Fear extinction learning ability predicts neuropathic pain behaviors and amygdala activity in male rats.

Background The amygdala plays a key role in fear learning and extinction and has emerged as an important node of emotional-affective aspects of pain and pain modulation. Impaired fear extinction learning, which involves prefrontal cortical control of amygdala processing, has been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we tested the hypothesis that fear extinction learning ability can predict the magnitude of neuropathic pain. Results We correlated fear extinction learning in naive adult male rats with sensory and affective behavioral outcome measures (mechanical thresholds, vocalizations, and anxiety- and depression-like behaviors) before and after the induction of the spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain compared to sham controls. Auditory fear conditioning, extinction learning, and extinction retention tests were conducted after baseline testing. All rats showed increased freezing responses after fear conditioning. During extinction training, the majority (75%) of rats showed a decline in freezing level to 50% in 5 min (fear extinction+), whereas 25% of the rats maintained a high freezing level (>50%, fear extinction-). Fear extinction- rats showed decreased open-arm preference in the elevated plus maze, reflecting anxiety-like behavior, but there were no significant differences in sensory thresholds, vocalizations, or depression-like behavior (forced swim test) between fear extinction+ and fear extinction- types. In the neuropathic pain model (four weeks after spinal nerve ligation), fear extinction- rats showed a greater increase in vocalizations and anxiety-like behavior than fear extinction+ rats. Fear extinction- rats, but not fear extinction+ rats, also developed depression-like behavior. Extracellular single unit recordings of amygdala (central nucleus) neurons in behaviorally tested rats (anesthetized with isoflurane) found greater increases in background activity, bursting, and evoked activity in fear extinction- rats than fear extinction+ rats in the spinal nerve ligation model compared to sham controls. Conclusion The data may suggest that fear extinction learning ability predicts the magnitude of neuropathic pain-related affective rather than sensory behaviors, which correlates with differences in amygdala activity changes.

Spontaneous activity does not predict morphological type in cerebellar interneurons.

The effort to determine morphological and anatomically defined neuronal characteristics from extracellularly recorded physiological signatures has been attempted with varying success in different brain areas. Recent studies have attempted such classification of cerebellar interneurons (CINs) based on statistical measures of spontaneous activity. Previously, such efforts in different brain areas have used supervised clustering methods based on standard parameterizations of spontaneous interspike interval (ISI) histograms. We worried that this might bias researchers toward positive identification results and decided to take a different approach. We recorded CINs from anesthetized cats. We used unsupervised clustering methods applied to a nonparametric representation of the ISI histograms to identify groups of CINs with similar spontaneous activity and then asked how these groups map onto different cell types. Our approach was a fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm applied to the Kullbach-Leibler distances between ISI histograms. We found that there is, in fact, a natural clustering of the spontaneous activity of CINs into six groups but that there was no relationship between this clustering and the standard morphologically defined cell types. These results proved robust when generalization was tested to completely new datasets, including datasets recorded under different anesthesia conditions and in different laboratories and different species (rats). Our results suggest the importance of an unsupervised approach in categorizing neurons according to their extracellular activity. Indeed, a reexamination of such categorization efforts throughout the brain may be necessary. One important open question is that of functional differences of our six spontaneously defined clusters during actual behavior.

Cells and circuits for amygdala neuroplasticity in the transition to chronic pain.

Maladaptive plasticity is linked to the chronification of diseases such as pain, but the transition from acute to chronic pain is not well understood mechanistically. Neuroplasticity in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) has emerged as a mechanism for sensory and emotional-affective aspects of injury-induced pain, although evidence comes from studies conducted almost exclusively in acute pain conditions and agnostic to cell type specificity. Here, we report time-dependent changes in genetically distinct and projection-specific CeA neurons in neuropathic pain. Hyperexcitability of CRF projection neurons and synaptic plasticity of parabrachial (PB) input at the acute stage shifted to hyperexcitability without synaptic plasticity in non-CRF neurons at the chronic phase. Accordingly, chemogenetic inhibition of the PB→CeA pathway mitigated pain-related behaviors in acute, but not chronic, neuropathic pain. Cell-type-specific temporal changes in neuroplasticity provide neurobiological evidence for the clinical observation that chronic pain is not simply the prolonged persistence of acute pain.

Dysfunction of Small-Conductance Ca2+-Activated Potassium (SK) Channels Drives Amygdala Hyperexcitability and Neuropathic Pain Behaviors: Involvement of Epigenetic Mechanisms.

Neuroplasticity in the amygdala and its central nucleus (CeA) is linked to pain modulation and pain behaviors, but cellular mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we addressed the role of small-conductance Ca2+-activated potassium (SK) channels in pain-related amygdala plasticity. The facilitatory effects of the intra-CeA application of an SK channel blocker (apamin) on the pain behaviors of control rats were lost in a neuropathic pain model, whereas an SK channel activator (NS309) inhibited pain behaviors in neuropathic rats but not in sham controls, suggesting the loss of the inhibitory behavioral effects of amygdala SK channels. Brain slice electrophysiology found hyperexcitability of CeA neurons in the neuropathic pain condition due to the loss of SK channel-mediated medium afterhyperpolarization (mAHP), which was accompanied by decreased SK2 channel protein and mRNA expression, consistent with a pretranscriptional mechanisms. The underlying mechanisms involved the epigenetic silencing of the SK2 gene due to the increased DNA methylation of the CpG island of the SK2 promoter region and the change in methylated CpG sites in the CeA in neuropathic pain. This study identified the epigenetic dysregulation of SK channels in the amygdala (CeA) as a novel mechanism of neuropathic pain-related plasticity and behavior that could be targeted to control abnormally enhanced amygdala activity and chronic neuropathic pain.

Ginger Polyphenols Reverse Molecular Signature of Amygdala Neuroimmune Signaling and Modulate Microbiome in Male Rats with Neuropathic Pain: Evidence for Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis.

Emerging evidence shows that the gut microbiota plays an important role in neuropathic pain (NP) via the gut-brain axis. Male rats were divided into sham, spinal nerve ligation (SNL), SNL + 200 mg GEG/kg BW (GEG200), and SNL + 600 mg GEG/kg BW (GEG600) for 5 weeks. The dosages of 200 and 600 mg GEG/kg BW for rats correspond to 45 g and 135 g raw ginger for human daily consumption, respectively. Both GEG groups mitigated SNL-induced NP behavior. GEG-supplemented animals had a decreased abundance of Rikenella, Muribaculaceae, Clostridia UCG-014, Mucispirillum schaedleri, RF39, Acetatifactor, and Clostridia UCG-009, while they had an increased abundance of Flavonifactor, Hungatella, Anaerofustis stercorihominis, and Clostridium innocuum group. Relative to sham rats, Fos and Gadd45g genes were upregulated, while Igf1, Ccl2, Hadc2, Rtn4rl1, Nfkb2, Gpr84, Pik3cg, and Abcc8 genes were downregulated in SNL rats. Compared to the SNL group, the GEG200 group and GEG600 group had increases/decreases in 16 (10/6) genes and 11 (1/10) genes, respectively. GEG downregulated Fos and Gadd45g genes and upregulated Hdac2 genes in the amygdala. In summary, GEG alleviates NP by modulating the gut microbiome and reversing a molecular neuroimmune signature.

Pain-related cortico-limbic plasticity and opioid signaling.

Neuroplasticity in cortico-limbic circuits has been implicated in pain persistence and pain modulation in clinical and preclinical studies. The amygdala has emerged as a key player in the emotional-affective dimension of pain and pain modulation. Reciprocal interactions with medial prefrontal cortical regions undergo changes in pain conditions. Other limbic and paralimbic regions have been implicated in pain modulation as well. The cortico-limbic system is rich in opioids and opioid receptors. Preclinical evidence for their pain modulatory effects in different regions of this highly interactive system, potentially opposing functions of different opioid receptors, and knowledge gaps will be described here. There is little information about cell type- and circuit-specific functions of opioid receptor subtypes related to pain processing and pain-related plasticity in the cortico-limbic system. The important role of anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and amygdala in MOR-dependent analgesia is most well-established, and MOR actions in the mesolimbic system appear to be similar but remain to be determined in mPFC regions other than ACC. Evidence also suggests that KOR signaling generally serves opposing functions whereas DOR signaling in the ACC has similar, if not synergistic effects, to MOR. A unifying picture of pain-related neuronal mechanisms of opioid signaling in different elements of the cortico-limbic circuitry has yet to emerge. This article is part of the Special Issue on "Opioid-induced changes in addiction and pain circuits".

