美国圣路易斯华盛顿大学Jose A. Morón、Meaghan C. Creed等研究人员合作发现，疼痛诱导腹侧被盖区多巴胺神经元的适应性来驱动快感缺乏症样行为。2021年10月18日，《自然—神经科学》杂志在线发表了这项成果。

研究人员发现，在啮齿动物中，炎症性疼痛降低了腹侧被盖区（VTA）多巴胺（DA）神经元的活性，而DA是动机状态的关键媒介。疼痛增加了吻内侧被盖核对VTA DA神经元的抑制张力，使它们的兴奋性降低。此外，DA神经元的活动减少与自然奖励的动机减少有关，与快感缺乏症样行为一致。选择性地激活VTA DA神经元足以恢复基线动机和对自然奖励的情感反应。这些发现表明，VTA DA神经元内疼痛诱导的适应性是快感缺乏症样行为的基础。

据悉，疼痛中负面情绪的持续存在导致了共同的症状，如快感缺乏症和抑郁症——这是美国的主要健康问题。这些行为适应所依据的神经元回路和特定细胞群的贡献仍然是未知的。负面情绪的一个共同特征是启动和完成目标导向行为的动机减少，被称为快感缺乏症。

附：英文原文

Title: Pain induces adaptations in ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons to drive anhedonia-like behavior

Author: Markovic, Tamara, Pedersen, Christian E., Massaly, Nicolas, Vachez, Yvan M., Ruyle, Brian, Murphy, Caitlin A., Abiraman, Kavitha, Shin, Jung Hoon, Garcia, Jeniffer J., Yoon, Hye Jean, Alvarez, Veronica A., Bruchas, Michael R., Creed, Meaghan C., Morn, Jose A.

Issue&Volume: 2021-10-18

Abstract: The persistence of negative affect in pain leads to co-morbid symptoms such as anhedonia and depression—major health issues in the United States. The neuronal circuitry and contribution of specific cellular populations underlying these behavioral adaptations remains unknown. A common characteristic of negative affect is a decrease in motivation to initiate and complete goal-directed behavior, known as anhedonia. We report that in rodents, inflammatory pain decreased the activity of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine (DA) neurons, which are critical mediators of motivational states. Pain increased rostromedial tegmental nucleus inhibitory tone onto VTA DA neurons, making them less excitable. Furthermore, the decreased activity of DA neurons was associated with reduced motivation for natural rewards, consistent with anhedonia-like behavior. Selective activation of VTA DA neurons was sufficient to restore baseline motivation and hedonic responses to natural rewards. These findings reveal pain-induced adaptations within VTA DA neurons that underlie anhedonia-like behavior.

DOI: 10.1038/s41593-021-00924-3

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-021-00924-3