Projections from anteromedial thalamus nucleus to the midcingulate cortex mediate pain and anxiety-like behaviors in mice

Jie Hong; Jia-Ni Li; Feng-Ling Wu; Shang-Yi Bao; Han-Xue Sun; Ke-Hua Zhu; Zhi-Ping Cai; Fei Li; Yun-Qing Li

doi:10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105640

Projections from anteromedial thalamus nucleus to the midcingulate cortex mediate pain and anxiety-like behaviors in mice

Neurochem Int. 2023 Dec:171:105640. doi: 10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105640. Epub 2023 Nov 10.

Authors

Jie Hong¹, Jia-Ni Li², Feng-Ling Wu³, Shang-Yi Bao², Han-Xue Sun⁴, Ke-Hua Zhu⁵, Zhi-Ping Cai⁶, Fei Li⁷, Yun-Qing Li⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Human Anatomy, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, 014040, China; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
² Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China.
³ Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China; Department of Human Anatomy, College of Preclinical Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
⁴ Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China; Department of Human Anatomy, The School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China.
⁵ Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China; Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710072, China.
⁶ Department of Human Anatomy, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, 014040, China.
⁷ Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China. Electronic address: lifeifmmu@163.com.
⁸ Department of Human Anatomy, Baotou Medical College, Baotou, 014040, China; Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and K. K. Leung Brain Research Centre, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032, China; Department of Anatomy, Basic Medical College, Dali University, Dali, 671000, China. Electronic address: deptanat@fmmu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37951541
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2023.105640

Abstract

Prior research has demonstrated the involvement of the midcingulate cortex (MCC) and its downstream pathway in pain regulation. However, the mechanism via which pain information is conveyed to the MCC remains unclear. The present study utilized immunohistochemistry, chemogenetics, optogenetics, and behavior detection methods to explore the involvement of MCC, anteromedial thalamus nucleus (AM), and AM-MCC pathway in pain and emotional regulation. Chemogenetics or optogenetics methods were employed to activate/inhibit MCC^CaMKIIα, AM^CaMKIIα, AM^CaMKIIα-MCC pathway. This manipulation evokes/relieves mechanical and partial heat hyperalgesia, as well as anxiety-like behaviors. In the complete Freund^,s adjuvant (CFA) inflammatory pain model, chemogenetic inhibition of the AM^CaMKIIα-MCC^CaMKIIα pathway contributed to pain relief. Notably, this study presented the first evidence implicating the AM in the regulation of nociception and negative emotions. Additionally, it was observed that the MCC primarily receives projections from the AM, highlighting the crucial role of this pathway in the transmission of pain and emotional information.

Keywords: Anteromedial thalamus nucleus; Anxiety-like behaviors; CaMKIIα neurons; Midcingulate cortex; Pain.

MeSH terms

Animals
Anxiety
Gyrus Cinguli / metabolism
Hyperalgesia* / metabolism
Mice
Pain* / metabolism
Thalamus