title: Selective blockade by yohimbine of locus coeruleus-induced inhibition of nociceptive reflex but not that of C responses of spinal dorsal horn neurons in rats.
abstract: The effect of alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (Yoh) on locus coeruleus (LC)-induced spinal antinociception was investigated in 18 anesthetized Wistar rats. Stimulation of LC markedly inhibited both nociceptive reflex of the posterior biceps semitendinosus (PBST) muscle and C responses of 16 wide-dynamic range (WDR) neurons of the dorsal horn. Application of Yoh (0.2%, 5-10 microliters) to the surface of spinal cord at L3-4 attenuated the LC-induced inhibition of nociceptive reflex without affecting that of C responses of 10 WDR neurons that were tested in 6 rats. The results suggested that LC may exert its inhibitory action on the nociceptive reflex via alpha 2 adrenoceptors somewhere other than the WDR neurons in the spinal dorsal horn.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Brain Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Z Q
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D000344:Afferent Pathways; D000818:Animals; D004576:Electromyography; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D015016:Yohimbine