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Zhang B, Guo M, Dong T, Yang H, Zhang Q, Yang Q, Zhou X, Mao C, Zhang M. Disrupted Resting-State Functional Connectivity and Effective Connectivity of the Nucleus Accumbens in Chronic Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Pain Res 2024; 17:2133-2146. [PMID: 38915479 PMCID: PMC11194467 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s455239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is a recurring and intractable disease that is often accompanied by emotional and cognitive disorders such as depression and anxiety. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays an important role in mediating emotional and cognitive processes and analgesia. This study investigated the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) and effective connectivity (EC) of NAc and its subregions in cLBP. Methods Thirty-four cLBP patients and 34 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Seed-based rsFC and Dynamic Causal Modelling (DCM) were used to examine the alteration of the rsFC and EC of the NAc. Results Our results showed that the cLBP group had increased rsFC of the bilateral NAc-left superior frontal cortex (SFC), orbital frontal cortex (OFC), left angular gyrus, the left NAc-bilateral middle temporal gyrus, as well as decreased rsFC of left NAc-left supramarginal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, left cerebellum, brainstem (medulla oblongata), and right insula pathways compared with the HC; the results of the subregions were largely consistent with the whole NAc. In addition, the rsFC of the left NAc-left SFC was negatively correlated with Hamilton's Depression Scale (HAMD) scores (r = -0.402, p = 0.018), and the rsFC of left NAc-OFC was positively correlated with present pain intensity scores (r = 0.406, p = 0.017) in the cLBP group. DCM showed that the cLBP group showed significantly increased EC from the left cerebellum to the right NAc (p = 0.012) as compared with HC. Conclusion Overall, our findings demonstrate aberrant rsFC and EC between NAc and regions that are associated with emotional regulation and cognitive processing in individuals with cLBP, underscoring the pivotal roles of emotion and cognition in cLBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Minmin Guo
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ting Dong
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huajuan Yang
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qiujuan Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Quanxin Yang
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqian Zhou
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Cuiping Mao
- Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710004, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, 710061, People’s Republic of China
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Kummer K, Sheets PL. Targeting Prefrontal Cortex Dysfunction in Pain. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2024; 389:268-276. [PMID: 38702195 PMCID: PMC11125798 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.123.002046] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) has justifiably become a significant focus of chronic pain research. Collectively, decades of rodent and human research have provided strong rationale for studying the dysfunction of the PFC as a contributing factor in the development and persistence of chronic pain and as a key supraspinal mechanism for pain-induced comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, and cognitive decline. Chronic pain alters the structure, chemistry, and connectivity of PFC in both humans and rodents. In this review, we broadly summarize the complexities of reported changes within both rodent and human PFC caused by pain and offer insight into potential pharmacological and nonpharmacological approaches for targeting PFC to treat chronic pain and pain-associated comorbidities. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Chronic pain is a significant unresolved medical problem causing detrimental changes to physiological, psychological, and behavioral aspects of life. Drawbacks of currently approved pain therapeutics include incomplete efficacy and potential for abuse producing a critical need for novel approaches to treat pain and comorbid disorders. This review provides insight into how manipulation of prefrontal cortex circuits could address this unmet need of more efficacious and safer pain therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Kummer
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria (K.K.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (P.L.S.), Medical Neurosciences Graduate Program (P.L.S.), and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute (P.L.S.), Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
| | - Patrick L Sheets
- Institute of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria (K.K.); Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology (P.L.S.), Medical Neurosciences Graduate Program (P.L.S.), and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute (P.L.S.), Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana
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3
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Luo Q, Luo J, Wang X, Gan S. Restoration of the Activity of the Prefrontal Cortex to the Nucleus Accumbens Core Pathway Relieves Fentanyl-Induced Hyperalgesia in Male Rats. J Pain Res 2024; 17:1243-1256. [PMID: 38524691 PMCID: PMC10961020 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s442765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Functional connectivity between the prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex (PL-mPFC) and the core of the nucleus accumbens (NAc core) predicts pain chronification. Inhibiting the apoptosis of oligodendrocytes in the PL-mPFC prevents fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia in rats. However, the role of prefrontal cortex (PFC)-NAc projections in opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) remains unclear. Herein, we explored the role of the PL-NAc core circuit in fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia. Methods An OIH rat model was established, and patch-clamp recording, immunofluorescence, optogenetics, and chemogenetic methods were employed for neuron excitability detection and nociceptive behavioral assessment. Results Our results showed decreased activity of the right PL-mPFC layer V output neurons in rats with OIH. Similarly, the excitability of the NAc core neurons receiving glutamatergic projections from the PL-mPFC decreased in OIH rats, observed by the light-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents/light-excited inhibitory postsynaptic currents ratio (eEPSC/eIPSC ratio). Fentanyl-induced hyperalgesia was reversed by optogenetic activation of the PL-NAc core pathway, and chemogenetic suppression of this pathway induced hyperalgesia in control (saline-treated) rats. However, behavioral hyperalgesia was not aggravated by this chemogenetic suppression in OIH (fentanyl-treated) rats. Conclusion Our findings indicate that inactivation of the PL-NAc core pathway may be a cause of OIH and restoring the activity of this pathway may provide a strategy for OIH treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xixi Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, People’s Republic of China
| | - Sifei Gan
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Hospital of Nanchang, Nanchang, Jiangxi, People’s Republic of China
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Kenefati G, Rockholt MM, Ok D, McCartin M, Zhang Q, Sun G, Maslinski J, Wang A, Chen B, Voigt EP, Chen ZS, Wang J, Doan LV. Changes in alpha, theta, and gamma oscillations in distinct cortical areas are associated with altered acute pain responses in chronic low back pain patients. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1278183. [PMID: 37901433 PMCID: PMC10611481 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1278183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chronic pain negatively impacts a range of sensory and affective behaviors. Previous studies have shown that the presence of chronic pain not only causes hypersensitivity at the site of injury but may also be associated with pain-aversive experiences at anatomically unrelated sites. While animal studies have indicated that the cingulate and prefrontal cortices are involved in this generalized hyperalgesia, the mechanisms distinguishing increased sensitivity at the site of injury from a generalized site-nonspecific enhancement in the aversive response to nociceptive inputs are not well known. Methods We compared measured pain responses to peripheral mechanical stimuli applied to a site of chronic pain and at a pain-free site in participants suffering from chronic lower back pain (n = 15) versus pain-free control participants (n = 15) by analyzing behavioral and electroencephalographic (EEG) data. Results As expected, participants with chronic pain endorsed enhanced pain with mechanical stimuli in both back and hand. We further analyzed electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings during these evoked pain episodes. Brain oscillations in theta and alpha bands in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (mOFC) were associated with localized hypersensitivity, while increased gamma oscillations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and increased theta oscillations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) were associated with generalized hyperalgesia. Discussion These findings indicate that chronic pain may disrupt multiple cortical circuits to impact nociceptive processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Kenefati
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Mika M. Rockholt
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Deborah Ok
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Michael McCartin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Guanghao Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Julia Maslinski
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Aaron Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Baldwin Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Erich P. Voigt
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, New York University Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY, United States
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lisa V. Doan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Management, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
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5
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Liu Y, Li A, Bair-Marshall C, Xu H, Jee HJ, Zhu E, Sun M, Zhang Q, Lefevre A, Chen ZS, Grinevich V, Froemke RC, Wang J. Oxytocin promotes prefrontal population activity via the PVN-PFC pathway to regulate pain. Neuron 2023; 111:1795-1811.e7. [PMID: 37023755 PMCID: PMC10272109 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) can provide top-down regulation of sensory-affective experiences such as pain. Bottom-up modulation of sensory coding in the PFC, however, remains poorly understood. Here, we examined how oxytocin (OT) signaling from the hypothalamus regulates nociceptive coding in the PFC. In vivo time-lapse endoscopic calcium imaging in freely behaving rats showed that OT selectively enhanced population activity in the prelimbic PFC in response to nociceptive inputs. This population response resulted from the reduction of evoked GABAergic inhibition and manifested as elevated functional connectivity involving pain-responsive neurons. Direct inputs from OT-releasing neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus are crucial to maintaining this prefrontal nociceptive response. Activation of the prelimbic PFC by OT or direct optogenetic stimulation of oxytocinergic PVN projections reduced acute and chronic pain. These results suggest that oxytocinergic signaling in the PVN-PFC circuit constitutes a key mechanism to regulate cortical sensory processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Chloe Bair-Marshall
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Helen Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hyun Jung Jee
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elaine Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mengqi Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arthur Lefevre
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Valery Grinevich
- Department of Neuropeptide Research in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Robert C Froemke
- Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Zhang Q, Hu S, Talay R, Xiao Z, Rosenberg D, Liu Y, Sun G, Li A, Caravan B, Singh A, Gould JD, Chen ZS, Wang J. A prototype closed-loop brain-machine interface for the study and treatment of pain. Nat Biomed Eng 2023; 7:533-545. [PMID: 34155354 PMCID: PMC9516430 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-021-00736-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is characterized by discrete pain episodes of unpredictable frequency and duration. This hinders the study of pain mechanisms and contributes to the use of pharmacological treatments associated with side effects, addiction and drug tolerance. Here, we show that a closed-loop brain-machine interface (BMI) can modulate sensory-affective experiences in real time in freely behaving rats by coupling neural codes for nociception directly with therapeutic cortical stimulation. The BMI decodes the onset of nociception via a state-space model on the basis of the analysis of online-sorted spikes recorded from the anterior cingulate cortex (which is critical for pain processing) and couples real-time pain detection with optogenetic activation of the prelimbic prefrontal cortex (which exerts top-down nociceptive regulation). In rats, the BMI effectively inhibited sensory and affective behaviours caused by acute mechanical or thermal pain, and by chronic inflammatory or neuropathic pain. The approach provides a blueprint for demand-based neuromodulation to treat sensory-affective disorders, and could be further leveraged for nociceptive control and to study pain mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sile Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert Talay
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhengdong Xiao
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Rosenberg
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guanghao Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bassir Caravan
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Amrita Singh
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan D Gould
- College of Arts and Sciences, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhe S Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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7
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Wu XB, Zhu Q, Gao MH, Yan SX, Gu PY, Zhang PF, Xu ML, Gao YJ. Excitatory Projections from the Prefrontal Cortex to Nucleus Accumbens Core D1-MSNs and κ Opioid Receptor Modulate Itch-Related Scratching Behaviors. J Neurosci 2023; 43:1334-1347. [PMID: 36653189 PMCID: PMC9987576 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1359-22.2023] [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: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Itch is an uncomfortable and complex sensation that elicits the desire to scratch. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) activity is important in driving sensation, motivation, and emotion. Excitatory afferents from the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), amygdala, and hippocampus are crucial in tuning the activity of dopamine receptor D1-expressing and D2-expressing medium spiny neurons (Drd1-MSN and Drd2-MSN) in the NAc. However, a cell-type and neural circuity-based mechanism of the NAc underlying acute itch remains unclear. We found that acute itch induced by compound 48/80 (C48/80) decreased the intrinsic membrane excitability in Drd1-MSNs, but not in Drd2-MSNs, in the NAc core of male mice. Chemogenetic activation of Drd1-MSNs alleviated C48/80-induced scratching behaviors but not itch-related anxiety-like behaviors. In addition, C48/80 enhanced the frequency of spontaneous EPSCs (sEPSCs) and reduced the paired-pulse ratio (PPR) of electrical stimulation-evoked EPSCs in Drd1-MSNs. Furthermore, C48/80 increased excitatory synaptic afferents to Drd1-MSNs from the mPFC, not from the basolateral amygdala (BLA) or ventral hippocampus (vHipp). Consistently, the intrinsic excitability of mPFC-NAc projecting pyramidal neurons was increased after C48/80 treatment. Chemogenetic inhibition of mPFC-NAc excitatory synaptic afferents relieved the scratching behaviors. Moreover, pharmacological activation of κ opioid receptor (KOR) in the NAc core suppressed C48/80-induced scratching behaviors, and the modulation of KOR activity in the NAc resulted in the changes of presynaptic excitatory inputs to Drd1-MSNs in C48/80-treated mice. Together, these results reveal the neural plasticity in synapses of NAc Drd1-MSNs from the mPFC underlying acute itch and indicate the modulatory role of the KOR in itch-related scratching behaviors.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Itch stimuli cause strongly scratching desire and anxiety in patients. However, the related neural mechanisms remain largely unclear. In the present study, we demonstrated that the pruritogen compound 48/80 (C48/80) shapes the excitability of dopamine receptor D1-expressing medium spiny neurons (Drd1-MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and the glutamatergic synaptic afferents from medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) to these neurons. Chemogenetic activation of Drd1-MSNs or inhibition of mPFC-NAc excitatory synaptic afferents relieves the scratching behaviors. In addition, pharmacological activation of κ opioid receptor (KOR) in the NAc core alleviates C48/80-induced itch. Thus, targeting mPFC-NAc Drd1-MSNs or KOR may provide effective treatments for itch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Bo Wu
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019, China
| | - Qian Zhu
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019, China
| | - Ming-Hui Gao
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019, China
| | - Sheng-Xiang Yan
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019, China
| | - Pan-Yang Gu
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019, China
| | - Peng-Fei Zhang
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019, China
| | - Meng-Lin Xu
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019, China
| | - Yong-Jing Gao
- Institute of Pain Medicine and Special Environmental Medicine, Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Jiangsu 226019, China
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8
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Zhou S, Yin Y, Sheets PL. Mouse models of surgical and neuropathic pain produce distinct functional alterations to prodynorphin expressing neurons in the prelimbic cortex. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2023; 13:100121. [PMID: 36864928 PMCID: PMC9971546 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) consists of a heterogeneous population of neurons that respond to painful stimuli, and our understanding of how different pain models alter these specific mPFC cell types remains incomplete. A distinct subpopulation of mPFC neurons express prodynorphin (Pdyn+), the endogenous peptide agonist for kappa opioid receptors (KORs). Here, we used whole cell patch clamp for studying excitability changes to Pdyn expressing neurons in the prelimbic region of the mPFC (PLPdyn+ neurons) in mouse models of surgical and neuropathic pain. Our recordings revealed that PLPdyn+ neurons consist of both pyramidal and inhibitory cell types. We find that the plantar incision model (PIM) of surgical pain increases intrinsic excitability only in pyramidal PLPdyn+ neurons one day after incision. Following recovery from incision, excitability of pyramidal PLPdyn+ neurons did not differ between male PIM and sham mice, but was decreased in PIM female mice. Moreover, the excitability of inhibitory PLPdyn+ neurons was increased in male PIM mice, but was with no difference between female sham and PIM mice. In the spared nerve injury model (SNI), pyramidal PLPdyn+ neurons were hyperexcitable at both 3 days and 14 days after SNI. However, inhibitory PLPdyn+ neurons were hypoexcitable at 3 days but hyperexcitable at 14 days after SNI. Our findings suggest different subtypes of PLPdyn+ neurons manifest distinct alterations in the development of different pain modalities and are regulated by surgical pain in a sex-specific manner. Our study provides information on a specific neuronal population that is affected by surgical and neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shudi Zhou
- Medical Neurosciences Graduate Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Yuexi Yin
- Medical Neurosciences Graduate Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Patrick L. Sheets
- Medical Neurosciences Graduate Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA,Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA,Corresponding author at: Indiana University School of Medicine, Neuroscience Research Building 400 D, 320 West 15th St, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA.
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9
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Sun G, McCartin M, Liu W, Zhang Q, Kenefati G, Chen ZS, Wang J. Temporal pain processing in the primary somatosensory cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. Mol Brain 2023; 16:3. [PMID: 36604739 PMCID: PMC9817351 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-022-00991-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Pain is known to have sensory and affective components. The sensory pain component is encoded by neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), whereas the emotional or affective pain experience is in large part processed by neural activities in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The timing of how a mechanical or thermal noxious stimulus triggers activation of peripheral pain fibers is well-known. However, the temporal processing of nociceptive inputs in the cortex remains little studied. Here, we took two approaches to examine how nociceptive inputs are processed by the S1 and ACC. We simultaneously recorded local field potentials in both regions, during the application of a brain-computer interface (BCI). First, we compared event related potentials in the S1 and ACC. Next, we used an algorithmic pain decoder enabled by machine-learning to detect the onset of pain which was used during the implementation of the BCI to automatically treat pain. We found that whereas mechanical pain triggered neural activity changes first in the S1, the S1 and ACC processed thermal pain with a reasonably similar time course. These results indicate that the temporal processing of nociceptive information in different regions of the cortex is likely important for the overall pain experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghao Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Michael McCartin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Weizhuo Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - George Kenefati
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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10
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Huang M, Wang G, Lin Y, Guo Y, Ren X, Shao J, Cao J, Zang W, Li Z. Dopamine receptor D2, but not D1, mediates the reward circuit from the ventral tegmental area to the central amygdala, which is involved in pain relief. Mol Pain 2022; 18:17448069221145096. [PMID: 36464669 PMCID: PMC9742700 DOI: 10.1177/17448069221145096] [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] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain involves both sensory and affective dimensions. The amygdala is a key player in linking nociceptive stimuli to negative emotional behaviors or affective states. Relief of pain is rewarding and activates brain reward circuits. Whether the reward circuit from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the central amygdala (CeA) is involved in pain relief remains unexplored. Using a model of experimental postsurgical pain, we found that pain relief elicited conditioned place preference (CPP), activated CeA-projecting dopaminergic cells in the VTA, and decreased dopaminergic D2 receptor expression in the CeA. Activation of the VTA-CeA neural pathway using optogenetic approaches relieved incisional pain. Administration of a D2 receptor agonist reversed the pain relief elicited by light-induced activation of the VTA-CeA pathway. These findings indicate that the VTA-CeA circuit is involved in pain relief in mice via dopamine receptor D2 in the CeA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minjie Huang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China,Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Sanquan College of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Guoqing Wang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China,Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yazhou Lin
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Yanyan Guo
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Xiuhua Ren
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Jinping Shao
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Jing Cao
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Weidong Zang
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
| | - Zhihua Li
- Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China,Zhihua Li, Department of Human Anatomy, Basic Medical Sciences College, Zhengzhou University, 1 Science Road, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan Province, China.
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11
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Abstract
Pain is driven by sensation and emotion, and in turn, it motivates decisions and actions. To fully appreciate the multidimensional nature of pain, we formulate the study of pain within a closed-loop framework of sensory-motor prediction. In this closed-loop cycle, prediction plays an important role, as the interaction between prediction and actual sensory experience shapes pain perception and subsequently, action. In this Perspective, we describe the roles of two prominent computational theories-Bayesian inference and reinforcement learning-in modeling adaptive pain behaviors. We show that prediction serves as a common theme between these two theories, and that each of these theories can explain unique aspects of the pain perception-action cycle. We discuss how these computational theories and models can improve our mechanistic understandings of pain-centered processes such as anticipation, attention, placebo hypoalgesia, and pain chronification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Neuroscience Institute, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA,Corresponding author
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12
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Multidimensional Pain Modulation by Acupuncture Analgesia: The Reward Effect of Acupuncture on Pain Relief. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2022; 2022:3759181. [PMID: 36408345 PMCID: PMC9671730 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3759181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Pain is an intrinsically unpleasant experience with features that protect an organism by promoting motivation and learning. Pain relief, a negative reinforcement of pain, is considered a reward and activates the brain's reward system. The reward circuit in the brain involves reward and pain. Acupuncture has a multidimensional and comprehensive regulating effect on chronic pain. However, the reward effect of acupuncture in relieving chronic pain and the mechanism of the brain reward circuit involved in acupuncture analgesia are not thoroughly studied. In this article, we have reviewed the definition of pain abnormalities and negative emotions in patients with chronic pain, the conceptual characteristics of analgesic reward, and the new progress in studying brain reward circuits and functions. Moreover, we have expounded on the critical clinical and scientific significance of studying the reward effect of acupuncture analgesia and related brain reward circuits, the pain mechanism obtained from human neuroimaging studies, and the survey results on the effects of acupuncture on reward/motivation circuits. Some viewpoints and suggestions on the reward effect of acupuncture analgesia and related reward circuits have been put forward to clarify the multidimensional characteristics and benign regulation of acupuncture analgesia. Studies on the reward effect of acupuncture in relieving chronic pain and the regulating effect of the brain reward loop on acupuncture analgesia help to deepen the clinical understanding of acupuncture analgesia, innovate the research concept of acupuncture analgesia, and provide help for further studies on the central mechanism of acupuncture in improving chronic pain in the future.
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13
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Guida F, Iannotta M, Misso G, Ricciardi F, Boccella S, Tirino V, Falco M, Desiderio V, Infantino R, Pieretti G, de Novellis V, Papaccio G, Luongo L, Caraglia M, Maione S. Long-term neuropathic pain behaviors correlate with synaptic plasticity and limbic circuit alteration: a comparative observational study in mice. Pain 2022; 163:1590-1602. [PMID: 34862336 PMCID: PMC9341227 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Neuropathic pain has long-term consequences in affective and cognitive disturbances, suggesting the involvement of supraspinal mechanisms. In this study, we used the spared nerve injury (SNI) model to characterize the development of sensory and aversive components of neuropathic pain and to determine their electrophysiological impact across prefrontal cortex and limbic regions. Moreover, we evaluated the regulation of several genes involved in immune response and inflammation triggered by SNI. We showed that SNI led to sensorial hypersensitivity (cold and mechanical stimuli) and depressive-like behavior lasting 12 months after nerve injury. Of interest, changes in nonemotional cognitive tasks (novel object recognition and Y maze) showed in 1-month SNI mice were not evident normal in the 12-month SNI animals. In vivo electrophysiology revealed an impaired long-term potentiation at prefrontal cortex-nucleus accumbens core pathway in both the 1-month and 12-month SNI mice. On the other hand, a reduced neural activity was recorded in the lateral entorhinal cortex-dentate gyrus pathway in the 1-month SNI mice, but not in the 12-month SNI mice. Finally, we observed the upregulation of specific genes involved in immune response in the hippocampus of 1-month SNI mice, but not in the 12-month SNI mice, suggesting a neuroinflammatory response that may contribute to the SNI phenotype. These data suggest that distinct brain circuits may drive the psychiatric components of neuropathic pain and pave the way for better investigation of the long-term consequences of peripheral nerve injury for which most of the available drugs are to date unsatisfactory.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Gorizio Pieretti
- Plastic Surgery, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Livio Luongo
- Departments of Experimental Medicine
- IRCSS, Neuromed, Neuropharmacology Division, Pozzilli, Italy
| | | | - Sabatino Maione
- Departments of Experimental Medicine
- IRCSS, Neuromed, Neuropharmacology Division, Pozzilli, Italy
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14
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Sun G, Zeng F, McCartin M, Zhang Q, Xu H, Liu Y, Chen ZS, Wang J. Closed-loop stimulation using a multiregion brain-machine interface has analgesic effects in rodents. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eabm5868. [PMID: 35767651 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abm5868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Effective treatments for chronic pain remain limited. Conceptually, a closed-loop neural interface combining sensory signal detection with therapeutic delivery could produce timely and effective pain relief. Such systems are challenging to develop because of difficulties in accurate pain detection and ultrafast analgesic delivery. Pain has sensory and affective components, encoded in large part by neural activities in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), respectively. Meanwhile, studies show that stimulation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) produces descending pain control. Here, we designed and tested a brain-machine interface (BMI) combining an automated pain detection arm, based on simultaneously recorded local field potential (LFP) signals from the S1 and ACC, with a treatment arm, based on optogenetic activation or electrical deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the PFC in freely behaving rats. Our multiregion neural interface accurately detected and treated acute evoked pain and chronic pain. This neural interface is activated rapidly, and its efficacy remained stable over time. Given the clinical feasibility of LFP recordings and DBS, our findings suggest that BMI is a promising approach for pain treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghao Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Fei Zeng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Michael McCartin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Helen Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.,Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
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15
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Cardoso-Cruz H, Laranjeira I, Monteiro C, Galhardo V. Altered prefrontal-striatal theta-band oscillatory dynamics underlie working memory deficits in neuropathic pain rats. Eur J Pain 2022; 26:1546-1568. [PMID: 35603472 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex (PL-mPFC) and nucleus accumbens core region (NAcc) play an important role in supporting several executive cognitive mechanisms, such as spatial working-memory (WM). Recently, this circuit has been also associated with both sensory and affective components of pain. However, it is still unclear whether this circuit is endogenously engaged in neuropathic pain-related cognitive dysfunctions. METHODS To answer this question, we induced the expression of halorhodopsin in local PL-mPFC neurons projecting to NAcc, and then selectively inhibited the terminals of these neurons in the NAcc while recording neural activity during the performance of a delayed non-match to sample (DNMS) spatial WM task. Within-subject behavioral performance and PL-mPFC to NAcc circuit neural activity was assessed after the onset of a persistent rodent neuropathic pain model - spared nerve injury (SNI). RESULTS Our results revealed that the induction of the neuropathy reduced WM performance, and altered the interplay between PL-mPFC and NAcc neurons namely in increasing the functional connectivity from NAcc to PL-mPFC, particularly in the theta-band spontaneous oscillations; in addition, these behavioral and functional perturbations were partially reversed by selective optogenetic inhibition of PL-mPFC neuron terminals into the NAcc during the DNMS task delay-period, without significant antinociceptive effects. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, these results strongly suggest that the PL-mPFC excitatory output into the NAcc plays an important role in the deregulation of WM under pain conditions. SIGNIFICANCE Selective optogenetic inhibition of prefrontal-striatal microcircuit reverses pain-related working memory deficits, but has no significant impact on pain responses. Neuropathic pain underlies an increase of functional connectivity between the nucleus accumbens core area and the prelimbic medial prefrontal cortex mediated by theta-band activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helder Cardoso-Cruz
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Pain Neurobiology Group; Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Faculdade de Medicina (FMUP), Departamento de Biomedicina - Unidade de Biologia Experimental; Universidade do Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Inês Laranjeira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Pain Neurobiology Group; Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Faculdade de Medicina (FMUP), Departamento de Biomedicina - Unidade de Biologia Experimental; Universidade do Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal.,Mestrado em Neurobiologia da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade do Porto. 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Clara Monteiro
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Pain Neurobiology Group; Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Faculdade de Medicina (FMUP), Departamento de Biomedicina - Unidade de Biologia Experimental; Universidade do Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vasco Galhardo
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Pain Neurobiology Group; Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Universidade do Porto, 4200-135, Porto, Portugal.,Faculdade de Medicina (FMUP), Departamento de Biomedicina - Unidade de Biologia Experimental; Universidade do Porto, 4200-319, Porto, Portugal
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16
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Guo F, Du Y, Qu FH, Lin SD, Chen Z, Zhang SH. Dissecting the Neural Circuitry for Pain Modulation and Chronic Pain: Insights from Optogenetics. Neurosci Bull 2022; 38:440-452. [PMID: 35249185 PMCID: PMC9068856 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00835-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage. The processing of pain involves complicated modulation at the levels of the periphery, spinal cord, and brain. The pathogenesis of chronic pain is still not fully understood, which makes the clinical treatment challenging. Optogenetics, which combines optical and genetic technologies, can precisely intervene in the activity of specific groups of neurons and elements of the related circuits. Taking advantage of optogenetics, researchers have achieved a body of new findings that shed light on the cellular and circuit mechanisms of pain transmission, pain modulation, and chronic pain both in the periphery and the central nervous system. In this review, we summarize recent findings in pain research using optogenetic approaches and discuss their significance in understanding the pathogenesis of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Guo
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yu Du
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Feng-Hui Qu
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Shi-Da Lin
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Neuropharmacology and Translational Medicine of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
| | - Shi-Hong Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Department of Anesthesiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
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17
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Alter BJ, Santosa H, Nguyen QH, Huppert TJ, Wasan AD. Offset analgesia is associated with opposing modulation of medial versus dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activations: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study. Mol Pain 2022; 18:17448069221074991. [PMID: 35083928 PMCID: PMC9047820 DOI: 10.1177/17448069221074991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Offset analgesia is defined by a dramatic drop in perceived pain intensity with a relatively small decrease in noxious input. Although functional magnetic resonance imaging studies implicate subcortical descending inhibitory circuits during offset analgesia, the role of cortical areas remains unclear. The current study identifies cortical correlates of offset analgesia using functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Twenty-four healthy volunteers underwent fNIRS scanning during offset (OS) and control (Con) heat stimuli applied to the forearm. After controlling for non-neural hemodynamic responses in superficial tissues, widespread increases in cortical oxygenated hemoglobin concentration were observed, reflecting cortical activation during heat pain. OS-Con contrasts revealed deactivations in bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and bilateral somatosensory cortex (SSC) associated with offset analgesia. Right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) showed activation only during OS. These data demonstrate opposing cortical activation patterns during offset analgesia and support a model in which right dlPFC underlies ongoing evaluation of pain intensity change. With predictions of decreasing pain intensity, right dlPFC activation likely inhibits ascending noxious input via subcortical pathways resulting in SSC and mPFC deactivation. This study identifies cortical circuitry underlying offset analgesia and introduces the use of fNIRS to study pain modulation in an outpatient clinical environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedict J. Alter
- Department of Anesthesiology and
Perioperative Medicine, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hendrik Santosa
- Department of Radiology, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Quynh H. Nguyen
- Department of Anesthesiology and
Perioperative Medicine, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Theodore J. Huppert
- Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ajay D. Wasan
- Department of Anesthesiology and
Perioperative Medicine, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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18
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Disrupted population coding in the prefrontal cortex underlies pain aversion. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109978. [PMID: 34758316 PMCID: PMC8696988 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulates a wide range of sensory experiences. Chronic pain is known to impair normal neural response, leading to enhanced aversion. However, it remains unknown how nociceptive responses in the cortex are processed at the population level and whether such processes are disrupted by chronic pain. Using in vivo endoscopic calcium imaging, we identify increased population activity in response to noxious stimuli and stable patterns of functional connectivity among neurons in the prelimbic (PL) PFC from freely behaving rats. Inflammatory pain disrupts functional connectivity of PFC neurons and reduces the overall nociceptive response. Interestingly, ketamine, a well-known neuromodulator, restores the functional connectivity among PL-PFC neurons in the inflammatory pain model to produce anti-aversive effects. These results suggest a dynamic resource allocation mechanism in the prefrontal representations of pain and indicate that population activity in the PFC critically regulates pain and serves as an important therapeutic target. Li et al. reveal that inflammatory pain disrupts the functional connectivity of neurons in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex (PL-PFC) and the overall nociceptive response. Ketamine, meanwhile, restores the functional connectivity of neurons in the PL-PFC in the inflammatory pain state to produce anti-aversive effects.
