title: Electrophysiological characterisations of rat lamina I dorsal horn neurones and the involvement of excitatory amino acid receptors.
abstract: Lamina I of the spinal cord plays a key role in sensory transmission between afferent activity and the CNS. Studies have shown lamina I neurones to have distinct response properties compared to deep dorsal horn neurones, but little is known regarding excitatory amino acid mechanisms in their responses. Spinal electrophysiological recordings of lamina I neurones confirmed that the majority of these neurones (74%) are nociceptive specific (NS) in their responses, of which 18% can be termed polymodal nociceptive (HPC) (13% of the total population). The remainder (26%) were wide dynamic range. Lamina I neurones had smaller mechanical and heat-evoked responses compared to deeper dorsal horn neurones. The electrically evoked responses were also smaller, with a distinct lack of an NMDA-mediated 'wind-up' effect. NBQX (AMPA receptor antagonist, 0.5, 5, 50 microg/50 microl) produced dose-dependent inhibitions of the electrically evoked neuronal responses, but APV (NMDA receptor antagonist, 50, 100, 500 microg/50 microl) had minimal effects on their responses. These results implicate mainly AMPA receptors in the responses of lamina I neurones. Bicuculline (GABA(A) receptor antagonist, 0.5, 5, 50 microg/50 microl) demonstrated a role exerted by GABA(A) receptors in the control of A-delta fibre-mediated mechanical responses in lamina I. Overall, this study describes a high threshold, AMPA receptor possessing population of lamina I neurones, which seem to lack functional NMDA receptors, and are partially controlled by GABA(A) receptor activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT London, UK.
authors.forename: Lucinda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Seagrove
authors.forename: Rie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Anthony H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Dickenson
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018756:GABA Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D036421:Nerve Fibers, Unmyelinated / Q000502:physiology; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000502:physiology*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D018756:GABA Antagonists; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; C062865:2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D001640:Bicuculline