title: Touch gives new life: mechanosensation modulates spinal cord adult neurogenesis.
abstract: The ability to respond to a wide range of novel touch sensations and to habituate upon repeated exposures is fundamental for effective sensation. In this study we identified adult spinal cord neurogenesis as a potential novel player in the mechanism of tactile sensation. We demonstrate that a single exposure to a novel mechanosensory stimulus induced immediate proliferation of progenitor cells in the spinal dorsal horn, whereas repeated exposures to the same stimulus induced neuronal differentiation and survival. Most of the newly formed neurons differentiated toward a GABAergic fate. This touch-induced neurogenesis reflected the novelty of the stimuli, its diversity, as well as stimulus duration. Introducing adult neurogenesis as a potential mechanism of response to a novel stimulus and for habituation to repeated sensory exposures opens up potential new directions in treating hypersensitivity, pain and other mechanosensory disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shechter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baruch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rolls
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002452:Cell Count; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D004777:Environment; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000166:cytology; D013997:Time Factors; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000089622:Doublecortin Domain Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine