Journal article
Novel inhibitory brainstem neurons with selective projections to spinal lamina I reduce both pain and itch
Journal of comparative neurology (1911), Vol.529(8), pp.2125-2137
06/2021
DOI: 10.1002/cne.25076
PMCID: PMC8009815
PMID: 33247430
Abstract
Sensory information is transmitted from peripheral nerves, through the spinal cord, and up to the brain (“bottom up” pathway). Some of this information may be modulated by “top‐down” projections from the brain to the spinal cord. Discovering endogenous mechanisms for reducing pain and itch holds enormous potential for developing new treatments. However, neurons mediating the top‐down inhibition of pain are not well understood, nor has any such pathway been identified for itch sensation. Here, we identify a novel population of GABAergic neurons in the ventral brainstem, distinguished by prodynorphin expression, which we named LJA5. LJA5 neurons provide the only known inhibitory projection specifically to lamina I of the spinal cord, which contains sensory neurons that transmit pain and itch information up to the brain. Chemogenetically activating LJA5 neurons in male mice reduces capsaicin‐induced pain and histamine‐induced itch. Identifying this new pathway opens new treatment opportunities for chronic, refractory pain, and pruritis.
We identified a novel population of inhibitory prodynorphin neurons in the brainstem which we named LJA5. LJA5 neurons selectively target lamina I of the spinal cord, and other sensory nuclei including the lateral parabrachial and periaqueductal gray. Activation of LJA5 neurons reduces pain and itch.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Novel inhibitory brainstem neurons with selective projections to spinal lamina I reduce both pain and itch
- Creators
- Lindsay J Agostinelli - Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, The University of IowaAlexander G Bassuk - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of comparative neurology (1911), Vol.529(8), pp.2125-2137
- DOI
- 10.1002/cne.25076
- PMID
- 33247430
- PMCID
- PMC8009815
- NLM abbreviation
- J Comp Neurol
- ISSN
- 0021-9967
- eISSN
- 1096-9861
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hoboken, USA
- Number of pages
- 13
- Grant note
- National Institutes of Health (NIH 5R01NS098590)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/2021
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Neurology (Pediatrics)
- Record Identifier
- 9984070000802771
Metrics
28 Record Views