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The Journal of Neuroscience, May 15, 1998, 18(10):3529-3536
Morphine Administered in the Substantia Gelatinosa of the Spinal
Trigeminal Nucleus Caudalis Inhibits Nociceptive Activities in the
Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus Oralis
Radhouane
Dallel,
Christian
Dualé, and
Jean-Louis
Molat
Laboratoire de Physiologie Oro-Faciale, Faculté de Chirurgie
Dentaire, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
The present study investigates the effects of morphine
microinjection into the spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis (Sp5C) or the spinal trigeminal nucleus oralis (Sp5O) on C-fiber-evoked activities of Sp5O convergent neurons, after supramaximal percutaneous electrical stimulation in halothane-anesthetized rats.
When it was microinjected into the Sp5O, morphine (2.5 µg in 0.25 µl) never depressed the C-fiber-evoked responses of Sp5O convergent
neurons (n = 13), whereas these neurons were
responsive to the inhibitory effects of systemic morphine (6 mg/kg,
i.v.) in a naloxone-reversible manner. On the contrary, morphine
microinjected into the Sp5C produced a naloxone-reversible inhibition
of the C-fiber-evoked responses of Sp5O neurons (n = 14). The magnitude and the time course of this effect varied
according to the location of the injection sites. After microinjection
into the superficial laminae (n = 7), a strong
depressive effect of morphine (7 ± 5% of control) on the
C-fiber-evoked responses was apparent as soon as 5 min after the
injection and could always be reversed by naloxone, administered either
intravenously (0.4 mg/kg) or locally (2.5 µg in 0.6 µl) at the same
site as morphine. After microinjection into deeper laminae (V-VI), a
significant depressive effect (34 ± 5% of control) of morphine
could be detected only 20 min after the injection and was reversed only
by intravenous administration of naloxone.
These results suggest that morphine exerts its antinociceptive action
on Sp5O convergent neurons by blocking the C-fiber inputs that relay in
the Sp5C substantia gelatinosa. The mechanisms that underlie the
activation of Sp5O convergent neurons by C-fibers and the inhibition of
C-fiber-evoked responses of Sp5O convergent neurons by morphine
microinjected into the Sp5C are discussed.
Key words:
nociception; trigeminal; substantia gelatinosa; convergent neuron; C-fiber; rat
Copyright © 1998 Society for Neuroscience 0270-6474/98/18103529-08$05.00/0
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