Glial activation and nociceptive neuropeptide elevation associated with the development of chronic post-traumatic headache following repetitive blast exposure
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: • Repeated bTBI leads to chronic post-traumatic headache associated behaviors. • PTH after bTBI linked to microglial activation and decreased astrocyte reactivity. • Elevated nociceptive neuropeptides seen after repeated bTBI at a chronic timepoint. • This suggests glial cells and nociceptive neuropeptides work in tangent in PTH pathology after bTBI. Chronic headaches and pain are prevalent in those who are exposure to blast events, yet there is a gap in fundamental data that identifies the pathological mechanism for the chronification of pain. Blast-related post-traumatic headaches (PTH) are understudied and chronic pain behaviors in preclinical models can be vital to help elucidate PTH mechanisms. The descending pain modulatory system controls pain perception and involves specific brain regions such as the cortex, thalamus, pons, and medulla. In this study, male rats were exposed to repeated blast events to induce traumatic brain injury (bTBI) and subsequently assessed for the development of PTH by testing for chronic pain behaviors and examining the neuropathology of the descending pain pathway. The results demonstrated that facial hypersensitivity developed as early as week two following bTBI and persisted throughout the study (12 weeks). Depressive-like behaviors were observed at 12 weeks following bTBI, and these behaviors were associated with neuropathologies such as microglia ramification and neuropeptide elevation (Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide, CGRP; Substance P, SP). Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that bTBI causes the activation of microglia and elevation of neuropeptides, which contribute to the development of chronic PTH behaviors.
Source: Neurobiology of Pain
Institutions: Virginia Tech, Salem VA Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,040
OpenAlex ID: W4405851167