2021
Conditional RAC1 knockout in motor neurons restores H-reflex rate-dependent depression after spinal cord injury
Benson CA, Olson KL, Patwa S, Reimer ML, Bangalore L, Hill M, Waxman SG, Tan AM. Conditional RAC1 knockout in motor neurons restores H-reflex rate-dependent depression after spinal cord injury. Scientific Reports 2021, 11: 7838. PMID: 33837249, PMCID: PMC8035187, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-87476-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpinal cord injuryDendritic spine dysgenesisMotor neuronsSpine dysgenesisSCI animalsHyperexcitability disordersCord injurySpinal alpha motor neuronsVentral horn motor neuronsAbnormal dendritic spine morphologyRac1 knockoutH-reflex pathwayRate-dependent depressionAlpha motor neuronsDevelopment of spasticityAdeno-associated viralMushroom dendritic spinesSpine head sizeOverall spine lengthDendritic spine morphologyRac1 protein expressionNeuronal hyperexcitabilityMajor complicationsClinical symptomsReflex excitability
2020
Dendritic Spine Dynamics after Peripheral Nerve Injury: An Intravital Structural Study
Benson CA, Fenrich KK, Olson KL, Patwa S, Bangalore L, Waxman SG, Tan AM. Dendritic Spine Dynamics after Peripheral Nerve Injury: An Intravital Structural Study. Journal Of Neuroscience 2020, 40: 4297-4308. PMID: 32371602, PMCID: PMC7252482, DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2858-19.2020.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDendritic spine dynamicsInjury-induced painPeripheral nerve injuryNeuropathic painDorsal hornSpine dynamicsNerve injuryPeripheral nerve injury-induced painNerve injury-induced painSuperficial dorsal horn neuronsSpinal cord dorsal hornDorsal horn neuronsSuperficial dorsal hornMechanisms of painDendritic spine dysgenesisContext of injuryPostmortem tissue analysisSame dendritic branchRepeat imagingMale miceMedical conditionsEffective treatmentPainSpine dysgenesisDendritic spines
2019
Spinal cord motor neuron plasticity accompanies second‐degree burn injury and chronic pain
Patwa S, Benson CA, Dyer L, Olson K, Bangalore L, Hill M, Waxman SG, Tan AM. Spinal cord motor neuron plasticity accompanies second‐degree burn injury and chronic pain. Physiological Reports 2019, 7: e14288. PMID: 31858746, PMCID: PMC6923170, DOI: 10.14814/phy2.14288.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSecond-degree burn injuryCentral nervous systemBurn injuryDrug withdrawalMajor public health challengeMotor neuron plasticityDendritic spine densityAlpha motor neuronsInjury-induced changesDendritic spine dysgenesisNervous system traumaDendritic spine changesPublic health challengeThermal burn injurySpinal cord sensoryDendritic spine morphologyMotor neuron structureChronic painSpine densitySystem traumaNeuron plasticitySpinal cordIntractable complicationMotor neuronsSensory disorders
2016
Dendritic spine remodeling following early and late Rac1 inhibition after spinal cord injury: evidence for a pain biomarker
Zhao P, Hill M, Liu S, Chen L, Bangalore L, Waxman SG, Tan AM. Dendritic spine remodeling following early and late Rac1 inhibition after spinal cord injury: evidence for a pain biomarker. Journal Of Neurophysiology 2016, 115: 2893-2910. PMID: 26936986, PMCID: PMC4922610, DOI: 10.1152/jn.01057.2015.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSpinal cord injuryNeuropathic painDendritic spine dysgenesisDendritic spinesCord injurySpine dysgenesisDorsal horn neuronsSpine profilesDendritic spine remodelingEffective clinical translationSensory dysfunctionSignificant complicationsNociceptive systemPain biomarkersSpine remodelingClinical conditionsPreclinical studiesRac1 activityEffective treatmentPainDrug responsivenessStructural biomarkersDisease statesRac1 inhibitionBiomarkers