Microlesions of the inferior olive reduce vestibular modulation of Purkinje cell complex and simple spikes in mouse cerebellum.

Cerebellar Purkinje cells have two distinct action potentials: complex spikes (CSs) are evoked by single climbing fibers that originate from the contralateral inferior olive. Simple spikes (SSs) are often ascribed to mossy fiber-granule cell-parallel fiber inputs to Purkinje cells. Although generally accepted, this view lacks experimental support. Vestibular stimulation independently activates primary afferent mossy fibers and tertiary afferent climbing fibers that project to the uvula-nodulus (folia 8-10). CSs and SSs normally discharge antiphasically during sinusoidal roll-tilt. When CSs increase, SSs decrease. We tested the relative independence of these pathways in mice by making electrolytic microlesions of the two inferior olivary nuclei from which vestibular climbing fibers originate; the ß-nucleus and dorsomedial cell column. This reduced vestibular climbing fiber signaling to the contralateral folia 8-10, while leaving intact vestibular primary and secondary afferent mossy fibers. We recorded from Purkinje cells and interneurons in folia 8-10, identified by juxtacellular labeling with Neurobiotin. Microlesions of the inferior olive increased the spontaneous discharge of SSs in contralateral folia 8-10, but blocked their modulation during vestibular stimulation. The vestibularly evoked discharge of excitatory cerebellar interneurons (granule cells and unipolar brush cells) was not modified by olivary microlesions. The modulated discharge of stellate cells, but not Golgi cells, was reduced by olivary microlesions. We conclude that vestibular modulation of CSs and SSs depends on intact climbing fibers. The absence of vestibularly modulated SSs following olivary microlesions reflects the loss of climbing fiber-evoked stellate cell discharge.

Optogenetic manipulations of CeA-CRF neurons modulate pain- and anxiety-like behaviors in neuropathic pain and control rats.

The amygdala plays a critical role in the emotional-affective component of pain and pain modulation. The central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) serves major output functions and has been linked to pain-related behaviors. Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) in the CeA has emerged as an important modulator of pain and affective disorders. Here we measured the effects of optogenetic manipulation of CeA-CRF neurons on pain-related behaviors in a rat neuropathic pain model and under control conditions. Emotional-affective behaviors (vocalizations), mechanosensitivity (electronic von Frey anesthesiometer and calibrated forceps), and anxiety-like behaviors (open field test and elevated plus maze) were assessed in adult rats 1 week and 4 weeks after spinal nerve ligation (SNL model) and sham surgery (control). For optogenetic silencing or activation of CRF neurons, a Cre-inducible viral vector encoding enhanced halorhodopsin (eNpHR3.0) or channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2) was injected stereotaxically into the right CeA of transgenic Crh-Cre rats. Light of the appropriate wavelength (590 nm for eNpHR3.0; 473 nm for ChR2) was delivered into the CeA with an LED optic fiber. Optical silencing of CeA-CRF neurons decreased the emotional-affective responses in the acute and chronic phases of the neuropathic pain model but had anxiolytic effects only at the chronic stage and no effect on mechanosensitivity. Optogenetic activation of CeA-CRF neurons increased the emotional-affective responses and induced anxiety-like behaviors but had no effect on mechanosensitivity in control rats. The data show the critical contribution of CeA-CRF neurons to pain-related behaviors under normal conditions and beneficial effects of inhibiting CeA-CRF neurons in neuropathic pain.

Kappa Opioid Receptor Blockade in the Amygdala Mitigates Pain Like-Behaviors by Inhibiting Corticotropin Releasing Factor Neurons in a Rat Model of Functional Pain.

Functional pain syndromes (FPS) occur in the absence of identifiable tissue injury or noxious events and include conditions such as migraine, fibromyalgia, and others. Stressors are very common triggers of pain attacks in various FPS conditions. It has been recently demonstrated that kappa opioid receptors (KOR) in the central nucleus of amygdala (CeA) contribute to FPS conditions, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The CeA is rich in KOR and encompasses major output pathways involving extra-amygdalar projections of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) expressing neurons. Here we tested the hypothesis that KOR blockade in the CeA in a rat model of FPS reduces pain-like and nocifensive behaviors by restoring inhibition of CeA-CRF neurons. Intra-CeA administration of a KOR antagonist (nor-BNI) decreased mechanical hypersensitivity and affective and anxiety-like behaviors in a stress-induced FPS model. In systems electrophysiology experiments in anesthetized rats, intra-CeA application of nor-BNI reduced spontaneous firing and responsiveness of CeA neurons to peripheral stimulation. In brain slice whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, nor-BNI increased feedforward inhibitory transmission evoked by optogenetic and electrical stimulation of parabrachial afferents, but had no effect on monosynaptic excitatory transmission. Nor-BNI decreased frequency, but not amplitude, of spontaneous inhibitory synaptic currents, suggesting a presynaptic action. Blocking KOR receptors in stress-induced FPS conditions may therefore represent a novel therapeutic strategy.

Gingerol-Enriched Ginger Supplementation Mitigates Neuropathic Pain via Mitigating Intestinal Permeability and Neuroinflammation: Gut-Brain Connection.

Objectives: Emerging evidence suggests an important role of the gut-brain axis in the development of neuropathic pain (NP). We investigated the effects of gingerol-enriched ginger (GEG) on pain behaviors, as well as mRNA expressions of inflammation via tight junction proteins in GI tissues (colon) and brain tissues (amygdala, both left and right) in animals with NP. Methods: Seventeen male rats were randomly divided into three groups: Sham, spinal nerve ligation (SNL, pain model), and SNL+0.375% GEG (wt/wt in diet) for 4 weeks. Mechanosensitivity was assessed by von Frey filament tests and hindpaw compression tests. Emotional responsiveness was measured from evoked audible and ultrasonic vocalizations. Ongoing spontaneous pain was measured in rodent grimace tests. Intestinal permeability was assessed by the lactulose/D-mannitol ratio in urine. The mRNA expression levels of neuroinflammation (NF-κB, TNF-α) in the colon and amygdala (right and left) were determined by qRT-PCR. Data was analyzed statistically. Results: Compared to the sham group, the SNL group had significantly greater mechanosensitivity (von Frey and compression tests), emotional responsiveness (audible and ultrasonic vocalizations to innocuous and noxious mechanical stimuli), and spontaneous pain (rodent grimace tests). GEG supplementation significantly reduced mechanosensitivity, emotional responses, and spontaneous pain measures in SNL rats. GEG supplementation also tended to decrease SNL-induced intestinal permeability markers. The SNL group had increased mRNA expression of NF-κB and TNF-α in the right amygdala and colon; GEG supplementation mitigated these changes in SNL-treated rats. Conclusion: This study suggests GEG supplementation palliated a variety of pain spectrum behaviors in a preclinical NP animal model. GEG also decreased SNL-induced intestinal permeability and neuroinflammation, which may explain the behavioral effects of GEG.

Climbing fiber-evoked Purkinje cell discharge reduces expression of GABA(A) receptor-associated protein and decreases its interaction with GABA(A) receptors.

Sustained neuronal activity induces synaptic remodeling, in part, by altering gene expression. We have used a major climbing fiber pathway onto cerebellar Purkinje cells to investigate the effects of sustained climbing fiber-evoked glutamatergic synaptic transmission on transcription, expression and phosphorylation of proteins related to the regulation of inhibitory GABA(A) receptor function. Binocular horizontal optokinetic stimulation was used to modulate climbing fiber signals to Purkinje cells in the flocculus and nodulus of rabbits and mice. Purkinje cells in the flocculus and nodulus ipsilateral to the eye stimulated in the Posterior→Anterior direction received increased climbing fiber activity. Purkinje cells in flocculus and nodulus ipsilateral to the eye stimulated in the Anterior→Posterior direction received decreased climbing fiber activity. We identified changes in levels of gene transcripts in floccular and nodular Purkinje cells with the technique of differential display RT-PCR. Increased climbing fiber input reduced transcript levels and expression of GABA receptor-associated protein (GABARAP). Using a protein 'pull down' technique, we showed that GABARAP interacts with serine phosphorylated GABA(A)γ2, gephyrin and ß-tubulin. Serine de-phosphorylation of GABA(A)γ2 reduced association of GABARAP with GABA(A)γ2. Climbing fiber activity did not influence the expression of GABA(A)γ2. Rather, it decreased its serine phosphorylation. Climbing fiber discharge decreased both expression of GABARAP and serine phosphorylation of GABA(A)γ2. Consequently, climbing fiber activity may reduce the surface expression of GABA(A) receptors in Purkinje cells rendering Purkinje cells less susceptible to interneuronal GABAergic inhibition.

Kappa opioid receptor activation in the amygdala disinhibits CRF neurons to generate pain-like behaviors.

Recent evidence suggests that kappa opioid receptors (KOR) in limbic brain regions such as the amygdala contribute to pain conditions, but underlying mechanisms remain to be determined. The amygdala is an important player in averse-affective aspects of pain and pain modulation. The central nucleus (CeA) serves output functions through projection neurons that include corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) expressing neurons. The CeA is also rich in KOR. Here we tested the novel hypothesis that KOR activation in the CeA generates pain-like behaviors through a mechanism that involves inhibition of synaptic inhibition (disinhibition) of CRF neurons. Intra-CeA administration of a KOR agonist (U-69,593) increased vocalizations of naïve rats to noxious stimuli, and induced anxiety-like behaviors in the open field test (OFT) and avoidance in the conditioned place preference test, without affecting mechanosensory thresholds. Optogenetic silencing of CeA-CRF neurons blocked the facilitatory effects of systemically applied U-69,593 in naïve rats. Patch-clamp recordings of CRF neurons in rat brain slices found that U-69,593 decreased feedforward inhibitory transmission evoked by optogenetic stimulation of parabrachial afferents, but had no effect on monosynaptic excitatory transmission. U-69,593 decreased frequency, but not amplitude, of inhibitory synaptic currents, suggesting a presynaptic action. Multiphoton imaging of CeA-CRF neurons in rat brain slices showed that U-69,593 increased calcium signals evoked by electrical stimulation of presumed parabrachial input. This study shows for the first time that KOR activation increases activity of amygdala CRF neurons through synaptic disinhibition, resulting in averse-affective pain-like behaviors. Blocking KOR receptors may therefore represent a novel therapeutic strategy.

Functions of interneurons in mouse cerebellum.

The output signal of Purkinje cells is conveyed by the modulated discharge of simple spikes (SSs) often ascribed to mossy fiber-granule cell-parallel fiber inputs to Purkinje cell dendrites. Although generally accepted, this view lacks experimental support. We can address this view by controlling afferent signals that reach the cerebellum over climbing and mossy fiber pathways. Vestibular primary afferents constitute the largest mossy fiber projection to the uvula-nodulus. The discharge of vestibular primary afferent mossy fibers increases during ipsilateral roll tilt. The discharge of SSs decreases during ipsilateral roll tilt. Climbing fiber discharge [complex spikes (CSs)] increases during ipsilateral roll tilt. These observations suggest that the modulation of SSs during vestibular stimulation cannot be attributed directly to vestibular mossy fiber afferents. Rather we suggest that interneurons driven by vestibular climbing fibers may determine SS modulation. We recorded from cerebellar interneurons (granule, unipolar brush, Golgi, stellate, basket, and Lugaro cells) and Purkinje cells in the uvula-nodulus of anesthetized mice during vestibular stimulation. We identified all neuronal types by juxtacellular labeling with neurobiotin. Granule, unipolar brush, stellate, and basket cells discharge in phase with ipsilateral roll tilt and in phase with CSs. Golgi cells discharge out of phase with ipsilateral roll tilt and out of phase with CSs. The phases of stellate and basket cell discharge suggests that their activity could account for the antiphasic behavior of CSs and SSs. Because Golgi cells discharge in phase with SSs, Golgi cell activity cannot account for SS modulation. The sagittal array of Golgi cell axon terminals suggests that they contribute to the organization of discrete parasagittal vestibular zones.

