Functional imaging of the rat cervical spinal cord.
OBJECTIVE
To examine functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the rat cervical spinal cord using painful stimulation.


METHODS
fMRI of the rat cervical spinal cord was performed at 9.4 T. Stimuli included injection of 25 microL of capsaicin (128 microg/mL in 7.5% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)) into the right dorsal forepaw and electrical stimulation (15 V, 0.3 msec, 3 Hz) of the left dorsal forepaw.


RESULTS
Activation in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, which is known to be associated with the transmission of pain, was found in all rats (N = 4) following injection of capsaicin into the dorsal forepaw. It was possible to reproduce the pain response in a given animal several times throughout the course of an experiment, provided that sufficient time was allowed between capsaicin injections. Regions of the spinal cord associated with motor and pain response were observed in functional imaging experiments involving subcutaneous electrical stimulation of the dorsal forepaw.


CONCLUSIONS
Spinal fMRI using electrical stimulation and capsaicin-induced painful stimulation can be a useful tool in an animal model of pain and injury.
Malisza
Krisztina L
KL
National Research Council, Institute for Biodiagnostics, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Kris.malisza@nrc.ca
Stroman
Patrick W
PW
D000344:Afferent Pathways; D000818:Animals; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005552:Forelimb / Q000294:innervation; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D002211:Capsaicin