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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
12:55
P50 Sensory Gating in Infants
Published on: December 26, 2013
Altered nociceptive neuronal circuits after neonatal peripheral inflammation
M A Ruda1, Q D Ling, A G Hohmann
1Cellular Neuroscience Section, Pain and Neurosensory Mechanisms Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. maruda@dir.nidcr.nih.gov
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|August 1, 2000
Summary
Neonatal pain from medical procedures can alter pain sensing circuits. Early tissue injury in newborns leads to lasting changes in spinal cord pain pathways into adulthood.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Pain Research
Background:
- Nociceptive circuits develop during early life when pain is minimal.
- Neonatal medical procedures can cause pain and tissue injury.
- Long-term consequences of neonatal pain on neurodevelopment are largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of neonatal tissue injury and pain on nociceptive neuronal circuit development.
- To understand the long-term effects of early-life pain exposure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an animal model of persistent hind paw peripheral inflammation in neonates.
- Examined spinal neuronal circuits and primary afferent axon changes in adulthood.
Main Results:
- Adult animals exposed to neonatal inflammation showed increased spinal neuronal input.
- Segmental alterations in nociceptive primary afferent axons were observed.
- Responses to sensory stimulation were modified in adulthood.
Conclusions:
- Neonatal peripheral inflammation can lead to persistent, long-term alterations in spinal nociceptive circuitry.
- Early-life pain exposure may have lasting impacts on sensory processing and pain pathways.
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