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19
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Neurogenesis in the adult brain functionally contributes to the maintenance of chronic neuropathic pain. Sci Rep 2021; 11:18549. [PMID: 34535707 PMCID: PMC8448753 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97093-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Maladaptive adult neurogenesis in the mammalian brain has been associated with diverse behaviors including disrupted learning, negative mood disorders and psychiatric conditions. However, its functional role in the generation and maintenance of chronic pathological pain has not yet been elucidated. Using an inducible genetic deletion in vivo mouse model, different behavioural paradigms and home cage monitoring systems, we show that an absence of adult neurogenesis does not impact the development of neuropathic injury-induced peripheral nociceptive hypersensitivity, but rather promotes the recovery of pathological pain as well as improves parameters associated with the state of well-being of the injured mice. These results provide a mechanistic insight into the mechanisms of chronic pain and implicate neurogenic processes as a potential therapeutic target for reducing pain and improving the quality of life for patients.
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20
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Liu Y, Xu H, Sun G, Vemulapalli B, Jee HJ, Zhang Q, Wang J. Frequency Dependent Electrical Stimulation of PFC and ACC for Acute Pain Treatment in Rats. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2021; 2:728045. [PMID: 35295497 PMCID: PMC8915567 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2021.728045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As pain consists of both sensory and affective components, its management by pharmaceutical agents remains difficult. Alternative forms of neuromodulation, such as electrical stimulation, have been studied in recent years as potential pain treatment options. Although electrical stimulation of the brain has shown promise, more research into stimulation frequency and targets is required to support its clinical applications. Here, we studied the effect that stimulation frequency has on pain modulation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in acute pain models in rats. We found that low-frequency stimulation in the prelimbic region of the PFC (PL-PFC) provides reduction of sensory and affective pain components. Meanwhile, high-frequency stimulation of the ACC, a region involved in processing pain affect, reduces pain aversive behaviors. Our results demonstrate that frequency-dependent neuromodulation of the PFC or ACC has the potential for pain modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Helen Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Guanghao Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Bharat Vemulapalli
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hyun Jung Jee
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Qiaosheng Zhang
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Interdisciplinary Pain Research Program, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
- Jing Wang
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21
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Buckhalter S, Soubeyrand E, Ferrone SAE, Rasmussen DJ, Manduca JD, Al-Abdul-Wahid MS, Frie JA, Khokhar JY, Akhtar TA, Perreault ML. The Antidepressant-Like and Analgesic Effects of Kratom Alkaloids are accompanied by Changes in Low Frequency Oscillations but not ΔFosB Accumulation. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:696461. [PMID: 34413776 PMCID: PMC8369573 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.696461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitragyna speciosa (“kratom”), employed as a traditional medicine to improve mood and relieve pain, has shown increased use in Europe and North America. Here, the dose-dependent effects of a purified alkaloid kratom extract on neuronal oscillatory systems function, analgesia, and antidepressant-like behaviour were evaluated and kratom-induced changes in ΔFosB expression determined. Male rats were administered a low or high dose of kratom (containing 0.5 or 1 mg/kg of mitragynine, respectively) for seven days. Acute or repeated low dose kratom suppressed ventral tegmental area (VTA) theta oscillatory power whereas acute or repeated high dose kratom increased delta power, and reduced theta power, in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), prefrontal cortex (PFC), cingulate cortex (Cg) and VTA. The repeated administration of low dose kratom additionally elevated delta power in PFC, decreased theta power in NAc and PFC, and suppressed beta and low gamma power in Cg. Suppressed high gamma power in NAc and PFC was seen selectively following repeated high dose kratom. Both doses of kratom elevated NAc-PFC, VTA-NAc, and VTA-Cg coherence. Low dose kratom had antidepressant-like properties whereas both doses produced analgesia. No kratom-induced changes in ΔFosB expression were evident. These results support a role for kratom as having both antidepressant and analgesic properties that are accompanied by specific changes in neuronal circuit function. However, the absence of drug-induced changes in ΔFosB expression suggest that the drug may circumvent this cellular signaling pathway, a pathway known for its significant role in addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoshana Buckhalter
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Eric Soubeyrand
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Sarah A E Ferrone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Duncan J Rasmussen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Joshua D Manduca
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Jude A Frie
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jibran Y Khokhar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Tariq A Akhtar
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Melissa L Perreault
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.,Collaborative Program in Neuroscience, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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22
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Tan LL, Kuner R. Neocortical circuits in pain and pain relief. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:458-471. [PMID: 34127843 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00468-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The sensory, associative and limbic neocortical structures play a critical role in shaping incoming noxious inputs to generate variable pain perceptions. Technological advances in tracing circuitry and interrogation of pathways and complex behaviours are now yielding critical knowledge of neocortical circuits, cellular contributions and causal relationships between pain perception and its abnormalities in chronic pain. Emerging insights into neocortical pain processing suggest the existence of neocortical causality and specificity for pain at the level of subdomains, circuits and cellular entities and the activity patterns they encode. These mechanisms provide opportunities for therapeutic intervention for improved pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linette Liqi Tan
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Rohini Kuner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.
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23
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Xu X, Wu K, Ma X, Wang W, Wang H, Huang M, Luo L, Su C, Yuan T, Shi H, Han J, Wang A, Xu T. mGluR5-Mediated eCB Signaling in the Nucleus Accumbens Controls Vulnerability to Depressive-Like Behaviors and Pain After Chronic Social Defeat Stress. Mol Neurobiol 2021; 58:4944-4958. [PMID: 34227060 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-021-02469-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Stress contributes to major depressive disorder (MDD) and chronic pain, which affect a significant portion of the global population, but researchers have not clearly determined how these conditions are initiated or amplified by stress. The chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model is a mouse model of psychosocial stress that exhibits depressive-like behavior and chronic pain. We hypothesized that metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) expressed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) normalizes the depressive-like behaviors and pain following CSDS. Here, we show that CSDS induced both pain and social avoidance and that the level of mGluR5 decreased in susceptible mice. Overexpression of mGluR5 in the NAc shell and core prevented the development of depressive-like behaviors and pain in susceptible mice, respectively. Conversely, depression-like behaviors and pain were exacerbated in mice with mGluR5 knockdown in the NAc shell and core, respectively, compared to control mice subjected to 3 days of social defeat stress. Furthermore, (RS)-2-chloro-5-hydroxyphenylglycine (CHPG), an mGluR5 agonist, reversed the reduction in the level of the endocannabinoid (eCB) 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the NAc of susceptible mice, an effect that was blocked by 3-((2-methyl-1, 3-thiazol-4-yl) ethynyl) pyridine hydrochloride (MTEP), an mGluR5 antagonist. In addition, the injection of CHPG into the NAc shell and core normalized depressive-like behaviors and pain, respectively, and these effects were inhibited by AM251, a cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R) antagonist. Based on these results, mGluR5-mediated eCB production in the NAc relieves stress-induced depressive-like behaviors and pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotao Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China
| | - Kaixuan Wu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaqing Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenying Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiyan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Huang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China
| | - Limin Luo
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen Su
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Hunan Cancer Hospital/The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Changsha, 410013, People's Republic of China
| | - Tifei Yuan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, People's Republic of China
| | - Haibo Shi
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Sleep Disordered Breathing, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji Han
- Internal medicine of TCM, Putuo Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No.164 Lanxi Road, Shanghai, 200062, China.
| | - Aizhong Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tao Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, 200233, People's Republic of China. .,Department of Anesthesiology, Tongzhou People's Hospital, Nantong, 226300, China.
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24
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Tan LL, Oswald MJ, Kuner R. Neurobiology of brain oscillations in acute and chronic pain. Trends Neurosci 2021; 44:629-642. [PMID: 34176645 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2021.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Pain is a complex perceptual phenomenon. Coordinated activity among local and distant brain networks is a central element of the neural underpinnings of pain. Brain oscillatory rhythms across diverse frequency ranges provide a functional substrate for coordinating activity across local neuronal ensembles and anatomically distant brain areas in pain networks. This review addresses parallels between insights from human and rodent analyses of oscillatory rhythms in acute and chronic pain and discusses recent rodent-based studies that have shed light on mechanistic underpinnings of brain oscillatory dynamics in pain-related behaviors. We highlight the potential for therapeutic modulation of oscillatory rhythms, and identify outstanding questions and challenges to be addressed in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linette Liqi Tan
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Manfred Josef Oswald
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rohini Kuner
- Institute of Pharmacology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 366, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
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25
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La Montanara P, Hervera A, Baltussen LL, Hutson TH, Palmisano I, De Virgiliis F, Kong G, Chadwick J, Gao Y, Bartus K, Majid QA, Gorgoraptis N, Wong K, Downs J, Pizzorusso T, Ultanir SK, Leonard H, Yu H, Millar DS, Istvan N, Mazarakis ND, Di Giovanni S. Cyclin-dependent-like kinase 5 is required for pain signaling in human sensory neurons and mouse models. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/551/eaax4846. [PMID: 32641489 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aax4846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent-like kinase 5 (CDKL5) gene mutations lead to an X-linked disorder that is characterized by infantile epileptic encephalopathy, developmental delay, and hypotonia. However, we found that a substantial percentage of these patients also report a previously unrecognized anamnestic deficiency in pain perception. Consistent with a role in nociception, we found that CDKL5 is expressed selectively in nociceptive dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons in mice and in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS)-derived human nociceptors. CDKL5-deficient mice display defective epidermal innervation, and conditional deletion of CDKL5 in DRG sensory neurons impairs nociception, phenocopying CDKL5 deficiency disorder in patients. Mechanistically, CDKL5 interacts with calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α (CaMKIIα) to control outgrowth and transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1)-dependent signaling, which are disrupted in both CDKL5 mutant murine DRG and human iPS-derived nociceptors. Together, these findings unveil a previously unrecognized role for CDKL5 in nociception, proposing an original regulatory mechanism for pain perception with implications for future therapeutics in CDKL5 deficiency disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo La Montanara
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Arnau Hervera
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.,Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), 28031 Madrid, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology & Institute of Neuroscience, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucas L Baltussen
- Kinases and Brain Development Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Thomas H Hutson
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Ilaria Palmisano
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Francesco De Virgiliis
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Guiping Kong
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Jessica Chadwick
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Yunan Gao
- Gene Therapy, Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Katalin Bartus
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, Guy's Campus, London Bridge, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Qasim A Majid
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Nikos Gorgoraptis
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Kingsley Wong
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Jenny Downs
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Tommaso Pizzorusso
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Research Council (CNR), I-56124 Pisa, Italy.,Department of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, I-50135 Florence, Italy
| | - Sila K Ultanir
- Gene Therapy, Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Helen Leonard
- Telethon Kids Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Hongwei Yu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - David S Millar
- Institute of Cancer and Genetics, Cardiff University, Cardiff F14 4ED, UK
| | - Nagy Istvan
- Nociception, Section of Anesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Nicholas D Mazarakis
- Gene Therapy, Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration, Division of Brain Sciences, Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK
| | - Simone Di Giovanni
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, London W12 0NN, UK.
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26
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Kim DJ, Jassar H, Lim M, Nascimento TD, DaSilva AF. Dopaminergic Regulation of Reward System Connectivity Underpins Pain and Emotional Suffering in Migraine. J Pain Res 2021; 14:631-643. [PMID: 33727857 PMCID: PMC7955762 DOI: 10.2147/jpr.s296540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose It has been suggested that reward system dysfunction may account for emotion and pain suffering in migraine. However, there is a lack of evidence whether the altered reward system connectivity is directly associated with clinical manifestations, including negative affect and ictal pain severity and, at the molecular level, the dopamine (DA) D2/D3 receptors (D2/3Rs) signaling implicated in encoding motivational and emotional cues. Patients and Methods We acquired resting-state functional MRI from interictal episodic migraine (EM) patients and age-matched healthy controls, as well as positron emission tomography (PET) with [11C]raclopride, a selective radiotracer for DA D2/3Rs, from a subset of these participants. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) was seeded to measure functional connectivity (FC) and DA D2/3Rs availability based on its essential involvement in pain-related aversive/reward functions. Associations of the brain measures with positive/negative affect and ictal pain severity were also assessed. Results Compared with controls, the EM group showed weaker right NAc connectivity with areas implicated in pain and emotional regulation, such as the amygdala, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus; but showed stronger left NAc connectivity with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and lingual gyrus. Moreover, among the altered NAc connectivities, only right NAc-amygdala connectivity was inversely correlated with DA D2/3Rs availability in migraine patients (diagnostic group-by-D2/3Rs interaction p < 0.007). At a clinical level, such weaker NAc-amygdala connectivity was associated with lower interictal positive affect and greater ictal pain severity over the head and facial extension area (pain area and intensity number summation, PAINS). Conclusion Together, our findings suggest that altered reward system connectivity, specifically between the NAc and amygdala, might be affected by endogenous DA D2/3Rs signaling, and such process might be a neural mechanism that underlies emotional and pain suffering in episodic migraineurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dajung J Kim
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Biologic and Material Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Hassan Jassar
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Biologic and Material Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Manyoel Lim
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Biologic and Material Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Thiago D Nascimento
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Biologic and Material Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Alexandre F DaSilva
- Headache and Orofacial Pain Effort (H.O.P.E.), Biologic and Material Sciences & Prosthodontics, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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27
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Zeng F, Zhang Q, Liu Y, Sun G, Li A, Talay RS, Wang J. AMPAkines potentiate the corticostriatal pathway to reduce acute and chronic pain. Mol Brain 2021; 14:45. [PMID: 33653395 PMCID: PMC7923831 DOI: 10.1186/s13041-021-00757-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The corticostriatal circuit plays an important role in the regulation of reward- and aversion-types of behaviors. Specifically, the projection from the prelimbic cortex (PL) to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) has been shown to regulate sensory and affective aspects of pain in a number of rodent models. Previous studies have shown that enhancement of glutamate signaling through the NAc by AMPAkines, a class of agents that specifically potentiate the function of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors, reduces acute and persistent pain. However, it is not known whether postsynaptic potentiation of the NAc with these agents can achieve the full anti-nociceptive effects of PL activation. Here we compared the impact of AMPAkine treatment in the NAc with optogenetic activation of the PL on pain behaviors in rats. We found that not only does AMPAkine treatment partially reconstitute the PL inhibition of sensory withdrawals, it fully occludes the effect of the PL on reducing the aversive component of pain. These results indicate that the NAc is likely one of the key targets for the PL, especially in the regulation of pain aversion. Furthermore, our results lend support for neuromodulation or pharmacological activation of the corticostriatal circuit as an important analgesic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Zeng
- Department of Pain, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Guanghao Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert S Talay
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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28
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Song Y, Yao M, Kemprecos H, Byrne A, Xiao Z, Zhang Q, Singh A, Wang J, Chen ZS. Predictive coding models for pain perception. J Comput Neurosci 2021; 49:107-127. [PMID: 33595765 DOI: 10.1007/s10827-021-00780-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Pain is a complex, multidimensional experience that involves dynamic interactions between sensory-discriminative and affective-emotional processes. Pain experiences have a high degree of variability depending on their context and prior anticipation. Viewing pain perception as a perceptual inference problem, we propose a predictive coding paradigm to characterize evoked and non-evoked pain. We record the local field potentials (LFPs) from the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of freely behaving rats-two regions known to encode the sensory-discriminative and affective-emotional aspects of pain, respectively. We further use predictive coding to investigate the temporal coordination of oscillatory activity between the S1 and ACC. Specifically, we develop a phenomenological predictive coding model to describe the macroscopic dynamics of bottom-up and top-down activity. Supported by recent experimental data, we also develop a biophysical neural mass model to describe the mesoscopic neural dynamics in the S1 and ACC populations, in both naive and chronic pain-treated animals. Our proposed predictive coding models not only replicate important experimental findings, but also provide new prediction about the impact of the model parameters on the physiological or behavioral read-out-thereby yielding mechanistic insight into the uncertainty of expectation, placebo or nocebo effect, and chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuru Song
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.,Department of Biology, University of California, San Diego, USA
| | - Mingchen Yao
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.,Kuang Yaming Honors School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Helen Kemprecos
- Department of Biochemistry, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Aine Byrne
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, USA
| | - Zhengdong Xiao
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Operative Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Amrita Singh
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Operative Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Operative Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.,Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Zhe S Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA. .,Neuroscience Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, USA.
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29
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Yin JB, Liang SH, Li F, Zhao WJ, Bai Y, Sun Y, Wu ZY, Ding T, Sun Y, Liu HX, Lu YC, Zhang T, Huang J, Chen T, Li H, Chen ZF, Cao J, Ren R, Peng YN, Yang J, Zang WD, Li X, Dong YL, Li YQ. dmPFC-vlPAG projection neurons contribute to pain threshold maintenance and antianxiety behaviors. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:6555-6570. [PMID: 32841213 DOI: 10.1172/jci127607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) has been recognized as a key cortical area for nociceptive modulation. However, the underlying neural pathway and the function of specific cell types remain largely unclear. Here, we show that lesions in the dmPFC induced an algesic and anxious state. Using multiple tracing methods including a rabies-based transsynaptic tracing method, we outlined an excitatory descending neural pathway from the dmPFC to the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG). Specific activation of the dmPFC/vlPAG neural pathway by optogenetic manipulation produced analgesic and antianxiety effects in a mouse model of chronic pain. Inhibitory neurons in the dmPFC were specifically activated using a chemogenetic approach, which logically produced an algesic and anxious state under both normal and chronic pain conditions. Antagonists of the GABAA receptor (GABAAR) or mGluR1 were applied to the dmPFC, which produced analgesic and antianxiety effects. In summary, the results of our study suggest that the dmPFC/vlPAG neural pathway might participate in the maintenance of pain thresholds and antianxiety behaviors under normal conditions, while silencing or suppressing the dmPFC/vlPAG pathway might be involved in the initial stages and maintenance of chronic pain and the emergence of anxiety-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Bin Yin
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Neurology, the 960th Hospital of PLA, Jinan, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Shao-Hua Liang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Department of Human Anatomy, Binzhou Medical College, Yantai, China
| | - Fei Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Cadet Brigade, and
| | - Wen-Jun Zhao
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Cadet Brigade, and
| | - Yang Bai
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yi Sun
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Department of Human Anatomy, Binzhou Medical College, Yantai, China
| | - Zhen-Yu Wu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tan Ding
- Department of Orthopedics, Xijing Hospital, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | | | - Hai-Xia Liu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ya-Cheng Lu
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zhou-Feng Chen
- Center for the Study of Itch, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jing Cao
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Rui Ren
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Ya-Nan Peng
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China
| | - Wei-Dong Zang
- Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu-Lin Dong
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yun-Qing Li
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K.K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research and Transformation in the Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Haikou, China.,Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
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30
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Talay RS, Liu Y, Michael M, Li A, Friesner ID, Zeng F, Sun G, Chen ZS, Zhang Q, Wang J. Pharmacological restoration of anti-nociceptive functions in the prefrontal cortex relieves chronic pain. Prog Neurobiol 2021; 201:102001. [PMID: 33545233 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain affects one in four adults, and effective non-sedating and non-addictive treatments are urgently needed. Chronic pain causes maladaptive changes in the cerebral cortex, which can lead to impaired endogenous nociceptive processing. However, it is not yet clear if drugs that restore endogenous cortical regulation could provide an effective therapeutic strategy for chronic pain. Here, we studied the nociceptive response of neurons in the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex (PL-PFC) in freely behaving rats using a spared nerve injury (SNI) model of chronic pain, and the impact of AMPAkines, a class of drugs that increase central glutamate signaling, on such response. We found that neurons in the PL-PFC increase their firing rates in response to noxious stimulations; chronic neuropathic pain, however, suppressed this important cortical pain response. Meanwhile, CX546, a well-known AMPAkine, restored the anti-nociceptive response of PL-PFC neurons in the chronic pain condition. In addition, both systemic administration and direct delivery of CX546 into the PL-PFC inhibited symptoms of chronic pain, whereas optogenetic inactivation of the PFC neurons or administration of AMPA receptor antagonists in the PL-PFC blocked the anti-nociceptive effects of CX546. These results indicate that restoration of the endogenous anti-nociceptive functions in the PL-PFC by pharmacological agents such as AMPAkines constitutes a successful strategy to treat chronic neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Talay
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States; Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China
| | - Matthew Michael
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Isabel D Friesner
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Fei Zeng
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Guanghao Sun
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Zhe Sage Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States.
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States; Neuroscience Institute, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, United States.
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31
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Singh A, Patel D, Li A, Hu L, Zhang Q, Liu Y, Guo X, Robinson E, Martinez E, Doan L, Rudy B, Chen ZS, Wang J. Mapping Cortical Integration of Sensory and Affective Pain Pathways. Curr Biol 2020; 30:1703-1715.e5. [PMID: 32220320 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.02.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Pain is an integrated sensory and affective experience. Cortical mechanisms of sensory and affective integration, however, remain poorly defined. Here, we investigate the projection from the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), which encodes the sensory pain information, to the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a key area for processing pain affect, in freely behaving rats. By using a combination of optogenetics, in vivo electrophysiology, and machine learning analysis, we find that a subset of neurons in the ACC receives S1 inputs, and activation of the S1 axon terminals increases the response to noxious stimuli in ACC neurons. Chronic pain enhances this cortico-cortical connection, as manifested by an increased number of ACC neurons that respond to S1 inputs and the magnified contribution of these neurons to the nociceptive response in the ACC. Furthermore, modulation of this S1→ACC projection regulates aversive responses to pain. Our results thus define a cortical circuit that plays a potentially important role in integrating sensory and affective pain signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Singh
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Divya Patel
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Anna Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Lizbeth Hu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yaling Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Xinling Guo
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Eric Robinson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Erik Martinez
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Lisa Doan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Bernardo Rudy
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Zhe S Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Department of Neuroscience & Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA; Neuroscience Institute, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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32
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KC E, Moon HC, Kim S, Kim HK, Won SY, Hyun S, Park YS. Optical Modulation on the Nucleus Accumbens Core in the Alleviation of Neuropathic Pain in Chronic Dorsal Root Ganglion Compression Rat Model. Neuromodulation 2019; 23:167-176. [DOI: 10.1111/ner.13059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elina KC
- Department of NeuroscienceCollege of Medicine, Chungbuk National University Cheongju South Korea
| | - Hyeong Cheol Moon
- Department of NeuroscienceCollege of Medicine, Chungbuk National University Cheongju South Korea
- Department of NeurosurgeryChungbuk National University Hospital Cheongju South Korea
| | - Soochong Kim
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology and Platelets Signaling, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University Cheongju South Korea
| | - Hyong Kyu Kim
- Department of Medicine and MicrobiologyChungbuk National University Cheongju South Korea
| | - So Yoon Won
- Department of Biochemistry and Medical Research CenterChungbuk National University Cheongju South Korea
| | - Sang‐Hwan Hyun
- Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungbuk National University Cheongju South Korea
- Institute of Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine, Chungbuk National University Cheongju South Korea
| | - Young Seok Park
- Department of NeuroscienceCollege of Medicine, Chungbuk National University Cheongju South Korea
- Department of NeurosurgeryChungbuk National University Hospital Cheongju South Korea
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33
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Jarrin S, Finn DP. Optogenetics and its application in pain and anxiety research. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 105:200-211. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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34
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Dale J, Zhou H, Zhang Q, Martinez E, Hu S, Liu K, Urien L, Chen Z, Wang J. Scaling Up Cortical Control Inhibits Pain. Cell Rep 2019; 23:1301-1313. [PMID: 29719246 PMCID: PMC5965697 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.03.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 02/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute pain evokes protective neural and behavioral responses. Chronic pain, however, disrupts normal nociceptive processing. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is known to exert top-down regulation of sensory inputs; unfortunately, how individual PFC neurons respond to an acute pain signal is not well characterized. We found that neurons in the prelimbic region of the PFC increased firing rates of the neurons after noxious stimulations in free-moving rats. Chronic pain, however, suppressed both basal spontaneous and pain-evoked firing rates. Furthermore, we identified a linear correlation between basal and evoked firing rates of PFC neurons, whereby a decrease in basal firing leads to a nearly 2-fold reduction in pain-evoked response in chronic pain states. In contrast, enhancing basal PFC activity with low-frequency optogenetic stimulation scaled up prefrontal outputs to inhibit pain. These results demonstrate a cortical gain control system for nociceptive regulation and establish scaling up prefrontal outputs as an effective neuromodulation strategy to inhibit pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jahrane Dale
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Haocheng Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erik Martinez
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sile Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Kevin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Louise Urien
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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35
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Modulation of the Negative Affective Dimension of Pain: Focus on Selected Neuropeptidergic System Contributions. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20164010. [PMID: 31426473 PMCID: PMC6720937 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20164010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that emotions can interfere with the perception of physical pain, as well as with the development and maintenance of painful conditions. On the other hand, somatic pain can have significant consequences on an individual’s affective behavior. Indeed, pain is defined as a complex and multidimensional experience, which includes both sensory and emotional components, thus exhibiting the features of a highly subjective experience. Over the years, neural pathways involved in the modulation of the different components of pain have been identified, indicating the existence of medial and lateral pain systems, which, respectively, project from medial or lateral thalamic nuclei to reach distinct cortex regions relating to specific functions. However, owing to the limited information concerning how mood state and painful input affect each other, pain treatment is frequently unsatisfactory. Different neuromodulators, including endogenous neuropeptides, appear to be involved in pain-related emotion and in its affective influence on pain perception, thus playing key roles in vulnerability and clinical outcome. Hence, this review article focuses on evidence concerning the modulation of the sensory and affective dimensions of pain, with particular attention given to some selected neuropeptidergic system contributions.
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36
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Bidirectional optogenetic modulation of prefrontal-hippocampal connectivity in pain-related working memory deficits. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10980. [PMID: 31358862 PMCID: PMC6662802 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47555-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysfunction of the prefrontal-hippocampal circuit has been identified as a leading cause to pain-related working-memory (WM) deficits. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly determined. To address this issue, we implanted multichannel arrays of electrodes in the prelimbic cortex (PL-mPFC), and in the dorsal hippocampal CA1 field (dCA1) to record the neural activity during the performance of a delayed non-match to sample (DNMS) task. The prefrontal-hippocampal connectivity was selectively modulated by bidirectional optogenetic inhibition or stimulation of local PL-mPFC glutamatergic calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II alpha (CaMKIIα) expressing neurons during the DNMS task delay-period. The within-subject behavioral performance was assessed using a persistent neuropathic pain model – spared nerve injury (SNI). Our results showed that the induction of the neuropathic pain condition affects the interplay between PL-mPFC and dCA1 regions in a frequency-dependent manner, and that occurs particularly across theta oscillations while rats performed the task. In SNI-treated rats, this disruption was reversed by the selective optogenetic inhibition of PL-mPFC CaMKIIα-expressing neurons during the last portion of the delay-period, but without any significant effect on pain responses. Finally, we found that prefrontal-hippocampal theta connectivity is strictly associated with higher performance levels. Together, our findings suggest that PL-mPFC CaMKIIα-expressing neurons could be modulated by painful conditions and their activity may be critical for prefrontal-hippocampal connectivity during WM processing.
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37
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Schneider ML, Moore CF, Ahlers EO, Barnhart TE, Christian BT, DeJesus OT, Engle JW, Holden JE, Larson JA, Moirano JM, Murali D, Nickles RJ, Resch LM, Converse AK. PET Measures of D1, D2, and DAT Binding Are Associated With Heightened Tactile Responsivity in Rhesus Macaques: Implications for Sensory Processing Disorder. Front Integr Neurosci 2019; 13:29. [PMID: 31379528 PMCID: PMC6652150 DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2019.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Sensory processing disorder (SPD), a developmental regulatory condition characterized by marked under- or over-responsivity to non-noxious sensory stimulation, is a common but poorly understood disorder that can profoundly affect mood, cognition, social behavior and adaptive life skills. Little is known about the etiology and neural underpinnings. Clinical research indicates that children with SPD show greater prevalence of difficulties in complex cognitive behavior including working memory, behavioral flexibility, and regulation of sensory and affective functions, which are related to prefrontal cortex (PFC), striatal, and midbrain regions. Neuroimaging may provide insight into mechanisms underlying SPD, and animal experiments provide important evidence that is not available in human studies. Rhesus monkeys (N = 73) were followed over a 20-year period from birth into old age. We focused on a single sensory modality, the tactile system, measured at 5-7 years, because of its critical importance for nourishment, attachment, and social reward in development. Positron emission tomography imaging was conducted at ages 12-18 years to quantify the availability of the D1 and D2 subtypes of the DA receptor (D1R and D2R), and the DA transporter (DAT). Heightened tactile responsivity was related to (a) elevated D1R in PFC overall, including lateral, ventrolateral, medial, anterior cingulate (aCg), frontopolar, and orbitofrontal (OFC) subregions, as well as nucleus accumbens (Acb), (b) reduced D2R in aCg, OFC, and substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area, and (c) elevated DAT in putamen. These findings suggest a mechanism by which DA pathways may be altered in SPD. These pathways are associated with reward processing and pain regulation, providing top-down regulation of sensory and affective processes. The balance between top-down cognitive control in the PFC-Acb pathway and bottom-up motivational function of the VTA-Acb-PFC pathway is critical for successful adaptive function. An imbalance in these two systems might explain DA-related symptoms in children with SPD, including reduced top-down regulatory function and exaggerated responsivity to stimuli. These results provide more direct evidence that SPD may involve altered DA receptor and transporter function in PFC, striatal, and midbrain regions. More work is needed to extend these results to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary L Schneider
- Occupational Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Colleen F Moore
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Psychology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, United States
| | - Elizabeth O Ahlers
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Todd E Barnhart
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Bradley T Christian
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Onofre T DeJesus
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jonathan W Engle
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - James E Holden
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Julie A Larson
- Occupational Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Moirano
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Dhanabalan Murali
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Robert J Nickles
- Department of Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Leslie M Resch
- Occupational Therapy Program, Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Harlow Center for Biological Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
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38
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Mitrić M, Seewald A, Moschetti G, Sacerdote P, Ferraguti F, Kummer KK, Kress M. Layer- and subregion-specific electrophysiological and morphological changes of the medial prefrontal cortex in a mouse model of neuropathic pain. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9479. [PMID: 31263213 PMCID: PMC6603192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45677-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic neuropathic pain constitutes a serious public health problem, but the disease mechanisms are only partially understood. The involvement of different brain regions like the medial prefrontal cortex has already been established, but the comparison of the role of different subregions and layers is still inconclusive. In the current study, we performed patch-clamp recordings followed by anatomical reconstruction of pyramidal cells from different layers of the prelimbic and infralimbic subregions of the medial prefrontal cortex in neuropathic (spared nerve injury, SNI) and control mice. We found that in the prelimbic cortex, layer 2/3 pyramidal cells from SNI mice exhibited increased excitability compared to sham controls, whereas prelimbic layer 5 pyramidal neurons showed reduced excitability. Pyramidal cells in both layer 2/3 and layer 5 of the infralimbic subregion did not change their excitability, but layer 2/3 pyramidal cells displayed increased dendritic length and branching. Our findings support the view that chronic pain is associated with subregion- and layer-specific changes in the medial prefrontal cortex. They therefore provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the chronification of pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miodrag Mitrić
- Division of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Anna Seewald
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Giorgia Moschetti
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Sacerdote
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferraguti
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Kai K Kummer
- Division of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Michaela Kress
- Division of Physiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Dopamine receptor D2, but not D1, mediates descending dopaminergic pathway-produced analgesic effect in a trigeminal neuropathic pain mouse model. Pain 2019; 160:334-344. [PMID: 30325872 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain represents a challenge to clinicians because it is resistant to commonly prescribed analgesics due to its largely unknown mechanisms. Here, we investigated a descending dopaminergic pathway-mediated modulation of trigeminal neuropathic pain. We performed chronic constriction injury of the infraorbital nerve from the maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve to induce trigeminal neuropathic pain in mice. Our retrograde tracing showed that the descending dopaminergic projection from hypothalamic A11 nucleus to spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis is bilateral. Optogenetic/chemogenetic manipulation of dopamine receptors D1 and D2 in the spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis produced opposite effects on the nerve injury-induced trigeminal neuropathic pain. Specific excitation of dopaminergic neurons in the A11 nucleus attenuated the trigeminal neuropathic pain through the activation of D2 receptors in the spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis. Conversely, specific ablation of the A11 dopaminergic neurons exacerbated such pain. Our results suggest that the descending A11-spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis dopaminergic projection is critical for the modulation of trigeminal neuropathic pain and could be manipulated to treat such pain.
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40
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Martinez E, Zhou H, Wang J. Intracranial Pharmacotherapy and Pain Assays in Rodents. J Vis Exp 2019. [PMID: 31033946 DOI: 10.3791/58473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Pain is a salient sensory experience with affective and cognitive dimensions. However, central mechanisms for pain remain poorly understood, hindering the development of effective therapeutics. Intracranial pharmacology presents an important tool for understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms of pain in the brain, as well as for novel treatments. Here we present a protocol that integrates intracranial pharmacology with pain behavior testing. Specifically, we show how to infuse analgesic drugs into a select brain region, which may be responsible for pain modulation. Furthermore, to determine the effect of the candidate drug in the central nerve system, pain assays are performed after intracranial treatment. Our results demonstrate that intracranial administration of analgesic drugs in a targeted region can provide relief of pain in rodents. Thus, our protocol successfully demonstrates that intracranial pharmacology, combined with pain behavior testing, can be a powerful tool for the study of pain mechanisms in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Martinez
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
| | - Haocheng Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine; Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine;
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41
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Robakiewicz I, Polak M, Rawska M, Alberski D, Polowy R, Wytrychiewicz K, Syperek M, Matysiak J, Filipkowski RK. Stimulus-seeking in rats is accompanied by increased c-Fos expression in hippocampal CA1 as well as short 22 kHz and flat 50 kHz calls. Acta Neurobiol Exp (Wars) 2019. [DOI: 10.21307/ane-2019-029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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42
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Zhou H, Zhang Q, Martinez E, Dale J, Robinson E, Huang D, Wang J. A novel neuromodulation strategy to enhance the prefrontal control to treat pain. Mol Pain 2019; 15:1744806919845739. [PMID: 31012383 PMCID: PMC6495436 DOI: 10.1177/1744806919845739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective pharmacological treatment options for chronic pain remain very limited, and continued reliance on opioid analgesics has contributed to an epidemic in the United States. On the other hand, nonpharmacologic neuromodulatory interventions provide a promising avenue for relief of chronic pain without the complications of dependence and addiction. An especially attractive neuromodulation strategy is to optimize endogenous pain regulatory circuits. The prefrontal cortex is known to provide top-down control of pain, and hence neuromodulation methods that selectively enhance the activities in this brain region during pain episodes have the potential to provide analgesia. In this study, we designed a low-frequency (2 Hz) electrical stimulation protocol to provide temporally and spatially specific enhancement of the prefrontal control of pain in rats. We showed that low-frequency electrical stimulation of the prelimbic region of the prefrontal cortex relieved both sensory and affective responses to acute pain in naive rats. Furthermore, we found that low-frequency electrical stimulation of the prefrontal cortex also attenuated mechanical allodynia in a rat model of chronic pain. Together, our findings demonstrated that low-frequency electrical stimulation of the prefrontal cortex represents a promising new method of neuromodulation to inhibit pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haocheng Zhou
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Erik Martinez
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jahrane Dale
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eric Robinson
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dong Huang
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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43
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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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44
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Reddan MC, Wager TD. Brain systems at the intersection of chronic pain and self-regulation. Neurosci Lett 2018; 702:24-33. [PMID: 30503923 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.11.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Chronic pain is a multidimensional experience with cognitive, affective, and somatosensory components that can be modified by expectations and learning. Individual differences in cognitive and affective processing, as well as contextual aspects of the pain experience, render chronic pain an inherently personal experience. Such individual differences are supported by the heterogeneity of brain representations within and across chronic pain pathologies. In this review, we discuss the complexity of brain representations of pain, and, with respect to this complexity, identify common elements of network-level disruptions in chronic pain. Specifically, we identify prefrontal-limbic circuitry and the default mode network as key elements of functional disruption. We then discuss how these disrupted circuits can be targeted through self-regulation and related cognitive strategies to alleviate chronic pain. We conclude with a proposal for how to develop personalized multivariate models of pain representation in the brain and target them with real-time neurofeedback, so that patients can explore and practice self-regulatory techniques with maximal efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tor D Wager
- University of Colorado, Boulder, United States.
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45
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Pollema-Mays SL, Centeno MV, Chang Z, Apkarian AV, Martina M. Reduced ΔFosB expression in the rat nucleus accumbens has causal role in the neuropathic pain phenotype. Neurosci Lett 2018; 702:77-83. [PMID: 30503921 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.11.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The neuropathic pain phenotype is the consequence of functional and morphological reorganization of the PNS and CNS. This reorganization includes DRGs and the spinal cord, and extends to multiple supraspinal areas including the limbic and reward systems. Several recent papers show that acute manipulation of cortical and subcortical brain areas causally correlates with the cognitive, emotional and sensory components of neuropathic pain, yet mechanisms responsible for pain chronification remain largely unknown. Here we show that nucleus accumbens expression of ΔFos-B, a transcription factor that plays a critical role in addiction and in the brain response to stress, is reduced long term following peripheral neuropathic injury. Conversely, boosting ΔFos-B expression in the nucleus accumbens by viral transfection causes a significant and long-lasting improvement of the neuropathic allodynia. We suggest that ΔFos-B in the nucleus accumbens is a key modulator of long term gene expression leading to pain chronification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Pollema-Mays
- Dept. of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Maria Virginia Centeno
- Dept. of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Zheng Chang
- Dept. of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - A Vania Apkarian
- Dept. of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, United States
| | - Marco Martina
- Dept. of Physiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60611, United States.
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46
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Kiritoshi T, Neugebauer V. Pathway-Specific Alterations of Cortico-Amygdala Transmission in an Arthritis Pain Model. ACS Chem Neurosci 2018; 9:2252-2261. [PMID: 29630339 PMCID: PMC6146017 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and amygdala are closely interconnected brain areas that play a key role in cognitive-affective aspects of pain through their reciprocal interactions. Clinical and preclinical evidence suggests that dysfunctions in the mPFC-amygdala circuitry underlie pain-related cognitive-affective deficits. However, synaptic mechanisms of pain-related changes in these long-range pathways are largely unknown. Here we used optogenetics and brain slice physiology to analyze synaptic transmission in different types of amygdala neurons driven by inputs from infralimbic (IL) and prelimbic (PL) subdivisions of the mPFC. We found that IL inputs evoked stronger synaptic inhibition of neurons in the latero-capsular division of the central nucleus (CeLC) of the amygdala than PL inputs, and this inhibition was impaired in an arthritis pain model. Furthermore, inhibition-excitation ratio in basolateral amygdala neurons was increased in the pain model in the IL pathway but not in the PL pathway. These results suggest that IL rather than PL controls CeLC activity, and that changes in this acute pain model occur predominantly in the IL-amygdala pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Volker Neugebauer
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience
- Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC), School of Medicine 3601 4th Street, Lubbock, TX 79430-6592
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47
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Zhou H, Zhang Q, Martinez E, Dale J, Hu S, Zhang E, Liu K, Huang D, Yang G, Chen Z, Wang J. Ketamine reduces aversion in rodent pain models by suppressing hyperactivity of the anterior cingulate cortex. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3751. [PMID: 30218052 PMCID: PMC6138720 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06295-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is known to induce an amplified aversive reaction to peripheral nociceptive inputs. This enhanced affective response constitutes a key pathologic feature of chronic pain syndromes such as fibromyalgia. However, the neural mechanisms that underlie this important aspect of pain processing remain poorly understood, hindering the development of treatments. Here, we show that a single dose of ketamine can produce a persistent reduction in the aversive response to noxious stimuli in rodent chronic pain models, long after the termination of its anti-nociceptive effects. Furthermore, we demonstrated that this anti-aversive property is mediated by prolonged suppression of the hyperactivity of neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain region well known to regulate pain affect. Therefore, our results indicate that it is feasible to dissociate the affective from the sensory component of pain, and demonstrate the potential for low-dose ketamine to be an important therapy for chronic pain syndromes. Ketamine is a short-acting analgesic that also has anti-depressant effects. Here the authors show in rat models of chronic pain that low-dose ketamine can induce an anti-aversive state that persists after the initial short term analgesia has ended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haocheng Zhou
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Qiaosheng Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Erik Martinez
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Jahrane Dale
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Sile Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Eric Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Kevin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Dong Huang
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China
| | - Guang Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA. .,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, NY, USA.
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48
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Zeng Y, Hu D, Yang W, Hayashinaka E, Wada Y, Watanabe Y, Zeng Q, Cui Y. A voxel-based analysis of neurobiological mechanisms in placebo analgesia in rats. Neuroimage 2018; 178:602-612. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.06.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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49
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Zhou H, Martinez E, Lin HH, Yang R, Dale JA, Liu K, Huang D, Wang J. Inhibition of the Prefrontal Projection to the Nucleus Accumbens Enhances Pain Sensitivity and Affect. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:240. [PMID: 30150924 PMCID: PMC6099095 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortical mechanisms that regulate acute or chronic pain remain poorly understood. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) exerts crucial control of sensory and affective behaviors. Recent studies show that activation of the projections from the PFC to the nucleus accumbens (NAc), an important pathway in the brain's reward circuitry, can produce inhibition of both sensory and affective components of pain. However, it is unclear whether this circuit is endogenously engaged in pain regulation. To answer this question, we disrupted this circuit using an optogenetic strategy. We expressed halorhodopsin in pyramidal neurons from the PFC, and then selectively inhibited the axonal projection from these neurons to neurons in the NAc core. Our results reveal that inhibition of the PFC or its projection to the NAc, heightens both sensory and affective symptoms of acute pain in naïve rats. Inhibition of this corticostriatal pathway also increased nociceptive sensitivity and the aversive response in a chronic neuropathic pain model. Finally, corticostriatal inhibition resulted in a similar aversive phenotype as chronic pain. These results strongly suggest that the projection from the PFC to the NAc plays an important role in endogenous pain regulation, and its impairment contributes to the pathology of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haocheng Zhou
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, Langone Medical Center, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Erik Martinez
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, Langone Medical Center, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Harvey H Lin
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, Langone Medical Center, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Runtao Yang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, Langone Medical Center, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jahrane Antonio Dale
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, Langone Medical Center, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kevin Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, Langone Medical Center, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Dong Huang
- Department of Pain, The Third Xiangya Hospital and Institute of Pain Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care and Pain Medicine, Langone Medical Center, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States.,Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, United States
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50
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Ong WY, Stohler CS, Herr DR. Role of the Prefrontal Cortex in Pain Processing. Mol Neurobiol 2018; 56:1137-1166. [PMID: 29876878 PMCID: PMC6400876 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1130-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 347] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is not only important in executive functions, but also pain processing. The latter is dependent on its connections to other areas of the cerebral neocortex, hippocampus, periaqueductal gray (PAG), thalamus, amygdala, and basal nuclei. Changes in neurotransmitters, gene expression, glial cells, and neuroinflammation occur in the PFC during acute and chronic pain, that result in alterations to its structure, activity, and connectivity. The medial PFC (mPFC) could serve dual, opposing roles in pain: (1) it mediates antinociceptive effects, due to its connections with other cortical areas, and as the main source of cortical afferents to the PAG for modulation of pain. This is a ‘loop’ where, on one side, a sensory stimulus is transformed into a perceptual signal through high brain processing activity, and perceptual activity is then utilized to control the flow of afferent sensory stimuli at their entrance (dorsal horn) to the CNS. (2) It could induce pain chronification via its corticostriatal projection, possibly depending on the level of dopamine receptor activation (or lack of) in the ventral tegmental area-nucleus accumbens reward pathway. The PFC is involved in biopsychosocial pain management. This includes repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, transcranial direct current stimulation, antidepressants, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, music, exercise, partner support, empathy, meditation, and prayer. Studies demonstrate the role of the PFC during placebo analgesia, and in establishing links between pain and depression, anxiety, and loss of cognition. In particular, losses in PFC grey matter are often reversible after successful treatment of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Yi Ong
- Department of Anatomy, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119260, Singapore.
- Neurobiology and Ageing Research Programme, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119260, Singapore.
| | | | - Deron R Herr
- Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119260, Singapore.
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