Lateral septum GABAergic neurons mediate the effects of dexmedetomidine on allodynia and sleep in a male mouse model of neuropathic pain

Nat Commun. 2026 Jun 19. doi: 10.1038/s41467-026-74217-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Chronic pain and sleep disorders frequently co-occur and exacerbate each other, yet the neural mechanisms underlying this comorbidity remain poorly understood. Here, we found that hyperactivity of GABAergic neurons in the dorsal division of the lateral septum (LS^GABA) drives both pain-like behavior and sleep disruption induced by spared nerve injury (SNI) in male mice. We showed that systemic or local application of dexmedetomidine (DEX), with known sedative and analgesic properties, reduces LS^GABA hyperactivity via α₂A adrenergic receptor activation, alleviating pain-like behavior and sleep disruption. LS^GABA can project onto the glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in the lateral preoptic area (LPO), respectively. The LS^GABA→LPO^Glu circuit and the LS^GABA → LPO^GABA circuit contribute to mechanical allodynia and sleep disruption, respectively. Furthermore, LS α₂A adrenergic receptor plays an important role in DEX-regulated activity of LPO^GABA and LPO^Glu. Taken together, these findings reveal a shared neural substrate for chronic pain and sleep disorders and establish DEX as a potential treatment for this comorbidity through selective modulation of LS^GABA-driven circuits.

PMID:42315515 | DOI:10.1038/s41467-026-74217-3