Kappa opioid signaling in the central nucleus of the amygdala promotes disinhibition and aversiveness of chronic neuropathic pain.

Chronic pain is associated with neuroplastic changes in the amygdala that may promote hyper-responsiveness to mechanical and thermal stimuli (allodynia and hyperalgesia) and/or enhance emotional and affective consequences of pain. Stress promotes dynorphin-mediated signaling at the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) in the amygdala and mechanical hypersensitivity in rodent models of functional pain. Here, we tested the hypothesis that KOR circuits in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) undergo neuroplasticity in chronic neuropathic pain resulting in increased sensory and affective pain responses. After spinal nerve ligation (SNL) injury in rats, pretreatment with a long-acting KOR antagonist, nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI), subcutaneously or through microinjection into the right CeA, prevented conditioned place preference (CPP) to intravenous gabapentin, suggesting that nor-BNI eliminated the aversiveness of ongoing pain. By contrast, systemic or intra-CeA administration of nor-BNI had no effect on tactile allodynia in SNL animals. Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology, we found that nor-BNI decreased synaptically evoked spiking of CeA neurons in brain slices from SNL but not sham rats. This effect was mediated through increased inhibitory postsynaptic currents, suggesting tonic disinhibition of CeA output neurons due to increased KOR activity as a possible mechanism promoting ongoing aversive aspects of neuropathic pain. Interestingly, this mechanism is not involved in SNL-induced mechanical allodynia. Kappa opioid receptor antagonists may therefore represent novel therapies for neuropathic pain by targeting aversive aspects of ongoing pain while preserving protective functions of acute pain.

Small conductance calcium activated potassium (SK) channel dependent and independent effects of riluzole on neuropathic pain-related amygdala activity and behaviors in rats.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Chronic neuropathic pain is an important healthcare issue with significant emotional components. The amygdala is a brain region involved in pain and emotional-affective states and disorders. The central amygdala output nucleus (CeA) contains small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels that can control neuronal activity. A clinically available therapeutic, riluzole can activate SK channels and may have antinociceptive effects through a supraspinal action. We tested the hypothesis that riluzole inhibits neuropathic pain behaviors by inhibiting pain-related changes in CeA neurons, in part at least through SK channel activation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Brain slice physiology and behavioral assays were done in adult Sprague Dawley rats. Audible and ultrasonic vocalizations and von Frey thresholds were measured in sham and neuropathic rats 4 weeks after left L5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL model). Whole cell patch-clamp recordings of regular firing CeA neurons in brain slices were used to measure synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. KEY RESULTS: In brain slices, riluzole increased the SK channel-mediated afterhyperpolarization and synaptic inhibition, but inhibited neuronal excitability through an SK channel independent action. SNL rats had increased vocalizations and decreased withdrawal thresholds compared to sham rats, and intra-CeA administration of riluzole inhibited vocalizations and depression-like behaviors but did not affect withdrawal thresholds. Systemic riluzole administration also inhibited these changes, demonstrating the clinical utility of this strategy. SK channel blockade in the CeA attenuated the inhibitory effects of systemic riluzole on vocalizations, confirming SK channel involvement in these effects. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results suggest that riluzole has beneficial effects on neuropathic pain behaviors through SK channel dependent and independent mechanisms in the amygdala.

Cerebellar climbing fibers modulate simple spikes in Purkinje cells.

Purkinje cells have two action potentials: Climbing fiber responses (CFRs) and simple spikes (SSs). CFRs reflect the discharge of a single climbing fiber at multiple synaptic sites on the proximal dendrite of the Purkinje cell. SSs reflect the summed action of a subset of parallel fiber synapses on Purkinje cell dendritic spines. Because mossy fiber afferents terminate on granule cells, the ascending axons of which bifurcate, giving rise to parallel fibers, the modulation of SSs has been attributed to mossy fiber afferent signals. This inference has never been tested. Conversely, the low discharge frequency of CFRs has led many to conclude that they have a unique and intermittent role in cerebellar signal processing. We examine the relative potency of vestibularly modulated mossy fiber and climbing fiber signals in evoking CFRs and SSs in Purkinje cells of the uvula-nodulus in chloralose-urethane-anesthetized rabbits. Vestibular primary afferents were blocked by unilateral labyrinthectomy (UL). A UL destroys the vestibular primary afferent signal to the ipsilateral uvula-nodulus, while leaving intact the vestibular climbing fiber signal from the contralateral inferior olive. After UL, vestibular stimulation modulated CFRs and SSs in ipsilateral uvula-nodular Purkinje cells, demonstrating that the primary vestibular afferent mossy fiber input to the ipsilateral uvula-nodulus was not necessary for SS modulation. Unilateral microlesions of the caudal half of the beta-nucleus of the inferior olive reduced a modulated climbing fiber signal to the contralateral uvula-nodulus, causing loss of both vestibularly modulated CFRs and SSs in contralateral Purkinje cells. Vestibular climbing fibers not only evoke low-frequency CFRs, but also indirectly modulate higher-frequency SSs. This modulation must be attributed to cerebellar interneurons. Golgi cell inhibition of granule cells may provide the interneuronal mechanism for CFR-induced SS modulation.

Activity-dependent expression of acyl-coenzyme a-binding protein in retinal muller glial cells evoked by optokinetic stimulation.

Long-term horizontal optokinetic stimulation (HOKS) decreases the gain of the horizontal optokinetic reflex and evokes the second phase of optokinetic afternystagmus (OKAN-II). We investigated the possible molecular constituents of this adaptation. We used a differential display reverse transcriptase-PCR screen for mRNAs isolated from retinas of rabbits that received HOKS. In each rabbit, we compared mRNAs from the retina stimulated in the posterior-->anterior (preferred) direction with mRNAs from the retina stimulated in the anterior-->posterior (null) direction. Acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP) mRNA was one of four mRNAs selected by this screen, the proteins of which interact with GABA receptors. HOKS in the preferred direction increased ACBP mRNA transcription and ACBP protein expression. ACBP was localized to Muller glial cells by hybridization histochemistry and by immunohistochemistry. ACBP interacts with the alpha1-subunit of the GABA(A) receptor, as determined by a yeast two-hybrid technique. This interaction was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation of ACBP and the alpha1-subunit of the GABA(A) receptor using an antibody to GABA(A)alpha1. The interaction was also confirmed by a "pull-down" assay in which histidine-tagged ACBP was used to pull down the GABA(A)alpha1. ACBP does not cross the blood-brain barrier. However, smaller truncated proteolytic fragments of ACBP do, increasing the excitability of central cortical neurons. Muller cells may secrete ACBP in the inner plexiform layer, thereby decreasing the sensitivity of GABA(A) receptors expressed on the surface of ganglion cell dendrites. Because retinal directional sensitivity is linked to GABAergic transmission, HOKS-induced expression of ACBP could provide a molecular basis for adaptation to HOKS and for the genesis of OKAN-II.

Vestibularly evoked climbing-fiber responses modulate simple spikes in rabbit cerebellar Purkinje neurons.

The nodulus receives a primary vestibular afferent input from the ipsilateral labyrinth and a vestibularly related climbing-fiber input originating from the contralateral labyrinth. Previously we demonstrated that increased discharge of vestibularly evoked climbing-fiber responses (CFRs) in nodular Purkinje cells was correlated with decreased discharge of simple spikes (SSs). This left unresolved the question of whether vestibularly evoked antiphasic behavior of CFRs and SSs reflects a common neural mechanism or the activation of two separate parallel pathways. We answered this question using natural vestibular stimulation to modulate the discharge of uvula-nodular Purkinje cells recorded extracellularly in unilaterally labyrinthectomized, chloralose urethane-anesthetized rabbits. In such animals, vestibular primary afferents projecting to the uvula-nodulus as mossy fibers remained intact on the side contralateral to the unilateral labyrinthectomy. The discharge of CFRs recorded in ipsilateral nodular Purkinje cells was increased by ipsilateral roll-tilt while the discharge of SSs was increased by contralateral roll-tilt. These polarities were reversed for Purkinje cells recorded in the contralateral uvula-nodulus. The polarity of SS discharge recorded from Purkinje cells on both sides of the nodulus was opposite to that of the vestibular primary mossy-fiber afferents. SSs continued to respond to contralateral roll-tilt even when the primary vestibular afferent mossy-fiber pathway was destroyed by the unilateral labyrinthectomy. Although the discharge of SSs recorded in the contralateral uvula-nodulus was increased by contralateral roll-tilt, this modulation was reduced relative to that observed in Purkinje cells recorded in the ipsilateral uvula-nodulus. We conclude that vestibularly evoked CFRs caused the modulation of SS discharge.

Gabapentin and pregabalin suppress tactile allodynia and potentiate spinal cord stimulation in a model of neuropathy.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an effective tool in alleviating neuropathic pain. However, a number of well-selected patients fail to obtain satisfactory pain relief. Previous studies have demonstrated that i.t. baclofen and/or adenosine can enhance the SCS effect, but this combined therapy has been shown to be useful in less than half of the cases and more effective substances are therefore needed. The aim of this experimental study in rats was to examine whether gabapentin or pregabalin attenuates tactile allodynia following partial sciatic nerve injury and whether subeffective doses of these drugs can potentiate the effects of SCS in rats which do not respond to SCS. Mononeuropathy was produced by a photochemically induced ischaemic lesion of the sciatic nerve. Tactile withdrawal thresholds were assessed with von Frey filaments. Effects of increasing doses of gabapentin and pregabalin (i.t. and i.v.) on the withdrawal thresholds were analysed. These drugs were found to reduce tactile allodynia in a dose-dependent manner. In SCS non-responding rats, i.e. where stimulation per se failed to suppress allodynia, a combination of SCS and subeffective doses of the drugs markedly attenuated allodynia. In subsequent acute experiments, extracellular recordings from wide dynamic range neurones in the dorsal horn showed prominent hyperexcitability. The combination of SCS and gabapentin, at the same subeffective dose, clearly enhanced suppression of this hyperexcitability. In conclusion, electrical therapy and pharmacological therapy in neuropathic pain can, when they are inefficient individually, become effective when combined.

Long-term climbing fibre activity induces transcription of microRNAs in cerebellar Purkinje cells.

Synaptic activation of central neurons is often evoked by electrical stimulation leading to post-tetanic potentiation, long-term potentiation or long-term depression. Even a brief electrical tetanus can induce changes in as many as 100 proteins. Since climbing fibre activity is often associated with cerebellar behavioural plasticity, we used horizontal optokinetic stimulation (HOKS) to naturally increase synaptic input to floccular Purkinje cells in mice for hours, not minutes, and investigated how this activity influenced the transcription of microRNAs, small non-coding nucleotides that reduce transcripts of multiple, complementary mRNAs. A single microRNA can reduce the translation of as many as 30 proteins. HOKS evoked increases in 12 microRNA transcripts in floccular Purkinje cells. One of these microRNAs, miR335, increased 18-fold after 24 h of HOKS. After HOKS stopped, miR335 transcripts decayed with a time constant of approximately 2.5 h. HOKS evoked a 28-fold increase in pri-miR335 transcripts compared with an 18-fold increase in mature miR335 transcripts, confirming that climbing fibre-evoked increases in miR335 could be attributed to increases in transcription. We used three screens to identify potential mRNA targets for miR335 transcripts: (i) nucleotide complementarity, (ii) detection of increased mRNAs following microinjection of miR335 inhibitors into the cerebellum, and (iii) detection of decreased mRNAs following HOKS. Two genes, calbindin and 14-3-3-θ, passed these screens. Transfection of N2a cells with miR335 inhibitors or precursors inversely regulated 14-3-3-θ transcripts. Immunoprecipitation of 14-3-3-θ co-immunoprecipitated PKC-γ and GABAAγ2. Knockdown of either 14-3-3-θ or PKC-γ decreased the serine phosphorylation of GABAAγ2, suggesting that 14-3-3-θ and PKC-γ under the control of miR335 homeostatically regulate the phosphorylation and insertion of GABAAγ2 into the Purkinje cell post-synaptic membrane.