Activation of the VpdmVGLUT1-VPM pathway contributes to anxiety-like behaviors induced by malocclusion

Ji, Yuan-Yuan and Liu, Xin and Li, Xin and Xiao, Yi-Fan and Ma, Teng and Wang, Jian and Feng, Yue and Shi, Juan and Wang, Mei-Qing and Li, Jin-Lian and Lai, Jiang-Hua (2022) Activation of the VpdmVGLUT1-VPM pathway contributes to anxiety-like behaviors induced by malocclusion. Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, 16. ISSN 1662-5102

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Abstract

Occlusal disharmony has a negative impact on emotion. The mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (Vme) neurons are the primary afferent nuclei that convey proprioceptive information from proprioceptors and low-threshold mechanoreceptors in the periodontal ligament and jaw muscles in the cranio-oro-facial regions. The dorsomedial part of the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus (Vpdm) and the ventral posteromedial nucleus (VPM) of thalamus have been proven to be crucial relay stations in ascending pathway of proprioception. The VPM sends numerous projections to primary somatosensory areas (SI), which modulate emotion processing. The present study aimed to demonstrate the ascending trigeminal-thalamic-cortex pathway which would mediate malocclusion-induced negative emotion. Unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) model created by disturbing the dental occlusion was applied. Tract-tracing techniques were used to identify the existence of Vme-Vpdm-VPM pathway and Vpdm-VPM-SI pathway. Chemogenetic and optogenetic methods were taken to modulate the activation of VpdmVGLUT1 neurons and the Vpdm-VPM pathway. Morphological evidence indicated the involvement of the Vme-Vpdm-VPM pathway, Vpdm-VPM-SI pathway and VpdmVGLUT1-VPM pathway in orofacial proprioception in wild-type mice and vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGLUT1): tdTomato mice, respectively. Furthermore, chemogenetic inhibition of VpdmVGLUT1 neurons and the Vpdm-VPM pathway alleviated anxiety-like behaviors in a unilateral anterior crossbite (UAC) model, whereas chemogenetic activation induced anxiety-like behaviors in controls and did not aggravate these behaviors in UAC mice. Finally, optogenetic inhibition of the VpdmVGLUT1-VPM pathway in VGLUT1-IRES-Cre mice reversed UAC-induced anxiety comorbidity. In conclusion, these results suggest that the VpdmVGLUT1-VPM neural pathway participates in the modulation of malocclusion-induced anxiety comorbidity. These findings provide new insights into the links between occlusion and emotion and deepen our understanding of the impact of occlusal disharmony on brain dysfunction.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: STM Open Press > Medical Science
Depositing User: Unnamed user with email support@stmopenpress.com
Date Deposited: 23 Mar 2023 06:41
Last Modified: 12 Sep 2024 04:18
URI: http://journal.submissionpages.com/id/eprint/718

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