Document Type

Journal Article

Department/Unit

School of Chinese Medicine

Title

Neonatal maternal separation increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor and tyrosine kinase receptor B expression in the descending pain modulatory system

Language

English

Abstract

Neonatal maternal separation (NMS) could trigger long-term changes in the central neuronal responses to nociceptive stimuli in rats. Stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia is closely associated with the dysfunction of descending pain modulatory systems. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) not only has an important role in long-term synaptic plasticity but also in facilitating descending pain. The present study aimed to investigate changes in the expression of BDNF and its receptor tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) in the amygdala and the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) after NMS and colorectal distention (CRD) stimulation in rats. Male Wistar rat pups were subjected to 180 min of daily NMS or not handled for 13 consecutive days. Expression of BDNF and TrkB following NMS and CRD stimulation was determined using immunohistochemistry. The results revealed an increase in the expression of BDNF and TrkB in the amygdala after NMS. An interactive effect of NMS and CRD on the expression of TrkB, but not BDNF, was found in the RVM. Furthermore, a significant interactive effect of NMS and CRD on the colocalization coefficient of TrkB and phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase expression in both the amygdala and RVM were found. These data demonstrate that NMS increases BDNF and TrkB expression in the descending pain systems, which may contribute to the development of NMS-induced visceral hyperalgesia. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG.

Keywords

Amygdala, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor, Colorectal distention, Neonatal maternal separation, Rostral ventromedial medulla, Tyrosine kinase receptor B

Publication Date

2009

Source Publication Title

Neurosignals

Volume

17

Issue

3

Start Page

213

End Page

221

Publisher

Karger

DOI

10.1159/000224631

Link to Publisher's Edition

http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000224631

ISSN (print)

1424862X

ISSN (electronic)

14248638

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