title: Anterior pretectal nucleus-induced modulatory effects on trigeminal brainstem somatosensory neurons.
abstract: This study examined the effects of anterior pretectal nucleus (APT) conditioning stimulation on the activity of 92 functionally identified somatosensory brainstem neurons in the trigeminal (V) subnuclei oralis, interpolaris and caudalis of anesthetized rats. Conditioning stimulation inhibited most of the nociceptive neurons and some of the non-nociceptive neurons; facilitation was observed only in some non-nociceptive neurons. These data indicate that the ATP has modulatory effects on both nociceptive and non-nociceptive V somatosensory neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ont., Canada.
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Dostrovsky
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Sessle
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006358:Hot Temperature; D008297:Male; D008465:Mechanoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014278:Trigeminal Nuclei / Q000502:physiology*; D014279:Trigeminal Nucleus, Spinal / Q000502:physiology; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000502:physiology*