Fig. 5: LH GABAergic and glutamatergic novelty ensembles are activated in response to pain-like behaviors. | Nature Communications

Fig. 5: LH GABAergic and glutamatergic novelty ensembles are activated in response to pain-like behaviors.

From: Novelty exploration-activated ensemble in the lateral hypothalamus confers analgesic and anxiolytic effects

Fig. 5: LH GABAergic and glutamatergic novelty ensembles are activated in response to pain-like behaviors.The alternative text for this image may have been generated using AI.

a Schematic diagram of Cre-dependent GCaMP6 or eYFP labeling of novelty-activated LH GABAergic neurons in Vgat-Cre mice. Post-viral injection (3 weeks) and DOX treatment (2 mg/ml, 3 days), mice explored 6 novel objects (10 min each, 1 h total). Right: representative GCaMP6 expression 1 week post-exploration. Scale bar, 100 μm. b Heat maps, traces, and quantification (F(1,10) = 11.11, P = 0.008) of GCaMP6/eYFP signals responding to hind paw formalin/saline injections (15–16 trials; GCaMP6 n = 8, eYFP n = 4 mice). Signal changes responding to 0.16 g von Frey and 48 °C heating block in SNI mice (GCaMP6 n = 8, eYFP n = 4). AUC quantifications: c t = 3.66, P = 0.004; d t = 5.27, P = 0.0007; e t = 4.62, P = 0.001; f t = 2.36, P = 0.04. g Schematic diagram of GCaMP6/eYFP labeling of novelty-activated LH glutamatergic neurons in Vglut2-Cre mice. Right: representative GCaMP6 expression. h Signals responding to formalin/saline injections (interaction: F(1,10) = 22.63, P = 0.0008; 21 trials; GCaMP6 n = 8, eYFP n = 4 mice). Signal changes responding to 0.16 g von Frey and 48 °C heating block in SNI mice (GCaMP6: 17–20 trials, n = 8 mice; eYFP: 12–15 trials, n = 4 mice). AUC quantifications: i t = 3.95, P = 0.003; j t = 3.49, P = 0.006; k t = 2.53, P = 0.03; l t = 4.41, P = 0.002. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, n.s, not significant. Two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc test (b, h), two-tailed unpaired t-test (c-f, i-l). Data are mean ± SEM. Dashed lines in (c–f, i–l) indicate stimulation onset. Created in BioRender. Zhou, C. (2026) https://BioRender.com/ikcpymj. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.

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