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Setting the tone: superficial dorsal horn projection neurons regulate pain sensitivity
Patrick W Mantyh1, Stephen P Hunt
1Neurosystems Center, Cancer Center and Department of Preventive Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. manty001@tc.umn.edu <manty001@tc.umn.edu>
Abstract:
The neurokinin-1 receptor is expressed by lamina I projection neurons of the spinal cord that are crucial for regulating pain behavior. These neurons are nocispecific, support long-term potentiation and appear to downregulate the K(+)-Cl(-) exporter channel KCC2 following peripheral nerve damage, leading to increased excitability. These lamina I neurons project to the brainstem and thalamus and modulate descending inhibitory and excitatory pathways to the dorsal horn that regulate nociceptive traffic.
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