Electroacupuncture inhibited carrageenan-induced pain aversion by activating GABAergic neurons in the ACC

Yichen Zhu; Haiju Sun; Siqi Xiao; Zui Shen; Xixiao Zhu; Yifang Wang; Xiaofen He; Boyi Liu; Yongliang Jiang; Yi Liang; Janqiao Fang; Xiaomei Shao

doi:10.1186/s13041-024-01144-z

Molecular Brain (Sep 2024)

Electroacupuncture inhibited carrageenan-induced pain aversion by activating GABAergic neurons in the ACC

Yichen Zhu,
Haiju Sun,
Siqi Xiao,
Zui Shen,
Xixiao Zhu,
Yifang Wang,
Xiaofen He,
Boyi Liu,
Yongliang Jiang,
Yi Liang,
Janqiao Fang,
Xiaomei Shao

Affiliations

Yichen Zhu: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Haiju Sun: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Siqi Xiao: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Zui Shen: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Xixiao Zhu: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Yifang Wang: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Xiaofen He: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Boyi Liu: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Yongliang Jiang: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Yi Liang: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Janqiao Fang: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Xiaomei Shao: Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, Department of Neurobiology and Acupuncture Research, The Third Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13041-024-01144-z
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 17, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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Abstract Pain aversion is an avoidance response to painful stimuli. Previous research has indicated that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is involved in pain aversion processing. However, as interneurons, the role of GABAergic neurons in the ACC (GABAACC neurons) in pain aversion is still unclear. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been shown to ameliorate pain aversion, but the mechanism is not clarified. The present study provided evidence that inhibition of GABAACC neurons contributed to pain aversion. EA alleviated pain aversion by activating GABAACC neurons in an intensity-dependent manner. Specifically, 0.3 mA EA stimulation showed better effects on pain aversion than 0.1 mA stimulation, which could be reversed by chemical genetic inhibition of GABAACC neurons. These results provide a novel mechanism by which EA alleviates pain aversion by reversing GABAACC neurons.

Published in Molecular Brain

ISSN: 1756-6606 (Online)
Publisher: BMC
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Neurosciences. Biological psychiatry. Neuropsychiatry: Neurology. Diseases of the nervous system
Website: https://molecularbrain.biomedcentral.com/

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