Optogenetic Activation of Non-Nociceptive Aβ Fibers Induces Neuropathic Pain-Like Sensory and Emotional Behaviors after Nerve Injury in Rats

CL:0000101 functionally connects to CL:0000540 · Rat

Electrical stimulation of the L4 dorsal root with suction and monopolar electrodes evoked monosynaptic EPSCs in lamina II dorsal horn neurons; latency differences gave conduction velocities of ~19.5 m/s for the light-responsive (Aβ) input, and separate groups at ~6.2 m/s (n = 11) and ~0.54 m/s (n = 13) corresponding to Aδ and C fibers in light-unresponsive neurons.

Fig. 3B–E

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

CL:0000101 functionally connects to CL:0000540 · Rat

After peripheral nerve injury, light stimulation of the dorsal root produced large polysynaptic EPSCs in 9 of 10 recorded lamina I dorsal horn neurons, with significantly larger light-evoked EPSC amplitudes than in naive slices, and drove action potential firing in five neurons at resting potential.

Fig. 5B,C; Results, 'Excitation of Lamina I SDH neurons by optogenetic Aβ fiber stimulation after PNI'

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

CL:0000101 functionally connects to CL:0000540 · Rat

In spinal cord slices with attached L4 dorsal root from ChR2 transgenic rats, blue light applied to the dorsal root evoked monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic currents in lamina II dorsal horn neurons; the afferents driving these responses conducted at about 19.5 m/s (SEM 1.7, n = 17 fibers), within the Aβ range, and light pre-stimulation blocked the electrically evoked Aβ response, confirming that light drives these fibers.

Fig. 3B,E,F; Results, 'Stimulation of primary afferent Aβ fibers by light'

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

CL:0000101 functionally connects to CL:0000540 · Rat

In spinal slices from naive (uninjured) transgenic rats, optical stimulation of the dorsal root failed to evoke EPSCs in lamina I neurons, although the same cells responded to electrical stimulation of Aδ and C fibers, indicating no functional Aβ input to lamina I under normal conditions.

Fig. 5B,C

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