小柯机器人

西安交通大学Changhe Wang团队的研究发现，ACC-VTA-ACC正反馈环路介导神经性疼痛的持续性和情绪变化。相关论文发表在2024年1月3日出版的《自然—神经科学》杂志上。

研究人员确定了小鼠前扣带回皮层（ACC）和腹侧被盖区（VTA）之间的互惠神经元回路，该回路介导痛觉亢进和异动症之间的相互作用及其情绪变化，从而介导神经病理性疼痛慢性化。投射到VTA的ACC谷氨酸能神经元（ACC^Glu）通过激活局部GABA能中间神经元（VTA^GABA）间接抑制多巴胺能神经元（VTADA），这种效应在神经损伤后得到加强。

VTADA神经元反过来投射到ACC，并与最初的ACCGlu神经元发生相互作用，以传递情绪变化的反馈信息。因此，ACC^Glu-VTA^GABA-VTADA-ACC^Glu正反馈环路介导了持续性疼痛和焦虑抑郁样行为的发展和维持。在神经病理性疼痛小鼠模型中，中断这一反馈环路可以缓解急性和慢性痛觉亢进和焦虑抑郁样行为。

附：英文原文

Title: An ACC–VTA–ACC positive-feedback loop mediates the persistence of neuropathic pain and emotional consequences

Author: Song, Qian, Wei, Anqi, Xu, Huadong, Gu, Yuhao, Jiang, Yong, Dong, Nan, Zheng, Chaowen, Wang, Qinglong, Gao, Min, Sun, Suhua, Duan, Xueting, Chen, Yang, Wang, Bianbian, Huo, Jingxiao, Yao, Jingyu, Wu, Hao, Li, Hua, Wu, Xuanang, Jing, Zexin, Liu, Xiaoying, Yang, Yuxin, Hu, Shaoqin, Zhao, Anran, Wang, Hongyan, Cheng, Xu, Qin, Yuhao, Qu, Qiumin, Chen, Tao, Zhou, Zhuan, Chai, Zuying, Kang, Xinjiang, Wei, Feng, Wang, Changhe

Issue&Volume: 2024-01-03

Abstract: The central mechanisms underlying pain chronicity remain elusive. Here, we identify a reciprocal neuronal circuit in mice between the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) that mediates mutual exacerbation between hyperalgesia and allodynia and their emotional consequences and, thereby, the chronicity of neuropathic pain. ACC glutamatergic neurons (ACCGlu) projecting to the VTA indirectly inhibit dopaminergic neurons (VTADA) by activating local GABAergic interneurons (VTAGABA), and this effect is reinforced after nerve injury. VTADA neurons in turn project to the ACC and synapse to the initial ACCGlu neurons to convey feedback information from emotional changes. Thus, an ACCGlu–VTAGABA–VTADA–ACCGlu positive-feedback loop mediates the progression to and maintenance of persistent pain and comorbid anxiodepressive-like behavior. Disruption of this feedback loop relieves hyperalgesia and anxiodepressive-like behavior in a mouse model of neuropathic pain, both acutely and in the long term.

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01519-w

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01519-w

Nature Neuroscience：《自然—神经科学》，创刊于1998年。隶属于施普林格·自然出版集团，最新IF：28.771
官方网址：https://www.nature.com/neuro/
投稿链接：https://mts-nn.nature.com/cgi-bin/main.plex