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Updated: Jul 28, 2025
Optogenetic Manipulation of Neuronal Activity to Modulate Behavior in Freely Moving Mice
Published on: October 27, 2020
Paraventricular nucleus-central amygdala oxytocinergic projection modulates pain-related anxiety-like behaviors in
Yu-Jie Li1, Wei-Jia Du1, Rui Liu1
1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Anesthesiology, Clinical and Translational Research Center, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
Aims:
Anxiety disorders associated with pain are a common health problem. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the role of paraventricular nucleus (PVN)-central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) oxytocinergic projections in anxiety-like behaviors induced by inflammatory pain.
Methods:
After inflammatory pain induction by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), mice underwent elevated plus maze, light-dark transition test, and marble burying test to examine the anxiety-like behaviors. Chemogenetic, optogenetic, and fiber photometry recordings were used to modulate and record the activity of the oxytocinergic projections of the PVN-CeA.
Results:
The key results are as follows: inflammatory pain-induced anxiety-like behaviors in mice accompanied by decreased activity of PVN oxytocin neurons. Chemogenetic activation of PVN oxytocin neurons prevented pain-related anxiety-like behaviors, whereas inhibition of PVN oxytocin neurons induced anxiety-like behaviors in naïve mice. PVN oxytocin neurons projected directly to the CeA, and microinjection of oxytocin into the CeA blocked anxiety-like behaviors. Inflammatory pain also decreased the activity of CeA neurons, and optogenetic activation of PVNoxytocin -CeA circuit prevented anxiety-like behavior in response to inflammatory pain.
Conclusion:
The results of our study suggest that oxytocin has anti-anxiety effects and provide novel insights into the role of PVNoxytocin -CeA projections in the regulation of anxiety-like behaviors induced by inflammatory pain.
