LIFU Alleviates Neuropathic Pain by Improving the KCC2 Expression and Inhibiting the CaMKIV–KCC2 Pathway in the L4–L5 Section of the Spinal Cord

This study investigates the use of low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) to treat neuropathic pain (NP) in rats with peripheral nerve injury (PNI). LIFU is a non-invasive technique that can modulate the central nervous system. The researchers found that LIFU stimulation of the spinal cord in rats with PNI reduced pain behavior and increased the expression of a protein called KCC2, which is important for nerve cell inhibition. The study suggests that LIFU may alleviate neuropathic pain by affecting the CaMKIV-KCC2 pathway, a signaling pathway involved in pain processing in the spinal cord.

• 1
  LIFU stimulation alleviated mechanical allodynia in PNI model rats, as indicated by increased PWT50 values after 3 weeks of LIFU treatment compared to the LIFU− group.
• 2
  LIFU stimulation increased the KCC2 expression in the L4–L5 spinal cord section, suggesting that LIFU can upregulate KCC2 expression in the spinal cord.
• 3
  LIFU stimulation reduced the expression of CaMKIV and p-CREB in the L4–L5 spinal cord section of PNI rats, but did not affect the expression of p-ERK1/2.