Nicole Mercer Lindsay

Layer 5 anterior cingulate cortical neurons engage dorsolateral periaqueductal gray excitatory neurons to facilitate the affective component of pain

The paper identifies a specific neural circuit between the ACC and dlPAG that facilitates the affective component of pain, showing its role in aversive behaviors beyond pain.

Opioid- and NMDA-receptor-dependent neural plasticity mediates long-term analgesia from motor cortical stimulation

This study shows that motor cortical stimulation induces long-term pain relief through opioid and NMDA-receptor-dependent neural plasticity in the rostral ventromedial medulla.

Opioid receptor architecture for the modulation of brainstem functions

The paper maps opioid receptor expression across brainstem circuits and identifies functional implications in respiratory and sensory pathways.