Modulation of comorbid depression of neuropathic pain by dopamine input from VTA to the ventral hippocampus.

ABSTRACT: Background: Chronic pain syndrome is a devastating disorder with poor clinical treatment. The circuitry and molecular mechanisms for depression comorbid with chronic pain are thus far unclear. We characterized the projection from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) and assessed the functional significance of the pathway in chronic pain-induced depressive comorbidity. Methods: A neuropathic cuff model was adopted and discriminated against the susceptible and resilient groups with or without depression-like behaviors, respectively. The anatomical feature and function of the VTA-vHPC pathway were assessed by tracer and virus-based tracing, immunofluorescent staining, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), designer receptors exclusively a

SUBMITTER: Ji Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11980670 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature