Early life inflammation is associated with spinal cord excitability and nociceptive sensitivity in human infants

Maria M. Cobo, Gabrielle Green, Foteini Andritsou, Luke Baxter, Ria Evans Fry, Annika Grabbe, Deniz Gursul, Amy Hoskin, Gabriela Schmidt Mellado, Marianne Vaart, Eleri Adams, Aomesh Bhatt, Franziska Denk, Caroline Hartley and Rebeccah Slater ()
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Maria M. Cobo: University of Oxford
Gabrielle Green: University of Oxford
Foteini Andritsou: University of Oxford
Luke Baxter: University of Oxford
Ria Evans Fry: University of Oxford
Annika Grabbe: Paracelsus Medical University
Deniz Gursul: University of Oxford
Amy Hoskin: University of Oxford
Gabriela Schmidt Mellado: University of Oxford
Marianne Vaart: University of Oxford
Eleri Adams: University of Oxford
Aomesh Bhatt: University of Oxford
Franziska Denk: King’s College London
Caroline Hartley: University of Oxford
Rebeccah Slater: University of Oxford

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Immune function and sensitivity to pain are closely related, but the association between early life inflammation and sensory nervous system development is poorly understood—especially in humans. Here, in term-born infants, we measure brain activity and reflex withdrawal activity (using EEG and EMG) and behavioural and physiological activity (using the PIPP-R score) to assess the impact of suspected early-onset neonatal infection on tactile- and noxious-evoked responses. We present evidence that neonatal inflammation (assessed by measuring C-reactive protein levels) is associated with increased spinal cord excitability and evoked brain activity following both tactile and noxious stimulation. There are early indications that this hyperalgesia could be maintained post-inflammation, supporting pre-clinical reports of early-life immune dysfunction influencing pain sensitivity in adults.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31505-y

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