Voluntary exercise prevents and eradicates anxiety-like behavior by influencing parvalbumin-positive neurons, perineuronal nets, and microglia activation in corticolimbic regions of neuropathic pain rats.

ABSTRACT: Anxiety-like behavior often emerges in the later stages of neuropathic pain, exacerbating the pain condition and potentially involving parvalbumin-positive (PV⁺) neurons. This study aimed to investigate the effects of voluntary exercise on neuropathic pain-induced anxiety and its relationship with PV⁺ neurons, perineuronal nets (PNNs, labeled with Wisteria floribunda agglutinin [WFA]), and microglia in the corticolimbic regions. Male Wistar rats with partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL) were given access to running wheels either from 3 days (early voluntary exercise [EEx]) or from 4 weeks (late voluntary exercise [LEx]) postoperatively. Nociceptive behaviors were assessed using the von Frey and acetone tests, while anxiety-like behaviors were assessed using the open f

SUBMITTER: Dang TN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11954125 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature