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Papers of the Week


Papers: 27 Mar 2021 - 2 Apr 2021


Animal Studies


2021 Mar 25


J Physiol

Fast A-type currents shape a rapidly adapting form of delayed short latency firing of excitatory superficial dorsal horn neurons that express the NPY Y1 receptor.

Abstract

Neuropeptide Y Y1 receptor-expressing neurons in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord contribute to chronic pain. For the first time, we characterized the firing patterns of Y1-expressing neurons in Y1eGFP reporter mice. Under hyperpolarized conditions, most Y1eGFP neurons exhibited fast A-type potassium currents and delayed, short-latency firing (DSLF). Y1eGFP DSLF neurons were almost always rapidly adapting and often exhibited rebound spiking, characteristics of spinal pain neurons under the control of T-type calcium channels. These results inspire future studies to determine whether tissue or nerve injury downregulates the channels that underlie A-currents, thus unmasking membrane hyperexcitability in Y1-expressing dorsal horn neurons, leading to persistent pain.