Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SENSO-CIGUA (Neurobiology of sensory disturbances induced by ciguatoxins)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-09-01 bis 2022-08-31
There is no specific or effective treatment for ciguatera sensory disturbances. They greatly affect the quality of life, especially when they last for weeks, months or even years, associated with chronic fatigue. In areas endemic for ciguatera, the dietary eviction and marketing ban of the most incriminated seafood species make ciguatera a significant public health and economic concern.
The overall objective of the SENSO-CIGUA project is to better understand the neural mechanisms by which ciguatoxins induce these sensory disturbances in order to ultimately find out bases for specific treatment(s).
We also sought to identify subpopulations of sensory neurons targeted by ciguatoxin, whose better understanding could contribute to increasing knowledge of the neural mechanisms of ciguatera and beyond, abnormal cold-induced pain and itch.
We also investigated in mice and sensory neurons the ability of ciguatoxin to sensitize -i.e. to increase responses or decrease response thresholds of- receptors and ion channels involved in pain and itch.