AUTHOR=Yu Wenjun , Wu Xiaoyan , Chen Yunan , Liang Zhiying , Jiang Jinxiang , Misrani Afzal , Su Yun , Peng Yigang , Chen Jian , Tang Binliang , Sun Mengyao , Long Cheng , Shen Jun , Yang Li 

TITLE=Pelvic Pain Alters Functional Connectivity Between Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Hippocampus in Both Humans and a Rat Model

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/systems-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnsys.2021.642349

DOI=10.3389/fnsys.2021.642349

ISSN=1662-5137

ABSTRACT=The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and hippocampus (HIPP) are two key brain regions associated with pain and pain-related affective processing. However, whether and how pelvic pain alters the neural activity and connectivity of the ACC and HIPP under baseline and during social distress, and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, remain unclear. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) combined with electrophysiology and biochemistry, we show that pelvic pain, particularly, primary dysmenorrhea (PDM), causes an increase in the functional connectivity between ACC and HIPP in resting state fMRI, and a smaller reduction in connectivity during social exclusion in PDM females. Similarly, model rats demonstrate significantly increased ACC-HIPP synchronization in the theta and gamma bands, associating with reduced modulation by ACC-theta of HIPP-gamma and increased levels of receptor proteins and excitation. This study brings together human fMRI and animal research and enables improved therapeutic strategies for ameliorating pain and pain-related affective processing.