Acid-Sensing Ion Channels and Synaptic Plasticity: A Revisit
Tian-Le Xu, Long-Jun Wu in Nonclassical Ion Channels in the Nervous System, 2021
The insular cortex is an integrating forebrain structure involved in several sensory and cognitive functions, such as interoception79, taste memory80, and pain perception81. Notably, multiple forms of synaptic plasticity have been identified in insular slices of adult mice, including a long-lasting protein synthesis-dependent later-phase LTP, LFS-induced electrical LTD, and DHPG-evoked chemical LTD64,66. Of particular relevance, our recent work illustrated the function of ASIC1a in the two forms of insular LTD, without any contribution to the induction of LTP (Table 2.1). Moreover, ASIC1a-mediated LTD was shown to be important for the extinction of acquired taste aversion memory (Figure 2.3). Further experiments suggest that ASIC1a acts through activation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β signaling via an ion conductance-dependent mechanism82.
Development of palliative medicine in the United Kingdom and Ireland
Eduardo Bruera, Irene Higginson, Charles F von Gunten, Tatsuya Morita in Textbook of Palliative Medicine and Supportive Care, 2015
True compassion with nonattachment to outcome builds resilience and keeps us from burning out. Gonzalez describes mindful leaders as doing their best each and every moment of the day, under the circumstances. They understand the importance and value of self-compassion, because they know that without taking care of themselves, their ability to serve and to perform at a high level is not sustainable [86, p. 7]. Being compassionate requires self-awareness, which can be developed in part through mindfulness meditation. The combination of self-awareness and self-compassion leads us to being aware of when a work situation involves our need to take extra time for ourselves to reflect and grieve. Self-awareness and self-compassion also involve our recognizing that in order to continue to be involved in this type of service, we need to be aware of our own ongoing needs for self-care. Shanafelt et al. [45] found that medical residents who were sufficiently attentional to their own needs to engage in self-care activities, including relationships, work attitudes, religious/spiritual practice, personal philosophies, and strategies related to job-life balance, were able to care for their patients in a sustainable way with greater compassion, sensitivity, effectiveness, and empathy. Neuroscience research has shown that part of the brain that is connected to our ability to connect to our own physical processes (the insular cortex) is associated with the ability to be attuned to the somatic and affective processes of others. So, by paying attention and caring for our own needs, we are better able to care for the needs of others [89].
Giacomo Rizzolatti (b. 1937)
Andrew P. Wickens in Key Thinkers in Neuroscience, 2018
Another interesting development has been the demonstration that mirror neurons are also important for recognising and understanding emotion – otherwise known as empathy. For example, in one fMRI study, subjects were introduced to an odor of rotten eggs that caused activation of neurons in the anterior insular cortex as well as cingulate cortex. When the subjects were then shown images of disgusted faces, this too produced activation of the insular cortex (Wicker et al. 2003). Similarly, observing or imaging other people’s pain has been shown to activate neural circuits known to be involved in the experience of pain itself. According to Rizzolatti, this explains why you “feel” an actor’s emotion or start smiling in response to a happy person. Empathy is an emotion that many psychologists believe is not just crucial for successful human interaction but also defines us as human beings. If Rizzolatti is correct, then this vital component of human social behaviour is something we don’t have to think about – we automatically react by experiencing another person’s emotion. Not surprisingly, this work has also generated considerable interest in determining whether dysfunction of mirror neuron circuits in the brain may underlie disorders such as Autism where empathy and social competence are compromised.
The effect of insular cortex lesion on hyperacusis-like behavior in rats
Published in International Journal of Neuroscience, 2020
Minoo Karimi, Farinaz Nasirinezhad, Ali Shahbazi, Shohreh Jalaei, Helnaz Mokrian, Saeid Farahani
Although, the role of insular cortex on ASR potentiation following fear conditioning has been reported in the previous studies, it seems that the mechanisms whereby insular cortex mediates this regulatory process on fear conditioning are different from hyperacusis. A study was conducted using potentiation of ASR after acquisition and retrieval of conditioning to neutral stimuli. It has shown that the lesion of caudal insular cortex before conditioning disrupted learning process and subsequently prevented ASR potentiation in rats, while had no effect on fear induced ASR potentiation after conditioning learning [50]. In present study, insular lesion potentiates ASR in normal rats at least in stimuli without background noise, while have reported to prevents ASR potentiation in fear conditioning studies. Insular cortex as a multimodal heterogeneous cortex receives many inputs from subcortical and cortical areas and sends many output fibers to different areas with various emotional, sensorimotor and cognitive functions. It is not surprising that insular lesion results in different effects on ASR in normal or fear conditioned rats. In contrary to studies on fear conditioning which the possible regulatory pathways and related mechanisms of insular cortex have been investigated [51], especially the importance of reciprocal connections of insula with amygdala, the special role of insular cortex in hypersensitivity to sounds or hyperacusis needs to be studied further.
Utilization of manual therapy to the lumbar spine in conjunction with traditional conservative care for individuals with bilateral lower extremity complex regional pain syndrome: A case series
Published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 2020
Zachary Walston, Luis Hernandez, Dale Yake
Patients with CRPS suffer from alterations in central and peripheral nervous system processing leading to decreased pain pressure threshold and increased temporal summation of pain (Enax-Krumova et al., 2017). Manipulation has been shown to reduce cerebral activity in pain processing areas. This reduction was seen in the insular cortex as well, leading to a reduction in subjective reporting of pain (Bishop et al., 2015). Lumbar manipulation has been shown to reduce pain perception of lower extremities through inhibition of temporal summation (Bialosky, Bishop, Robinson, and George, 2010). This finding is similar to many studies showing changes in pain sensitivity following manual therapy, including manipulation and mobilization of joints proximal to the subjective complain of pain (Bialosky et al., 2009; Bishop, Beneciuk, and George, 2011; Coronado et al., 2012; Fernández-Carnero, Fernández-de-las-Peñas, and Cleland, 2008; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, Pérez-de-Heredia, Brea-Rivero, and Miangolarra-Page, 2007; George et al., 2006; Millan, Leboeuf-Yde, Budgell, and Amorim, 2012; Voogt et al., 2015). Affecting the subjective and emotional response to pain can potential lead to a reduction in fear avoidant behavior and subsequent increase in activity level.
Drug discovery and development for fibromyalgia using practical biomarkers throughout the process from relevant animal models to patients
Published in Expert Opinion on Drug Discovery, 2023
Yukinori Nagakura, Hidetoshi Tozaki-Saitoh, Hiroshi Takeda
Studies using brain imaging technologies have demonstrated that alterations in functional brain networks are involved in the pathophysiology of FM [22]. Resting-state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fcMRI) is a neuroimaging technology that investigates the strength of functional connectivity between various brain regions [23]. A study using this technology showed that patients with FM have a greater connectivity between the default mode network (i.e. a network of interacting brain regions that is active during rest) and insular cortex (a region associated with pain processing) compared to healthy subjects [24]. Another study showed that the connectivity between the insular cortex and cingulate cortex (a region involved in pain perception) was more strengthened in patients with FM compared to control subjects [25]. It is possible that such altered functional connectivities between the brain regions known to participate in pain perception/modulation (e.g. insular cortex) are related to the chronic pain symptoms in patients with FM [25].