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Updated: Jun 16, 2025

Establishing a Device for Sleep Deprivation in Mice
Published on: September 22, 2023
Modulating the Pronociceptive Effect of Sleep Deprivation: A Possible Role for Cholinergic Neurons in the Medial
Xiang-Sha Yin1,2,3, Bai-Rong Chen1,2, Xi-Chun Ye1,2
1Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences and Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, 100083, China.
Abstract:
Sleep deprivation has been shown to exacerbate pain sensitivity and may contribute to the onset of chronic pain, yet the precise neural mechanisms underlying this association remain elusive. In our study, we explored the contribution of cholinergic neurons within the medial habenula (MHb) to hyperalgesia induced by sleep deprivation in rats. Our findings indicate that the activity of MHb cholinergic neurons diminishes during sleep deprivation and that chemogenetic stimulation of these neurons can mitigate the results. Interestingly, we did not find a direct response of MHb cholinergic neurons to pain stimulation. Further investigation identified the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) and the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) as key players in the pro-nociceptive effect of sleep deprivation. Stimulating the pathways connecting the MHb to the IPN and PVT alleviated the hyperalgesia. These results underscore the important role of MHb cholinergic neurons in modulating pain sensitivity linked to sleep deprivation, highlighting potential neural targets for mitigating sleep deprivation-induced hyperalgesia.
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