Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis (BNST) circuits

Centanni, Samuel W.; Brown, Jennifer; Williford, Kellie M.; Flook, Elizabeth A.; Luchsinger, Joseph R.; Winder, Danny G.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-823453-2.00011-4

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…vBNST has been found to contain multiple cell type populations beyond excitatory/inhibitory populations, such as enkephalin (ENK) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), nociceptin (NOC), and neuropeptide Y (NPY). which are important for anxiety-like behaviors ( 29 – 33 ). To evaluate the NTS-innervated vBNST subpopulation neurons that potentially play a role in pharyngeal inflammation–induced anxiety behaviors, we conducted immunofluorescence staining after injected AAV2/1-Cre-EGFP into the NTS and AAV-DIO-EGFP into the vBNST in C57 mice ( SI Appendix , Fig.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A pharynx-to-brain axis controls pharyngeal inflammation–induced anxiety

Zhao,

Zhang,

Dong

et al. 2024

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Anxiety is a remarkably common condition among patients with pharyngitis, but the relationship between these disorders has received little research attention, and the underlying neural mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that the densely innervated pharynx transmits signals induced by pharyngeal inflammation to glossopharyngeal and vagal sensory neurons of the nodose/jugular/petrosal (NJP) superganglia in mice. Specifically, the NJP superganglia project to norepinephrinergic neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS NE ). These NTS NE neurons project to the ventral bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (vBNST) that induces anxiety-like behaviors in a murine model of pharyngeal inflammation. Inhibiting this pharynx→NJP→NTS NE →vBNST circuit can alleviate anxiety-like behaviors associated with pharyngeal inflammation. This study thus defines a pharynx-to-brain axis that mechanistically links pharyngeal inflammation and emotional response.

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