Publications

 I. Depression & Stress-Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders

• Lee Y, Son H, Kim G, Kim S, Lee DH, Roh GS, Kang SS, Cho GJ, Choi WS, Kim HJ.
Glutamine deficiency in the prefrontal cortex increases depressive-like behaviours in male mice.
Journal of Psychiatry & Neuroscience. 2013;38(3):183–191. (PMID: 23031251)
→ Demonstrated that cortical glutamine deficiency directly contributes to depressive-like behaviors, highlighting metabolic vulnerability in depression.

• Son H, Jung S, Shin JH, Kang MJ, Kim HJ.
Anti-stress and anti-depressive effects of spinach extracts on a chronic stress-induced depression mouse model.
Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2018;7(11):406. (PMID: 30384468)
→ Provided experimental evidence that dietary components can modulate stress resilience by regulating corticosterone and prefrontal glutamatergic metabolism.

• Son H, Baek JH, Jung DH, Sontakke SB, Chung HJ, Lee DH, Roh GS, Kang SS, Cho GJ, Choi WS, Lee DK, Kim HJ.
Glutamine has antidepressive effects through increments of glutamate and glutamine levels and glutamatergic activity in the medial prefrontal cortex.
Neuropharmacology. 2018;143:143–152. (PMID: 30266598)
→ Established glutamine as an active modulator of prefrontal glutamatergic signaling with antidepressant-like effects.

• Son H, Kim S, Jung DH, Baek JH, Lee DH, Roh GS, Kang SS, Cho GJ, Choi WS, Kim HJ.
Insufficient glutamine synthetase activity during synaptogenesis causes spatial memory impairment in adult mice.
Scientific Reports. 2019;9:252. (PMID: 30670758)
→ Identified a critical role of astrocytic glutamine synthetase during early development in shaping adult cognitive function.

• Son H, Baek JH, Kang JS, Jung S, Chung HJ, Kim HJ.
Acutely increased β-hydroxybutyrate plays a role in the prefrontal cortex to escape stressful conditions during the acute stress response.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 2021;554:19–24. (PMID: 33774275)
→ Identified β-hydroxybutyrate as a rapid metabolic signal in the prefrontal cortex facilitating adaptive behavioral responses to acute stress.

• Son H, Baek JH, Kang JS, Yoo DY, Chung HJ, Lee DK, Kim HJ.
Type 1 diabetes alters astrocytic properties related with neurotransmitter supply, causing abnormal neuronal activities.
(Journal information). 2015. (PMID: 25578257)
→ Demonstrated that chronic metabolic disease disrupts astrocytic neurotransmitter support, leading to abnormal neuronal activity.

• Baek JH, Son H, Kang JS, Yoo DY, Chung HJ, Lee DK, Kim HJ.
Long-term hyperglycemia causes depressive behaviors in mice with hypoactive glutamatergic activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, which is not reversed by insulin treatment.
Cells. 2022;11(24):4012. (PMID: 36552776)  Co-first author.
→ Demonstrated that chronic metabolic dysregulation induces persistent depressive phenotypes resistant to glycemic normalization.

II. Pain, Headache & Sensory Neuroscience

• Son H, Zhang Y, Shannonhouse J, Ishida H, Gomez R, Kim YS.
Mast-cell-specific receptor mediates alcohol-withdrawal-associated headache in male mice.
Neuron. 2024;112(1):113–123.e4. (PMID: 37909038)
→ Identified mast-cell MrgprB2 signaling as a key driver of alcohol-withdrawal-induced headache via trigeminal sensitization.

• Son H, Zhang Y, Shannonhouse J, Gomez R, Kim YS.
PACAP38/mast-cell-specific receptor axis mediates repetitive stress-induced headache in mice.
The Journal of Headache and Pain. 2024;25(1):87. (PMID: 38802819)
→ Revealed a PACAP38–mast cell pathway that links psychological stress to headache through trigeminovascular sensitization.

• Son H, Shannonhouse J, Zhang Y, Gomez R, Amarista F, Perez D, Ellis E, Chung MK, Kim YS.
Elucidation of neuronal activity in mouse models of temporomandibular joint injury and inflammation by in vivo GCaMP Ca²⁺ imaging of intact trigeminal ganglion neurons.
Pain. 2024;165(12):2794–2803. (PMID: 39365648)
→ Provided the first in vivo functional visualization of trigeminal ganglion neuronal sensitization in TMJ pain models.

• Alshanqiti I, Son H, Shannonhouse J, Hu J, Kumari S, Parastooei G, Raman S, Wang S, Ro JY, Kim YS, Chung MK.
Posttraumatic hyperalgesia and associated peripheral sensitization after temporomandibular joint injury in mice.
Pain. 2024;166(7):1597–1609. (PMID: 39715145) Co-first author.
→ Demonstrated that TMJ trauma induces persistent peripheral sensitization with modality- and sex-dependent features.

• Zhang Y, Son H, Shannonhouse J, Gomez R, Kim E, Ai CH, Chung MK, Platisa J, Pieribone VA, Kim YS.
In vivo Pirt-Marina voltage sensor imaging detects primary sensory neuron-specific voltage dynamics and neuronal plasticity changes.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. 2025;122(37):e2416712122. (PMID: 40938705)
→ Established genetically encoded voltage imaging as a robust approach to capture real-time sensory neuron activity and plasticity in vivo.

• Li T, Son H, Arora V, Shannonhouse J, Kumari S, Chang D, Caterina M, Kim YS, Chung MK.
Genetic identification of mouse trigeminal afferents responsible for mechanical allodynia.
Cell Reports. 2026;45(1):116803. (PMID: 41511877)  Co-first author.
→ Genetically defined mechanosensitive trigeminal afferent populations driving mechanical allodynia after nerve injury.