Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Chen, Haichao
• Bleimeister, Isabel H.
• Nguyen, Eileen K.
• Li, Jie
• Cui, Abby Yilin
• Stratton, Harrison J.
• Smith, Kelly M.
• Baccei, Mark L.
• Ross, Sarah E.

Titel

The functional and anatomical characterization of three spinal output pathways of the anterolateral tract

Ist Teil von

• Cell reports (Cambridge), 2024-03, Vol.43 (3), p.113829-113829, Article 113829

Ort / Verlag

United States: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• The nature of spinal output pathways that convey nociceptive information to the brain has been the subject of controversy. Here, we provide anatomical, molecular, and functional characterizations of two distinct anterolateral pathways: one, ascending in the lateral spinal cord, triggers nociceptive behaviors, and the other one, ascending in the ventral spinal cord, when inhibited, leads to sensorimotor deficits. Moreover, the lateral pathway consists of at least two subtypes. The first is a contralateral pathway that extends to the periaqueductal gray (PAG) and thalamus; the second is a bilateral pathway that projects to the bilateral parabrachial nucleus (PBN). Finally, we present evidence showing that activation of the contralateral pathway is sufficient for defensive behaviors such as running and freezing, whereas the bilateral pathway is sufficient for attending behaviors such as licking and guarding. This work offers insight into the complex organizational logic of the anterolateral system in the mouse. [Display omitted] •The anterolateral pathway includes two tracts: a lateral and a ventral pathway•The lateral pathway consists of two subpathways: a bilateral and a contralateral pathway•The three anterolateral pathways mediate distinct nociceptive and sensorimotor behaviors Chen et al. identify three subclasses within the anterolateral pathway that have different anatomical and physiological properties and mediate distinct nociceptive and sensorimotor behaviors.