Recent Findings from Xi'an Jiaotong University Highlight Research in Pain (Activation of the glutamatergic cingulate cortical-cortical connection facilitates pain in adult mice).

A recent study conducted at Xi'an Jiaotong University explored the cortical-cortical connection between the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the brain and its role in pain perception. The researchers found that there is a direct synaptic projection from one side of the ACC to the contralateral ACC, and glutamate is the major excitatory transmitter for this connection. Activation of the ACC-ACC connection facilitated behavioral withdrawal responses to mechanical stimuli and noxious heat, while inhibiting this connection reduced hyperalgesia in an animal model of neuropathic pain. These findings provide evidence for the contribution of the ACC-ACC connection to pain perception and suggest potential therapeutic targets for chronic pain treatment. [Extracted from the article]