Influence of temporomandibular joint pain on sleep patterns: role of nitric oxide.
Since nitric oxide is related to nociception and the sleep-wake cycle, this study sought to determine its involvement in the altered sleep pattern in a temporomandibular joint pain model by investigating the effect of the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (L-NAME) and that of its precursor (L-arginine). The temporomandibular joints of test animals were injected with Freund's adjuvant or saline, and their sleep was recorded. The procedure was repeated after the administration of L-NAME and L-arginine. L-NAME increased rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in the control group. The orofacial pain group showed a reduction in total sleep time and an increase in sleep latency compared with the SHAM group. L-NAME increased sleep time, non-rapid eye movement (NREM), and REM sleep and reduced sleep latency in the orofacial pain group. L-arginine did not alter sleep parameters. Thus, L-NAME improved sleep efficiency, whereas L-arginine did not modify it, suggesting the involvement of nitric oxide in painful temporomandibular joint conditions.
Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925 Vila Clementino SP-04024-002, SP, Brazil. tschutz@psicobio.epm.br
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D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000150:complications; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012894:Sleep Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000187:drug effects; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester