title: Brain and spinal cord neuropeptides in adjuvant induced arthritis in rats.
abstract: The concentrations of brain and spinal cord beta-endorphin, met-enkephalin, dynorphin and substance P were measured in rats bearing the Freund adjuvant induced arthritis. Beta-endorphin brain concentrations decreased gradually in time with a nadir on day twenty-one, when arthritis was at its maximum, and were back to normal by day thirty-five, when arthritis was no more evident. Met-enkephalin concentrations increased in brain areas and in the lumbar spinal cord and returned to normal with the same time pattern, while dynorphin and substance P concentrations did not change. These data indicate that peripheral lesions can induce important changes in brain concentrations of some opioid peptides involved in the modulation of pain.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004399:Dynorphins / Q000378:metabolism; D004723:Endorphins / Q000378:metabolism; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism*; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D001615:beta-Endorphin
chemical_list: D004723:Endorphins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D013373:Substance P; D004744:Enkephalin, Methionine; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D004399:Dynorphins