Dissection of a cortical microcircuit for the processing of pain affect

Informazioni relative al progetto

CorPain

ID dell’accordo di sovvenzione: 682905

DOI

10.3030/682905

Progetto chiuso

Data della firma CE 20 Giugno 2016

Data di avvio 1 Settembre 2016

Data di completamento 31 Agosto 2021

Finanziato da

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Costo totale

€ 1 928 125,00

Contributo UE

€ 1 928 125,00

Coordinato da

UNIVERSITAET BERN
Switzerland

Periodic Reporting for period 4 - CorPain (Dissection of a cortical microcircuit for the processing of pain affect)

Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-03-01 al 2021-08-31

Sintesi del contesto e degli obiettivi generali del progetto

Chronic pain is a major health issue. It is estimated that about 20% of the adult European population suffer from some form of chronic pain. This pathological condition severely impacts quality of life and it is often associated with further symptoms like sleep disturbances, lack of motivation, anxiety and depression. The emotional and affective components during the development of chronic pain are poorly understood and difficult to treat.
We are investigating the cellular mechanisms that lead to the chronification of pain and the development of emotional disturbances in a preclinical model. We are particularly interested in the anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region that is involved in in emotional and affective pain processing. This brain region is consistently activated during nociception and it becomes hyperactive in chronic pain. We would like to understand which changes occur during the transition to chronic pain on the level of single neurons and of neuronal networks. Then we would like to associate these changes to anxiety and depression and suggest novel treatment strategies.

Lavoro eseguito dall’inizio del progetto fino alla fine del periodo coperto dalla relazione e principali risultati finora ottenuti

We have longitudinally followed the activity patterns of identified neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex and found changes in their activity pattern that are consistent with changes in their electrophysiological properties in the chronic pain state.

Progressi oltre lo stato dell’arte e potenziale impatto previsto (incluso l’impatto socioeconomico e le implicazioni sociali più ampie del progetto fino ad ora)

By the end of the project we will have a detailed mechanistic understanding what network changes occur during the transition to chronic pain and we will propose novel treatment strategies for this condition.

Fluorescence image of neurons in the ACC and the corresponding spontaneous activity.