Varenicline-mediated cholinergic activation through α4β2 nAChR inhibits microglial neuroinflammation and alleviates neuropathic pain and depression following spinal cord injury - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #neuropathic pain
- #spinal cord injury
- #varenicline
- Varenicline, an α4β2 nAChR agonist, alleviates neuropathic pain and depression after spinal cord injury (SCI) by enhancing cholinergic activity and inhibiting microglial neuroinflammation.
- In a rat T3 SCI model, varenicline pretreatment improved impaired cholinergic neurotransmission and α4β2 nAChR expression, while reducing microglia/macrophage activation and neuroinflammation.
- The treatment suppressed calcitonin gene-related peptide afferent fiber sprouting in the spinal dorsal horn, reduced pain hypersensitivity, and improved negative emotional aspects of depression.
- Varenicline also promoted immune balance by improving the Th1/Th2 ratio after SCI, offering a potential therapeutic strategy for pain-depression comorbidity.