Effects of morphine upon the lamina V type cells activities in the dorsal horn of the decerebrate cat

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(76)90942-2

Brain Research

Volume 113, Issue 2, 27 August 1976, Pages 293-310

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(76)90942-2 Get rights and content

Summary

The effects of morphine (2 mg/kg i.v.) upon the transmission of nociceptive messages at the spinal level have been investigated in decerebrate cats by studying its effects on the activities of lamina V dorsal horn interneurons.

In contrast to previous results obtained on the spinal cat³³, morphine had little or no effects on lamina V type cells in the decerebrate preparation. The mean values for spontaneous activity and responses to natural noxious stimulation were practically identical before and after morphine administration. Moreover, no significant depressive effect was found on responses induced by supramaximal transcutaneous stimulation. However, for this type of activity a depressive effect was revealed, if only the late component of units which presented bimodal responses were considered.

We were unable to demonstrate after morphine administration an increase of the descending inhibitory effects induced on lamina V cells by stimulation of the central inferior nucleus of the raphe.

Additional experiments using reversible spinalization (by cooling the cord at the thoracic level) suggest that the lack of effect of morphine on decerebrate animals could be explained by the fact that in this preparation, descending inhibitory influences are strongly exacerbated and thus may mask the depressive effects of this drug.

These results indicate that the direct electrophysiological evidence of an increase of the descending control systems after morphine administration must be performed in the intact preparation in order to avoid the effects of their exacerbation in the decerebrate state.

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Effects of morphine upon the lamina V type cells activities in the dorsal horn of the decerebrate cat

Summary

Brain Research

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Pain

Neuropharmacology

Jap. J. Pharmacol.

Int. J. Neuropharmacol.

Brain Research

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Brain Research

Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol.

Brain Research

Pain

Brain Research

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Jap. J. Pharmacol.

Behav. Biol.

Europ. J. Pharmacol.

Jap. J. Pharmacol.

Epx. Neurol.

Neuropharmacology

Comparison chez le rat entre l'analgésie induite par stimulation de la substance grise peri-acqueducale et l'analgésie morphinique

C.R. Acad. Sci. (Paris)

The brain stem of the cat: a cytoarchitectonic atlas with stereotaxic coordinates

Modification of dorsal horn cell activities in the spinal cord, after intra-arterial injection of bradykinin

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

Effects of phenoperidine on lamina V cells in the cat dorsal horn

J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther.

Descending inhibitory influences exerted by the brainstem upon the activities of dorsal horn lamina V cells induced by intra-arterial injection of bradykinin into the limbs

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

The raphe nuclei of the brain stem in the cat. II. Efferent connections

J. comp. Neurol.

Effects of descending impulses on transmission through the spinocervical tract

J. Physiol. (Lond.)