國內團隊Nature子刊：破解持續疼痛時食欲不振的神經環路 | 熱心腸日報

持續疼痛抑制進食的神經環路

In humans, persistent pain often leads to decreased appetite. However, the neural circuits underlying this behaviour remain unclear. Here, we show that a circuit arising from glutamatergic neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (GluACC) projects to glutamatergic neurons in the lateral hypothalamic area (GluLHA) to blunt food intake in a mouse model of persistent pain. In turn, these GluLHA neurons project to pro-opiomelanocortin neurons in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (POMCArc), a well-known neuronal population involved in decreasing food intake. In vivo calcium imaging and multi-tetrode electrophysiological recordings reveal that the GluACC → GluLHA → Arc circuit is activated in mouse models of persistent pain and is accompanied by decreased feeding behaviour in both males and females. Inhibition of this circuit using chemogenetics can alleviate the feeding suppression symptoms. Our study indicates that the GluACC → GluLHA → Arc circuit is involved in driving the suppression of feeding under persistent pain through POMC neuronal activity. This previously unrecognized pathway could be explored as a potential target for pain-associated diseases.

First Authors:
Hao-Di Tang,Wan-Ying Dong,Rui Hu

Correspondence Authors:
Ji Liu,Jun-Ma Yu,Xia Zhu,Zhi Zhang

All Authors:
Hao-Di Tang,Wan-Ying Dong,Rui Hu,Ji-Ye Huang,Zhao-Huan Huang,Wei Xiong,Tian Xue,Ji Liu,Jun-Ma Yu,Xia Zhu,Zhi Zhang