Regular physical activity reduces the percentage of spinally projecting neurons that express mu-opioid receptors from the rostral ventromedial medulla in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Regular physical activity/exercise is an effective nonpharmacological treatment for individuals with chronic pain. Central inhibitory mechanisms, involving serotonin and opioids, are critical to analgesia produced by regular physical activity. The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) sends projections to the spinal cord to inhibit or facilitate nociceptive neurons and plays a key role in exercise-induced analgesia.

Objective

The goal of these studies was to examine if regular physical activity modifies RVM-spinal cord circuitry.

Methods

Male and female mice received Fluoro-Gold placed on the spinal cord to identify spinally projecting neurons from the RVM and the nucleus raphe obscurus/nucleus raphe pallidus, dermorphin-488 into caudal medulla to identify m

SUBMITTER: Sluka KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7717783 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature