Fig. 4: Stress and memory system regulate male-specific contextual allodynia.
From: A neural circuit for sex-dependent conditioned pain hypersensitivity in mice
a Schematic for examing the effects of stress on contextual pain hypersensitivity. b PWT and PWL of maleSC mice (n = 5; PWT: F1,8 = 6.027, p = 0.0396; PWL: F1,8 = 2.817, p = 0.1318). c, d Raster plots with typical traces and quantitative data for spontaneous firing rates of GlumPOA neurons in maleSC mice (n = 24 units for D0-saline group and n = 22 units for other groups from 4 mice; F1,44 = 14.85, p = 0.0004). e Summarized data for corticosterone and free-testosterone levels (n = 5; corticosterone, p = 0.0329; free-testosterone, p = 0.0042). f As indicated in panel e, but for male mice after TX surgery (n = 5; corticosterone, p = 0.0096; free-testosterone, p = 0.2800). g–i Schematic and pain thresholds of ACSF- and ZIP-treated maleSC mice (n = 5; PWT: F1,8 = 1.847, p = 0.2112; PWL: F1,8 = 10.83, p = 0.0110). j As indicated in panel e, but for ACSF- and ZIP-treated maleSC mice (n = 5; corticosterone, p = 0.0204; free-testosterone, p = 0.0039). k Schematic for examing the effects of dCA1 inactivation on contextual pain hypersensitivity in male mice. l, m PWT and PWL of EGFP- and TetTox-infected maleSC mice (n = 5; PWT: F1,8 = 24.10, p = 0.0012; PWL: F1,8 = 39.87, p = 0.0002). n, o As indicated in panel c, d, but for EGFP- and TetTox-infected maleSC mice (n = 21, 23, 20, 21 units from 4 mice for D0-EGFP, D0-TetTox, D2-EGFP, and D2-TetTox group, respectively; F1,81 = 7.354, p = 0.0082). p, q As indicated in panel e, but for EGFP- and TetTox-infected maleSC mice (n = 5; corticosterone, p = 0.0458; free-testosterone, p = 0.0027). Significance was assessed by two-tailed unpaired Student’s t-test (b, e, f, j, p, q), two-way mixed-effects analysis with Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons test (d, o), and two-way repeated-measures ANOVA with post hoc comparison between groups (h, i, l, m). The data are presented as the mean ± SEMs. * P < 0.05, ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.001; n.s. not significant. See also Supplementary Table 1. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
