Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP)-Expressing Neurons in the External Lateral Parabrachial Area Regulate Pain-Induced Sleep Disturbances.

ABSTRACT: Given that sleep and pain are bidirectionally related, we investigated the neural circuits underlying pain-induced sleep disturbances using two acute pain models. Activation of nociceptors in acute inflammatory pain (AIP) significantly reduced sleep by 45-50% in the first 6 h, with reduced sleep spindle density for 1-3 h post-AIP. Additionally, an "optogenetic pain (Opto-Pain)" model is implemented to produce acute peripheral pain-induced awakenings that reduced sleep comparable to AIP. Both pain models are used to test the role of wake-promoting neurons in the parabrachial nucleus that express Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (PBel^CGRP) in relaying nociceptive stimulus from the dorsal horn as part of the spine-ponto-amygdaloid tract. Blocking PBel^CGRP neurons with gen

SUBMITTER: Lynch N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12463127 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature