Department of Neurobiology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
Mol Psychiatry. 2011 Mar;16(3):342-52. doi: 10.1038/mp.2010.116. Epub 2010 Nov 16.
The ability to respond to a wide range of novel touch sensations and to habituate upon repeated exposures is fundamental for effective sensation. In this study we identified adult spinal cord neurogenesis as a potential novel player in the mechanism of tactile sensation. We demonstrate that a single exposure to a novel mechanosensory stimulus induced immediate proliferation of progenitor cells in the spinal dorsal horn, whereas repeated exposures to the same stimulus induced neuronal differentiation and survival. Most of the newly formed neurons differentiated toward a GABAergic fate. This touch-induced neurogenesis reflected the novelty of the stimuli, its diversity, as well as stimulus duration. Introducing adult neurogenesis as a potential mechanism of response to a novel stimulus and for habituation to repeated sensory exposures opens up potential new directions in treating hypersensitivity, pain and other mechanosensory disorders.
对广泛的新型触摸感觉做出反应并在重复暴露后习惯的能力是有效感觉的基础。在这项研究中，我们确定成年脊髓神经发生是触觉机制中的一个潜在新的参与者。我们证明，单次接触新型机械感觉刺激会立即诱导脊髓背角祖细胞的增殖，而重复接触相同的刺激会诱导神经元分化和存活。新形成的神经元大多数向 GABA 能命运分化。这种触摸诱导的神经发生反映了刺激的新颖性、多样性以及刺激持续时间。将成年神经发生引入作为对新型刺激的反应的潜在机制，以及对重复感觉暴露的习惯化，为治疗过度敏感、疼痛和其他机械感觉障碍开辟了新的潜在方向。
