Conditional CB1R knockout in mPFC CaMKIIα neurons

This experiment involved generating conditional knockout mice to specifically delete CB1R from CaMKIIα neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex. Using CB1R-floxed mice crossed with appropriate Cre lines, the researchers created animals lacking CB1R specifically in mPFC excitatory neurons while preserving CB1R expression in other brain regions. The functional consequences of this selective deletion were assessed using behavioral pain testing in the chronic constriction injury model. The study examined how loss of CB1R in this specific neuronal population affects mechanical allodynia and cannabinoid-induced analgesia differently in male and female mice. This approach allowed for precise dissection of the role of CB1R in the mPFC-vlPAG circuit in sex-specific pain modulation.