Optogenetic and Chemogenic Control of Pain Signaling: Molecular Markers.

Pain is a complex experience that involves physical, emotional, and cognitive aspects. This review focuses specifically on the physiological processes underlying pain perception, with a particular emphasis on the various types of sensory neurons involved in transmitting pain signals to the central nervous system. Recent advances in techniques like optogenetics and chemogenetics have allowed researchers to selectively activate or inactivate specific neuronal circuits, offering a promising avenue for developing more effective pain management strategies.

Dopaminergic presynaptic modulation of nigral afferents: its role in the generation of recurrent bursting in substantia nigra pars reticulata neurons.

PREVIOUS WORK HAS SHOWN THE FUNCTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVATION OF DOPAMINE PRESYNAPTIC RECEPTORS IN SOME SUBSTANTIA NIGRA PARS RETICULATA (SNR) AFFERENTS: (i) striatonigral terminals (direct pathway) posses presynaptic dopamine D(1)-class receptors whose action is to enhance inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) and GABA transmission. (ii) Subthalamonigral terminals posses D(1)- and D(2)-class receptors where D(1)-class receptor activation enhances and D(2)-class receptor activation decreases excitatory postsynaptic currents. Here we report that pallidonigral afferents posses D(2)-class receptors (D(3) and D(4) types) that decrease inhibitory synaptic transmission via presynaptic modulation.