Topic: valence processing

Patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are thought to experience less pain, which is largely based on subjective caregiver or clinician reports of blunted behavioral expression in response to painful stimuli. But recent studies suggest that physiological responses (heart rate, cortisol levels, etc.) to noxious stimuli are heightened compared to neurotypical individuals. The neural valence system is a network of interconnected brain regions that integrates downward sensory stimuli with upward signals reflecting the current physiological state

The Dorsal Raphe Nucleus (DRN) is the largest of the serotonergic nuclei, but it also comprises a wide variety of neuronal subpopulations, including dopaminergic cells (DRNDA) and astrocytes, which may represent a source of local DRN modulation. The DRN participates in a wide range of behavioral responses related to the processing of aversive stimuli, leading to anxiety state. While the role of DRN5-HT and DRNDA in valence processing is emerging, the contribution of DRN astrocytes (DRNAstro), as well as the underpinning cellular mechanisms, remain elusive. Unpublished data from the lab indicat