Coding and Plasticity in the Mammalian Thermosensory System

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Sensory Biology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Thermosensory neurons on the body surface detect temperature, initiating thermal perception.
• Understanding how these signals are processed is crucial for comprehending sensory perception and dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the in vivo neural coding of temperature stimuli.
• To identify functional classes of thermosensory neurons.
• To investigate the neural basis of altered thermal perception following injury.

Main Methods:

• Utilized genetically encoded calcium indicators to monitor neural activity in the trigeminal ganglion.
• Measured temperature-evoked responses in hundreds of neurons across the ganglion.
• Analyzed functional reorganization of the peripheral somatosensory system post-injury.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated distinct population responses for warm, hot, and cold stimuli.
• Uncovered unique neuronal classes for heat and cold sensing.
• Revealed the molecular underpinnings of peripheral warmth detection.
• Identified significant neural reorganisation, including neuronal silencing and recruitment, after injury.
• Established a cellular basis for altered temperature perception, such as hypersensitivity and analgesia.

Conclusions:

• Distinct neural ensembles encode different temperature modalities.
• Peripheral thermosensory pathways undergo significant plasticity after injury, leading to altered temperature perception.
• This research provides a cellular framework for understanding normal and pathological thermal sensation.