marseille, France
- Department of Psychiatry, CHU de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Pierre Veinante
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Laura A Harsan
- Laboratory of Engineering, Informatics and Imaging (ICube), Integrative multimodal imaging in healthcare (IMIS), CNRS, UMR 7357, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Sylvain Hugel
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre-Eric Lutz
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ipek Yalcin
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France.
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
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