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Papers of the Week


Papers: 27 May 2023 - 2 Jun 2023

RESEARCH TYPE:
Basic Science


Animal Studies, Molecular/Cellular, Neurobiology


2023 May 30


Brain


37249190

Editor's Pick

Gate control of sensory neurotransmission in peripheral ganglia by proprioceptive sensory neurons.

Authors

Fuller AM, Luiz A, Tian N, Arcangeletti M, Iseppon F, Sexton JE, Millet Q, Caxaria S, Ketabi N, Celik P, Wood JN, Sikandar S

Abstract

Melzak and Wall’s gate control theory proposed that innocuous input into the dorsal horn of the spinal cord represses pain-inducing nociceptive input. Here we show that input from proprioceptive parvalbumin-expressing sensory neurons tonically represses nociceptor activation within dorsal root ganglia. Deletion of parvalbumin-positive sensory neurons leads to enhanced nociceptor activity measured with GCaMP3, increased input into wide dynamic range neurons of the spinal cord and increased acute and spontaneous pain behaviour, as well as potentiated innocuous sensation. Parvalbumin-positive sensory neurons express the enzymes and transporters necessary to produce vesicular GABA that is known to be released from depolarized somata. These observations support the view that gate control mechanisms occur peripherally within dorsal root ganglia.