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Long-lasting neuronal activity in rat dorsal horn evoked by impulses in cutaneous C fibres during noxious mechanical stimulation

Schouenborg, Jens LU and Dickenson, Anthony (1988) In Brain Research 439(1-2). p.56-63
Abstract

The responses of 44 nociceptive neurones in the lumbar dorsal horn evoked by controlled mechanical stimulation of the skin, with or without conduction block in myelinated afferent fibres, were studied in the halothane-anaesthetized rat, in order to evaluate the effects of impulses in cutaneous nociceptive C fibres on dorsal horn neurones. Continuous non-noxious pinch of the skin evoked a short-latency discharge (mean latency 15 ms) in all the 13 class 2 neurones (i.e. neurones responding to both non-noxious and noxious stimulation of the skin) tested. The short-latency discharge was followed by weak prolonged activity in 6 neurones. Following noxious pinch of the skin a prominent late discharge (peak latency 150 ms-2 s) was evoked,... (More)

The responses of 44 nociceptive neurones in the lumbar dorsal horn evoked by controlled mechanical stimulation of the skin, with or without conduction block in myelinated afferent fibres, were studied in the halothane-anaesthetized rat, in order to evaluate the effects of impulses in cutaneous nociceptive C fibres on dorsal horn neurones. Continuous non-noxious pinch of the skin evoked a short-latency discharge (mean latency 15 ms) in all the 13 class 2 neurones (i.e. neurones responding to both non-noxious and noxious stimulation of the skin) tested. The short-latency discharge was followed by weak prolonged activity in 6 neurones. Following noxious pinch of the skin a prominent late discharge (peak latency 150 ms-2 s) was evoked, which in all but two class 2 neurones outlasted the stimulation period (5-10 s). The discharge evoked by noxious pinch in class 3 neurones (i.e. neurones responding to noxious stimulation only) did not usually outlast the stimulation period. In all but two nociceptive neurones tested (n = 26) the late activity evoked by noxious pinch remained, albeit at a lower frequency in some neurones, during a conduction block in A fibres2.3. Hence this late discharge is probably mainly generated by impulses in nociceptive C fibres. It is concluded that nociceptive C fibres have an important role in sustaining long-lasting activation of class 2 neurones during noxious stimulation of the skin and that long-lasting discharges in these neurones indicates tissue damage to their receptive fields.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
C fiber, Cutaneous afferent fiber, Dorsal horn, Pain, Spinal cord
in
Brain Research
volume
439
issue
1-2
pages
8 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:0023839128
  • pmid:3359199
  • scopus:0023839128
ISSN
1872-6240
DOI
10.1016/0006-8993(88)91461-8
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
cf128e01-b944-4e7a-9f70-a8c001556045
date added to LUP
2019-06-24 16:38:49
date last changed
2024-01-01 12:47:03
@article{cf128e01-b944-4e7a-9f70-a8c001556045,
  abstract     = {{<p>The responses of 44 nociceptive neurones in the lumbar dorsal horn evoked by controlled mechanical stimulation of the skin, with or without conduction block in myelinated afferent fibres, were studied in the halothane-anaesthetized rat, in order to evaluate the effects of impulses in cutaneous nociceptive C fibres on dorsal horn neurones. Continuous non-noxious pinch of the skin evoked a short-latency discharge (mean latency 15 ms) in all the 13 class 2 neurones (i.e. neurones responding to both non-noxious and noxious stimulation of the skin) tested. The short-latency discharge was followed by weak prolonged activity in 6 neurones. Following noxious pinch of the skin a prominent late discharge (peak latency 150 ms-2 s) was evoked, which in all but two class 2 neurones outlasted the stimulation period (5-10 s). The discharge evoked by noxious pinch in class 3 neurones (i.e. neurones responding to noxious stimulation only) did not usually outlast the stimulation period. In all but two nociceptive neurones tested (n = 26) the late activity evoked by noxious pinch remained, albeit at a lower frequency in some neurones, during a conduction block in A fibres<sup>2.3</sup>. Hence this late discharge is probably mainly generated by impulses in nociceptive C fibres. It is concluded that nociceptive C fibres have an important role in sustaining long-lasting activation of class 2 neurones during noxious stimulation of the skin and that long-lasting discharges in these neurones indicates tissue damage to their receptive fields.</p>}},
  author       = {{Schouenborg, Jens and Dickenson, Anthony}},
  issn         = {{1872-6240}},
  keywords     = {{C fiber; Cutaneous afferent fiber; Dorsal horn; Pain; Spinal cord}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{1-2}},
  pages        = {{56--63}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Brain Research}},
  title        = {{Long-lasting neuronal activity in rat dorsal horn evoked by impulses in cutaneous C fibres during noxious mechanical stimulation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(88)91461-8}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/0006-8993(88)91461-8}},
  volume       = {{439}},
  year         = {{1988}},
}