4.7 Article

Stimulating GABAergic Neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens Core Alters the Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain Responses in a Rat Model of Infraorbital Nerve Injury

Journal

Publisher

MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168421

Keywords

microdialysis; nucleus accumbens core; optogenetics; trigeminal neuralgia; VPM thalamus

Funding

  1. National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) [2020R1F1A1052716]
  2. Brain Korea 21 FOUR of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) - Ministry of Education [5199990614277]
  3. Regional Innovation Strategy through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) - Ministry of Education (MOE) [RIS 2020RIS0188, 2021RIS0096]
  4. National Research Foundation of Korea [2020R1F1A1052716, 5199990614277] Funding Source: Korea Institute of Science & Technology Information (KISTI), National Science & Technology Information Service (NTIS)

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The study found that optogenetic stimulation of NAcc GABAergic neurons in TN animal model could reduce neuronal activity and significantly improve behavioral responses. Microdialysis analysis also revealed significant alterations in neurotransmitter levels in NAcc upon optic stimulation.
The nucleus accumbens core (NAcc) is an important component of brain reward circuitry, but studies have revealed its involvement in pain circuitry also. However, its effect on trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and the mechanism underlying it are yet to be fully understood. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the outcomes of optogenetic stimulation of NAcc GABAergic neurons in an animal model of TN. Animals were allocated into TN, sham, and control groups. TN was generated by infraorbital nerve constriction and the optogenetic virus was injected into the NAcc. In vivo extracellular recordings were acquired from the ventral posteromedial nucleus of the thalamus. Alterations of behavioral responses during stimulation ON and OFF conditions were evaluated. In vivo microdialysis was performed in the NAcc of TN and sham animals. During optogenetic stimulation, electrophysiological recordings revealed a reduction of both tonic and burst firing activity in TN animals, and significantly improved behavioral responses were observed as well. Microdialysis coupled with liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed significant alterations in extracellular concentration levels of GABA, glutamate, acetylcholine, dopamine, and citrulline in NAcc upon optic stimulation. In fine, our results suggested that NAcc stimulation could modulate the transmission of trigeminal pain signals in the TN animal model.

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