Fig. 8: A working model showing the vagus nerve dominant ascending pathway for gastric pain processing.
From: A vagus nerve dominant tetra-synaptic ascending pathway for gastric pain processing
GD induces an increased c-Fos expression in brain regions, including the NTS, LPB, PVT, and PL. The formed glutamatergic NTS–LPB–PVT–PL circuitry holds crucial significance in the transmission of gastric pain. Moreover, the transmission of noxious information from the stomach primarily travels through this pathway via the vagus nerve to convey signals to the cortical regions, resulting in an increase in EMG activity and pain perception. GD gastric distension, NG nodose ganglion, NTS the solitary nucleus, LPB lateral parabrachial nucleus, PVT paraventricular thalamic nucleus, PL prelimbic cortex, Glu glutamatergic neurons, EMG electromyographic.
