Modulation of itch and pain signals processing in ventrobasal thalamus by thalamic reticular nucleus.

ABSTRACT: Thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) is known to be crucial for dynamically modulating sensory processing. Recently, the functional role of TRN in itch and pain sensation processing has drawn much attention. We found that ventrobasal thalamus (VB) neurons exhibited scratching behavior-related and nociceptive behavior-related neuronal activity changes, and most of VB neurons responsive to pruritic stimulus were also activated by nociceptive stimulus. Inhibition of VB could relieve itch-induced scratching behaviors and pathological pain without affecting basal nociceptive thresholds, and activation of VB could facilitate scratching behaviors. Tracing and electrophysiology recording results showed that VB mainly received inhibitory inputs from ventral TRN. Furthermore, optogenetic activation of T

SUBMITTER: Liu PF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8786640 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature