title: The effect of intrathecal galanin on the flexor reflex in rat: increased depression after sciatic nerve section.
abstract: The effect of intrathecal galanin (GAL) on the hamstring flexor reflex to sural nerve stimulation was compared in rats with intact and unilaterally sectioned sciatic nerves. GAL had a biphasic effect on the flexor reflex in rats with intact nerves, including facilitation, facilitation followed by depression and pure depression, in a dose-dependent manner. In axotomized rats, the depressive effect of GAL was significantly increased, occurring at lower drug concentrations. Furthermore, the degree of depression was significantly stronger with a more rapid onset after nerve section. It is concluded that along with an increase in GAL-like immunoreactivity in primary afferents, the inhibitory function of this neuropeptide is enhanced following axotomy. This functional change may be due to both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology and Physiology, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge, Sweden.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wiesenfeld-Hallin
authors.forename: X J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Villar
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hökfelt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000502:physiology; D004576:Electromyography; D019004:Galanin; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D010455:Peptides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D019004:Galanin