Differential modulation of the anterior cingulate and insular cortices on anxiogenic-like responses induced by empathy for pain

Autor(es)

Benassi-Cezar, Giovana ^{[1, 2]} ; Carmona, Isabela Miranda ^{[1, 3]} ; Baptista-de-Souza, Daniela ^{[1, 3]} ; Nunes-de-Souza, Ricardo Luiz ^{[4, 5, 3]} ; Canto-de-Souza, Azair ^{[5, 1, 2, 3]}

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] CECH Univ Fed Sao Carlos UFSCar, Dept Psychol, Psychobiol Grp, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Grad Program Psychol CECH UFSCar, Rod Washington Luis, Km 235, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[3] Joint Grad Program Physiol Sci UFSCar UNESP, Rod Washington Luis, Km 235, BR-13565905 Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Estadual Paulista UNESP, Sch Pharmaceut Sci, Lab Pharmacol, BR-14800903 Araraquara, SP - Brazil

^[5] Inst Neurosci & Behav, Av Cafe 2-450, BR-14050220 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Neuropharmacology; v. 192, JUL 1 2021.
• Citações Web of Science: 1

Resumo

Mice cohabiting with a conspecific in chronic pain display anxiogenesis in the elevated plus-maze (EPM). Given that the anterior cingulate (ACC) and insular (InC) cortices play a role in the modulation of anxiety, pain, and emotional contagion, we investigated (a) the FosB activation in both brain areas and (b) the effects of intra-ACC or -InC injection of cobalt chloride (CoCl2, a synaptic blocker), on the anxiety of mice cohabiting with a cagemate suffering pain. Twenty-one days after birth, male Swiss mice were housed in pairs for 14 days to establish familiarity. On the 14th day, mice were divided into two groups: cagemate sciatic nerve constriction (CNC; i.e., one animal of each pair was subjected to sciatic nerve constriction), and cagemate sham (CS; i.e., a similar procedure but without suffering nerve constriction). After that, both groups were housed again with the same pairs for the other 14 days. On the 28th day, mice had their brains removed for the immunoassays analyses (Exp. 1). For experiments 2 and 3, on the 23rd day, the cagemates received guide cannula implantation bilaterally in the ACC or InC and, on the 28th day, they received local injections of saline or CoCl2, and then were exposed to the EPM. Results showed that cohabitation with a conspecific with chronic pain decreases and increases neuronal activation (FosB) within the ACC and InC, respectively. Intra-ACC or InC injection of CoCl2 reversed the anxiogenic effect in those animals that cohabited with a conspecific in chronic pain. ACC and InC seem to modulate anxiety induced by emotional contagion in animals cohabitating with a conspecific suffering pain. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/25409-0 - Mecanismos neurobiológicos subjacentes à lateralidade funcional do córtex pré-frontal medial nas reações de defesa induzidas pelo estresse de derrota social em camundongos
• Beneficiário: Ricardo Luiz Nunes de Souza
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 15/00006-4 - Empatia para dor: uma abordagem comportamental, neuroquímica e hormonal
• Beneficiário: Daniela Baptista de Souza
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado