Pain-related neuronal ensembles in the primary somatosensory cortex contribute to hyperalgesia and anxiety
Tatsuya Ishikawa,
Koshi Murata,
Hiroaki Okuda,
Ilia Potapenko,
Kiyomi Hori,
Takafumi Furuyama,
Ryo Yamamoto,
Munenori Ono,
Nobuo Kato,
Yugo Fukazawa,
Noriyuki Ozaki
Affiliations
Tatsuya Ishikawa
Department of Functional Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; Corresponding author
Koshi Murata
Department of Brain Structure and Function, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Yoshida-gun, Fukui 910-1193, Japan; Life Science Innovation Center, Faculty of Medical Science, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
Hiroaki Okuda
Department of Functional Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
Ilia Potapenko
Department of Functional Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
Kiyomi Hori
Department of Functional Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan
Takafumi Furuyama
Department of Physiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan
Ryo Yamamoto
Department of Physiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan
Munenori Ono
Department of Physiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan
Nobuo Kato
Department of Physiology, Kanazawa Medical University, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan
Yugo Fukazawa
Department of Brain Structure and Function, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Yoshida-gun, Fukui 910-1193, Japan; Life Science Innovation Center, Faculty of Medical Science, University of Fukui, Fukui 910-1193, Japan
Noriyuki Ozaki
Department of Functional Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan; Corresponding author
Summary: The mechanism by which acute pain or itch information at the periphery is processed in the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) remains unclear. To elucidate this, we used a viral-mediated targeted-recombination-in-active population system to target S1 neuronal ensembles that are active during pain or itch sensations. We induced the expression of excitatory or inhibitory designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs in pain- or itch-related S1 neurons. We identified neuronal populations in mice that regulate the sensory components of pain and itch in the S1 hind paw region. Notably, the neuronal circuit between pain-related S1 neurons and the parafascicular nucleus contributed to hyperalgesia and anxiety-like behavior. We propose that S1 plays an essential role in sensory and affective responses to noxious stimuli, such as pain.
