Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
eNeuro. 2024 Aug 28;11(8). doi: 10.1523/ENEURO.0454-23.2024. Print 2024 Aug.
Comorbid chronic neuropathic pain and anxiety is a common disease that represents a major clinical challenge. The underlying mechanisms of chronic neuropathic pain and anxiety are not entirely understood, which limits the exploration of effective treatment methods. Glutamatergic neurons in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) have been implicated in regulating pain, but the potential roles of the vlPAG in neuropathic pain-induced anxiety have not been investigated. Herein, whole-cell recording and immunofluorescence showed that the excitability of CamkIIα neurons in the vlPAG (vlPAG neurons) was decreased in mice with spared nerve injury (SNI), while electroacupuncture (EA) activated these neurons. We also showed that chemogenetic inhibition of vlPAG neurons resulted in allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors in naive mice. Furthermore, chemogenetic activation of vlPAG neurons reduced anxiety-like behaviors and allodynia in mice with SNI, and EA had a similar effect in alleviating these symptoms. Nevertheless, EA combined with chemogenetic activation failed to further relieve allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors. Artificial inhibition of vlPAG neurons abolished the analgesic and anxiolytic effects of EA. Overall, our study reveals a novel mechanism of neuropathic pain-induced anxiety and shows that EA may relieve comorbid chronic neuropathic pain and anxiety by activating vlPAG neurons.
合并存在的慢性神经性疼痛和焦虑是一种常见疾病,代表着重大的临床挑战。慢性神经性疼痛和焦虑的潜在机制尚未完全阐明,这限制了对有效治疗方法的探索。腹外侧导水管周围灰质(vlPAG)中的谷氨酸能神经元被认为参与调节疼痛,但 vlPAG 在神经性疼痛引起的焦虑中的潜在作用尚未得到研究。在此,全细胞记录和免疫荧光显示,在 spared nerve injury(SNI)的小鼠中,腹外侧导水管周围灰质(vlPAG)中的 CamkIIα 神经元兴奋性降低,而电针(EA)激活了这些神经元。我们还表明,化学遗传抑制 vlPAG 神经元会导致未受伤神经的小鼠出现痛觉过敏和焦虑样行为。此外,化学遗传激活 vlPAG 神经元可减轻 SNI 小鼠的焦虑样行为和痛觉过敏,而 EA 也具有类似的缓解作用。然而,EA 结合化学遗传激活并不能进一步缓解痛觉过敏和焦虑样行为。人工抑制 vlPAG 神经元会消除 EA 的镇痛和抗焦虑作用。总体而言,我们的研究揭示了神经性疼痛引起焦虑的新机制,并表明 EA 可能通过激活 vlPAG 神经元来缓解合并存在的慢性神经性疼痛和焦虑。
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