# Somatosensory corticospinal neurons as a biomarker for mind-body pain management strategies

> **NIH NIH F32** · BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2021 · $70,458

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Neuropathic pain is an important public health issue compromising quality of life, where non-
conventional treatments like electrical stimulation, cannabis, or meditation have emerged as
promising strategies for chronic pain management. Yet despite attempts to establish standardized
regiments, efficiency remains highly variable. It is evident current empirical observation is
insufficient for conclusive evaluation of these milder treatments on individualized pain perception,
which may be masked by dynamic changes in mental states such as attention and mood. This
limitation precipitates the need for identification and leverage of new mechanistic biomarkers.
Recent evidence from Drs. Zhigang He and Clifford Woolf at Boston Children's Hospital revealed
a key top-down regulator in processing light touch, somatosensory cortex (S1) corticospinal
neurons (CSNs), which become sensitized following nerve injury. As one of the most prominent
cerebral cortical cells with direct descending axonal projections to the spinal cord, CSNs could be
the missing link between mental states and spinal tactile processing. Thus, the objective of this
proposal is to investigate S1 CSNs as a biomarker for monitoring tactile sensitivity and their role
in pain-reducing strategies. More specifically, we intend to monitor S1 CSN functional activity in
parallel with behavioral sensitivity while probing direct corticocortical circuitry or applying
neuromodulatory treatments following spared nerve injury, a reproducible neuropathic pain
animal model. Preliminary evidence mapping S1 CSN cortical connectivity indicates the existence
of both proximal and distal pre-synaptic connections in three discrete regions: primary motor
cortex (M1), secondary somatosensory cortex (S2), and retrosplenial cortex (RSC). While M1 and
S2 have been linked to tactile sensation, the RSC displays a more broadly documented role in
polymodal sensory and cognitive computation. Thus, our proposed aims intend to investigate the
functional contribution of 1) proximal inhibitory connections and 2) distal pre-synaptic projections,
as well as 3) characterize the impact of epidural electrical stimulation or cannabidiol (CBD)
administration on S1 CSN activity and behavioral sensitivity. To address these aims, we will use
viral tracers or Cre mouse lines in combination with optogenetic stimulation and functional calcium
imaging. Study outcomes will address light touch sensory processing in the cortex and evaluate
the potential of S1 CSNs as a biomarker for pain management strategies. In addition, this support
will contribute directly to the technical and scientific knowledge development of a next generation
neuroscientist, thereby fostering career growth towards independent research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10329901
- **Project number:** 5F32AT011155-02
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Jessica Page
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $70,458
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10329901

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10329901, Somatosensory corticospinal neurons as a biomarker for mind-body pain management strategies (5F32AT011155-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10329901. Licensed CC0.

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