title: The role of the central nucleus of the amygdala in nociception and aversion.
abstract: The role of the central nucleus of the amygdala in nociception--conditioned and unconditioned aversion--was studied. Rats received microinjection of vehicle or the N-type Ca2+ channel blocker omega-conotoxin GVIA (0.2 microg/250 nl) into the central amygdaloid nucleus prior to intra-plantar injection of formalin, ultrasound exposure or immediately prior to the acquisition phase of an aversive conditioning trial. Intra-amygdala omega-conotoxin GVIA resulted in an earlier onset of nociceptive response to formalin and increased nociceptive behaviour during the first 5 min. Omega-conotoxin GVIA significantly reduced conditioned freezing behaviour with no effect on ultrasound-induced unconditioned aversive behaviour. These data indicate that N-type Ca2+ channels in the central amygdaloid nucleus play a role in mediating behavioural responses to nociceptive and conditioned aversive stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, UK. david.finn@nottingham.ac.uk
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Finn
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chapman
authors.forename: Maulik D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Jhaveri
authors.forename: Sudip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Samanta
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Manders
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marsden
authors.forename: Simon R G
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Beckett
mesh_terms: D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007103:Immobilization / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA