Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
First College of Clinical Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
Aging (Albany NY). 2023 Aug 25;15(16):8458-8470. doi: 10.18632/aging.204984.
Cognitive impairment, one of the most prevalent complications of trigeminal neuralgia, is troubling for patients and clinicians due to limited therapeutic options. Curcumin shows antinociception and neuroprotection pharmacologically, suggesting that it may have therapeutic effect on this complication. This study aimed to investigate whether curcumin alleviates orofacial allodynia and improves cognitive impairment by regulating hippocampal CA1 region synaptic plasticity in trigeminal neuralgia.
A mouse model of trigeminal neuralgia was established by partially transecting the infraorbital nerve (pT-ION). Curcumin was administered by gavage twice daily for 14 days. Nociceptive thresholds were measured using the von Frey and acetone test, and the cognitive functions were evaluated using the Morris water maze test. Dendritic spines and synaptic ultrastructures in the hippocampal CA1 area were observed by Golgi staining and transmission electron microscopy.
Curcumin intervention increased the mechanical and cold pain thresholds of models. It decreased the escape latency and distance to the platform and increased the number of platform crossings and dwell time in the target quadrant of models, and improved spatial learning and memory deficits. Furthermore, it partially restored the disorder of the density and proportion of dendritic spines and the abnormal density and structure of synapses in the hippocampal CA1 region of models.
Curcumin alleviates abnormal orofacial pain and cognitive impairment in pT-ION mice by a mechanism that may be related to the synaptic plasticity of hippocampal CA1, suggesting that curcumin is a potential strategy for repairing cognitive dysfunction under long-term neuropathic pain conditions.
三叉神经痛最常见的并发症之一是认知障碍，由于治疗选择有限，给患者和临床医生带来了困扰。姜黄素在药理学上具有镇痛和神经保护作用，这表明它可能对这种并发症具有治疗作用。本研究旨在探讨姜黄素是否通过调节三叉神经痛中海马 CA1 区突触可塑性来缓解或减轻面部感觉异常和认知障碍。
通过眶下神经部分横断（pT-ION）建立三叉神经痛小鼠模型。姜黄素通过灌胃每天两次给药 14 天。使用 von Frey 和丙酮试验测量痛觉阈值，使用 Morris 水迷宫试验评估认知功能。通过 Golgi 染色和透射电子显微镜观察海马 CA1 区的树突棘和突触超微结构。
姜黄素干预增加了模型的机械和冷痛阈值。它缩短了模型的逃避潜伏期和到达平台的距离，增加了模型在目标象限的平台穿越次数和停留时间，并改善了空间学习和记忆缺陷。此外，它部分恢复了模型中海马 CA1 区树突棘密度和比例以及突触异常密度和结构的紊乱。
姜黄素通过可能与海马 CA1 区突触可塑性相关的机制缓解 pT-ION 小鼠异常的面部疼痛和认知障碍，表明姜黄素是修复长期神经病理性疼痛状态下认知功能障碍的潜在策略。
