Characteristics and consequences of subcellular calcium signalling in spinal neurons and glia in chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain (A05)

• Subject Area: Epidemiology and Medical Biometry/Statistics
• Term: from 2015 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 255156212

Activity-induced intracellular Ca2+ signaling plays an invaluable role in processes that control persistent adaptations within the CNS. Indeed, Ca2+ signaling in spinal cord neurons, astrocytes, and microglia is strongly implicated in maladaptive pain plasticity. In this study, we will investigate the spatiotemporal features of synaptic activity-triggered Ca2+ signals in distinct subcellular compartments within spinal neuroglial networks, determine whether and how they are altered in chronic pain, and investigate how nuclear Ca2+ signals contribute to the development and maintenance of structural plasticity and nociceptive hypersensitivity in persistent pain models.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1158: From nociception to chronic pain: Structure-function properties of neural pathways and their reorganisation
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Co-Applicant Institution: Max-Planck-Institut für medizinische Forschung
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Hilmar Bading; Dr. Rolf Sprengel