Do dorsal root reflexes augment peripheral inflammation?
Efferent activity was recorded in knee joint afferents in response to mechanical stimulation of the hindlimb following induction of acute arthritis. The activity was abolished by application of lidocaine or crushing the nerve proximally and by dorsal rhizotomy but not by sympathectomy. It was concluded that this activity represents dorsal root reflexes in response to natural stimulation of the hindlimb. We propose that increased activity of articular afferents and of dorsal horn neurons during arthritis results in the pathological activation of the central terminals of primary afferents by enhancing primary afferent depolarization. Dorsal root reflexes could then release substances in the knee joint and thus contribute to the acute inflammatory response.
Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550-0843.
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Rees
K A
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Sluka
K N
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Westlund
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Willis
D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002351:Carrageenan; D003714:Denervation; D005528:Foot; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007616:Kaolin; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009409:Nerve Crush; D011312:Pressure; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D013643:Tarsus, Animal
D007616:Kaolin; D002351:Carrageenan; D008012:Lidocaine