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The Barker Lab

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Piscataway, NJ, 08854
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Exploring the world of Drugs, Emotion, and Addiction

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The Barker Lab

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A new preprint with our collaborator Dr. Elyssa Margolis of UCSF is now available

December 18, 2020 David Barker
Biorxiv capture.JPG

Our latest preprint with Dr. Elyssa Margolis just went live this week at BioRxiv. In this paper we demonstrate that mu opioid receptors in the lateral habenula are important for driving pain relief and negative reinforcement. Moreover, we demonstrate for the first time that the primary input to the lateral habenula responsible for this pain relief is the lateral preoptic area (LPO) of the hypothalamus.

LPO-LHB projection.png

Neurons in the LPO responsible for signaling pain are glutamatergic, and these neurons appear to become sensitized in a mouse model of chronic pain. However, these signals can be blocked by inhibition at presynaptic mu opioid receptors. What is particularly exciting about this story is that the lateral preoptic- lateral habenula pathway can drive pain relief, but does not appear to support positive reinforcement and may therefore be an important target for driving pain relief without the liability for opioid addiction.

← Senior Ashley Crawley Featured by the Rutgers School of Arts and SciencesThe Barker Lab's First Pre-print is Live! →

© David J. Barker 2018, All rights reserved