Deciphering the Role of the Nucleus Accumbens Shell Area on Spatial Memory Deficits Induced by Neuropathic Pain in Rats

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024-06-12

Authors

Mariana Cerqueira-Nunes (Author) FMUP; Clara Monteiro (Author) FMUP; Vasco Galhardo (Author) FMUP; Helder Cardoso-Cruz (Author) FMUP

Journal

The Journal is awaiting validation by the Administrative Services.

Title: Applied Biosciences

Vol. 3 No. 2

Pages: 283-295

ISSN: 2813-0464

Indexing

Scopus - 0 Citations

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Health sciences ; Health sciences > Neuroscience

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Associated Projects

2022.05193.PTDC - Circuitos dopaminérgicos de codificação de hábitos e dependência em modelos animais de dor crónica

MEMORYSTIM - Modulação optogenética da sinalização GABAérgica e dopaminérgica do córtex préfrontal para a reversão de défices cognitivos relacionados com dor crónica

POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028498 - Codificação de sinais de recompensa em populações neuronais do circuito dopaminérgico: estudo optogenético dos correlatos neuronais de decisão e expectativa

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-010-NWT

DOI: 10.3390/applbiosci3020019

Abstract (EN): The nucleus accumbens shell (NAcSh) is a major structure associated with distinct aspects of reward and mnemonic information encoding, relying on spatial data to define optimal behavioral strategies. Chronic pain-derived striatal plasticity is considered one underpinning cause of working memory (WM) impairments. However, it is unclear how the NAcSh is involved in these spatial deficits. To address this, we evaluated the impact of unilateral local NAcSh electrical lesions during the execution of a food-reinforced eight-shaped spatial alternation WM task. Behavioral performance was assessed in rats after the onset of the neuropathic pain model¿spared nerve injury (SNI). Our findings indicate that the induction of SNI and/or NAcSh lesions did not significantly impact the animals¿ performance accuracy or motor activity during the execution of the behavioral task, but altered their response latency patterns. In addition, these manipulations did not induce significant antinociceptive effects. Collectively, these results suggest that the NAcSh may participate in specific aspects of spatial information integration and processing under neuropathic pain conditions. © 2024 by the authors.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12