Extended Data Fig. 2: VTADA neurons modulate hyperalgesia and anxiodepression-like behaviors in neuropathic pain.
a, Upper, schematic of the injection of Cre-dependent chemogenetic inhibition virus (GFP) into the lateral VTA of TH-Cre mice. Lower, representative trace of AP recording from VTADA neurons in response to CNO application. b, Representative micrograph showing the co-localization of GFP and TH-staining in the VTA. Scale bar, 500 μm. c–g, Statistics of mechanical (c) and thermal (d) pain, OFT (e), EPM (f), and DLB (g) behaviors of the chemogenetic inhibitory group and control mice (Von Frey, cold/hot plate, and OFT: Control, n = 9; hM4Di, n = 10; EPM: Control, n = 11; hM4Di, n = 10 mice; DLB: Control, n = 8; hM4Di, n = 10 mice). h, Left, schematic showing the injection of chemogenetic activation virus into the VTA of TH-Cre mice with SNI. Right, representative trace of AP recording of VTADA neurons in response to CNO application. i-o, Statistics of mechanical (i) and thermal (j) pain, OFT (k), EPM (l), DLB (m), SPT (n), and FST (o) behaviors of the chemogenetic excitatory group and control virus-injected mice with SNI (Von Frey: Control, n = 8; hM4Di, n = 8; Cold/Hot plate: Control n = 13, hM4Di n = 15; EPM: Control, n = 8; hM4Di, n = 8; OFT: Control, n = 9; hM4Di, n = 10 mice; DLB: Control n = 8; hM4Di n = 9 mice, SPT and FST: Control n = 7, hM4Di n = 7 mice). The data are presented as the mean ± s.e.m. Unpaired Student’s t-test, *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001. Detailed statistics information can be found in the Source Data.
