Differential aging-related changes in neurophysiology and gene expression in IB4-positive and IB4-negative nociceptive neurons.

ABSTRACT: Despite pain prevalence altering with age, the effects of aging on the properties of nociceptors are not well understood. Nociceptors, whose somas are located in dorsal root ganglia, are frequently divided into two groups based on their ability to bind isolectin B4 (IB4). Here, using cultured neurons from 1-, 3-, 5-, 8-, 12-, and 18-month-old mice, we investigate age-dependent changes in IB4-positive and IB4-negative neurons. Current-clamp experiments at physiological temperature revealed nonlinear changes in firing frequency of IB4-positive, but not IB4-negative neurons, with a peak at 8 months. This was likely due to the presence of proexcitatory conductances activated at depolarized membrane potentials and significantly higher input resistances found in IB4-positive neurons from 8-month

SUBMITTER: Mis MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6052481 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature