Identification of a novel spinal nociceptive-motor gate control for Aδ pain stimuli in rats.

ABSTRACT: Physiological responses to nociceptive stimuli are initiated within tens of milliseconds, but the corresponding sub-second behavioral responses have not been adequately explored in awake, unrestrained animals. A detailed understanding of these responses is crucial for progress in pain neurobiology. Here, high-speed videography during nociceptive Aδ fiber stimulation demonstrated engagement of a multi-segmental motor program coincident with, or even preceding, withdrawal of the stimulated paw. The motor program included early head orientation and adjustments of the torso and un-stimulated paws. Moreover, we observed a remarkably potent gating mechanism when the animal was standing on its hindlimbs and which was partially dependent on the endogenous opioid system. These data reveal a profoun

SUBMITTER: Blivis D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5470870 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature