A prefrontal peptidergic circuit for psychogenic itch

BLA (Basolateral amygdalar nucleus) MBA:295 projects to PL (Prelimbic area) MBA:972 · Mouse

Retrograde Cre-dependent GFP virus injected into the mPFC of GRP-Cre mice retrogradely labelled GRP neurons in the basolateral amygdala, showing a BLA GRPergic projection to the mPFC.

Fig. 3A-B

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.

VM (Ventral medial nucleus of the thalamus) MBA:685 functionally connects to PL (Prelimbic area) MBA:972 · Mouse

ChR2 was expressed in VM GRP neurons and light was delivered through a fibre placed over the mPFC; stimulation of these VM axon terminals in the mPFC produced significantly more scratching than in mCherry controls, indicating a functional GRPergic VM-to-mPFC pathway.

Fig. 3F

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.

VM (Ventral medial nucleus of the thalamus) MBA:685 projects to PL (Prelimbic area) MBA:972 · Mouse

A Cre-dependent retrograde AAV expressing GFP was injected into the mPFC of GRP-Cre mice; GFP-labelled GRP-expressing cell bodies were found in the ventromedial thalamus, indicating that this nucleus sends GRPergic axons to the mPFC.

Fig. 3A-B

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.

CA1 (Field CA1) MBA:382 functionally connects to PL (Prelimbic area) MBA:972 · Mouse

Light activation of ChR2-expressing GRP terminals from ventral CA1 in the mPFC did not change scratching relative to controls; since only behaviour, not mPFC neuronal activity, was measured, the functional efficacy of this anatomically present pathway remains unresolved.

Fig. 3H

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.

CA1 (Field CA1) MBA:382 projects to PL (Prelimbic area) MBA:972 · Mouse

The same Cre-dependent retrograde tracing from the mPFC in GRP-Cre mice labelled GRP-expressing somata in ventral CA1, identifying vCA1 as one of three sources of GRP input to the mPFC.

Fig. 3A-B

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.

BLA (Basolateral amygdalar nucleus) MBA:295 functionally connects to PL (Prelimbic area) MBA:972 · Mouse

Optogenetic activation of ChR2-expressing GRP terminals arising from the BLA within the mPFC increased scratching compared with control virus, showing a functional GRPergic BLA-to-mPFC pathway.

Fig. 3G

Made by an AI model reading the paper (claude-opus-5, extract@0.3.0); a second AI model (claude-opus-5) agrees.