Electroacupuncture alleviates the relapse of behaviors associated with pain sensory memory and pain-related aversive memory by activating MORs and inhibiting GABAergic neurons in the insular cortex

IF 3.7 3区医学 Q2 NEUROSCIENCES

Brain Research Bulletin Pub Date : 2025-05-19 DOI:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2025.111394

Mengdi Xie , Yuxin Hu , Miaoling Ji , Zui Shen, Xiangnan Yao, Haiju Sun, Xixiao Zhu, Yiping Xie, Shuting Zhou, Chi Xu, Xiaofen He, Boyi Liu, Jianqiao Fang, Xiaomei Shao

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Pain memory, which includes sensory and emotional memory, is one of the main causes of pain complications and prolongation. Recent research has identified the insular cortex (IC) as a critical brain region involved in the integration of information pertaining to pain, emotion, reward, cognition and memory. GABAergic neuronal activity in the IC has been demonstrated to be strongly correlated with the manifestation of pain-related aversive behavior. Electroacupuncture (EA) relieves pain-related aversive memory by activating μ opioid receptors (MORs) in the IC. The results of this study demonstrate that activating MORs in the IC may inhibit GABAergic neuron activity and thus alleviate the relapse of behaviors associated with pain sensory memory and pain-related aversive memory. The relapse of such behaviors was found to be alleviated by EA in model mice; however, antagonism of MORs in the IC reversed the therapeutic effect of EA. In consideration of these findings, we suggest that EA may affect GABAergic neuron activity through activation of MORs in the IC thereby alleviating the relapse of behaviors associated with pain sensory memory and pain-related aversive memory. The study provides novel insights into the mechanisms by which EA chronic pain and behaviors associated with chronic pain-related aversive memory.

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电针通过激活MORs和抑制岛叶皮质gaba能神经元，减轻疼痛感觉记忆和疼痛相关厌恶记忆相关行为的复发。

疼痛记忆包括感觉记忆和情绪记忆，是引起疼痛并发症和疼痛延长的主要原因之一。最近的研究发现，岛叶皮层（IC）是一个关键的大脑区域，参与整合有关疼痛、情感、奖励、认知和记忆的信息。IC中的gaba能神经元活动已被证明与疼痛相关的厌恶行为的表现密切相关。电针通过激活IC内的μ阿片受体（μ opioid receptor, MORs）来缓解疼痛相关的厌恶记忆。本研究结果表明，激活IC内的μ阿片受体可能抑制gaba能神经元的活动，从而减轻疼痛感觉记忆和疼痛相关厌恶记忆相关行为的复发。EA可减轻模型小鼠上述行为的复发；然而，IC中MORs的拮抗作用逆转了EA的治疗效果。考虑到这些发现，我们认为EA可能通过激活IC中MORs来影响gaba能神经元的活性，从而减轻与疼痛感觉记忆和疼痛相关的厌恶记忆相关的行为的复发。该研究为EA慢性疼痛和行为与慢性疼痛相关的厌恶记忆的机制提供了新的见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Brain Research Bulletin 医学-神经科学

CiteScore

6.90

自引率

2.60%

发文量

253

审稿时长

67 days

期刊介绍： The Brain Research Bulletin (BRB) aims to publish novel work that advances our knowledge of molecular and cellular mechanisms that underlie neural network properties associated with behavior, cognition and other brain functions during neurodevelopment and in the adult. Although clinical research is out of the Journal''s scope, the BRB also aims to publish translation research that provides insight into biological mechanisms and processes associated with neurodegeneration mechanisms, neurological diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders. The Journal is especially interested in research using novel methodologies, such as optogenetics, multielectrode array recordings and life imaging in wild-type and genetically-modified animal models, with the goal to advance our understanding of how neurons, glia and networks function in vivo.