Fig. 4: Inactivating NAc ensemble ameliorates pain-like behaviors and increases sleep.
From: A common neuronal ensemble in nucleus accumbens regulates pain-like behaviour and sleep
a Experimental scheme showing the labeling and inactivation of NAc ensemble in c-Fos-tTA transgenic mice underwent CCI or sham surgery. b, c Optogenetic inactivation (589 nm, yellow laser, 8 s on/2 s off, 120 s) of NAc ensemble significantly increased thermal PWL (n = 16 mice, F(1.55, 23.3) = 54.3, p < 0.001, Repeated one-way measures ANOVA test; BL vs. Laser, p > 0.99, Pre vs. Laser, p < 0.001, Post vs. Laser, p < 0.001, Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test) and mechanical PWT (n = 16 mice, F(2.03, 30.5) = 32.50, p < 0.001, Repeated one-way measures ANOVA test; BL vs. Laser, p = 0.96, Pre vs. Laser, p < 0.001, Post vs. Laser, p < 0.001, Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test) to the baseline level in NAc ensemble-eNpHR mice. BL, baseline; Pre, pre-laser stimulation; Post, post-laser stimulation. d Percentage of time in different brain states before, during, and after yellow laser inactivation of NAc ensemble (589 nm, yellow laser, 8 s on/2 s off, 120 s; n = 11 mice). Note the significant increase in NREM sleep (p < 0.0001, bootstrap) and decrease in wakefulness (p < 0.0001, bootstrap), and no obvious change in REM sleep during laser stimulation (p = 0.242, bootstrap). Shading represents ± SEM. e The changes of transition probability between each pair of brain states in NAc ensemble-eNpHR mice during yellow laser stimulation. The diagram summarizes transitions that are significantly increased (magenta), decreased (cyan), or unaffected (black) by laser stimulation. Magenta and cyan asterisk (#) indicates significant increase and decrease in transition probability during laser stimulation compared to baseline (p < 0.05, bootstrap). f Representative EEG spectrogram (top), relative EMG trace (middle), and brain states (bottom) from a NAc ensemble-eNpHR mouse during baseline conditions and yellow laser inactivation of NAc ensemble. Yellow stripe indicates laser stimulation (589 nm, yellow laser, 8 s on/2 s off, 120 s). Freq. represents frequency. ***p < 0.001, ns not significant.
