Wang Guo-Qiang, Cen Cheng, Li Chong, Cao Shuai, Wang Ning, Zhou Zheng, Liu Xue-Mei, Xu Yu, Tian Na-Xi, Zhang Ying, Wang Jun, Wang Li-Ping, Wang Yun
Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory for Neuroscience of Ministry of Education and Neuroscience, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China.
Shenzhen Key Lab of Neuropsychiatric Modulation, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
Nat Commun. 2015 Jul 16;6:7660. doi: 10.1038/ncomms8660.
The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) is implicated in processing sensory-discriminative and affective pain. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we demonstrate a role for excitatory neurons in the prelimbic cortex (PL), a sub-region of mPFC, in the regulation of pain sensation and anxiety-like behaviours. Using a chronic inflammatory pain model, we show that lesion of the PL contralateral but not ipsilateral to the inflamed paw attenuates hyperalgesia and anxiety-like behaviours in rats. Optogenetic activation of contralateral PL excitatory neurons exerts analgesic and anxiolytic effects in mice subjected to chronic pain, whereas inhibition is anxiogenic in naive mice. The intrinsic excitability of contralateral PL excitatory neurons is decreased in chronic pain rats; knocking down cyclin-dependent kinase 5 reverses this deactivation and alleviates behavioural impairments. Together, our findings provide novel insights into the role of PL excitatory neurons in the regulation of sensory and affective pain.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2014-7
BMC Neurosci. 2025-8-26
Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2025-6-20
Int J Mol Sci. 2025-4-9
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025-1-21
J Neurosci. 2015-4-1
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2013-12-27
Neuropharmacology. 2013-5-3