Neuropeptidergic Inhibition of Spinal Pain Transmission

  • Taylor, Bradley (PI)
  • Doolen, Suzanne (Former CoI)

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

Work performed during the previous funding periods indicates that intrathecal administration of NPY reduces the mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity associated with inflammation or nerve injury. The objective of the present application is to establish NPY as an endogenous pain modulator, and to identify the mechanisms underlying NPY-mediated inhibition of inflammatory or neuropathic pain. The central hypothesis is that tissue or nerve injury sensitizes the dorsal horn to the pain inhibitory actions of NPY receptor signaling. Our approach involves transgenic, biochemical, neurophysiological, anatomical, and behavioral methods to determine: the anti-allodynic actions of endogenous NPY (Aim 1); the effect of injury on NPY receptor coupling to G-proteins (Aim 2); the effect of injury on the inhibition by NPY of SP release and subsequent NK1 receptor (NK1) activation in the spinal cord (Aim 3A); and the effect of NPY on the activity of spinal neurons that express the NPY Y1 receptor (Aim 3B). Our long-term goal is to understand endogenous neuropeptidergic inhibition of spinal pain transmission, and to establish the therapeutic potential of NPY receptor agonists for chronic pain.
StatusFinished
Effective start/end date9/10/021/31/15

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