Chronic blockade of sciatic nerve transmission by tetrodotoxin does not produce central changes in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord of the rat.
Rat sciatic nerves were treated with tetrodotoxin (TTX) for 4--10 days, by implanting a glass capillary tube filled with TTX into the nerve through the epineurium. Following this treatment the somatotopic organization of receptive fields in the L4 dorsal horn, an area of cord normally responding only to foot stimulation. The map was normal in animals treated with TTX. Dorsal horn levels of fluoride-resistant acid phosphatase, substance P, somatostatin, cholecystokinin-like peptide, neurotensin and neurophysin were also normal as assessed from density of staining. These results are discussed in the light of the positive changes that are seen following chronic sciatic nerve section.
D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005459:Fluorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology*
D013779:Tetrodotoxin; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D005459:Fluorides