Motor activity induces release of serotonin in the dorsal horn of the rat lumbar spinal cord.
Literature highlights that serotonergic descending pathways are implicated in somatosensory functions in the spinal cord and that serotonin (5-HT) in the dorsal horn might play a role in motor function through proprioceptive feedback. We hypothesized that 5-HT release in dorsal horn might represent an important factor in the completion of locomotion by facilitation of the spinocerebellar tract and/or by modulation of spinal reflex pathways. The present study demonstrates that during locomotor activity, 5-HT is released in layers II, III, IV, V of Rexed. Microdialysis in combination with HPLC was used to measure concentrations of neurotransmitters in the lumbar dorsal horn before, during, and after a treadmill running exercise. Our results show a significant 41% increase of 5-HT release within the dorsal horn during the exercise. 5-HT release is temporally related to exercise. The present study demonstrates that dorsal horn 5-HT release might modulate locomotion.
Gerin
Christine
C
Institut des Neurosciences de Montpellier, INSERM U-583, Montpellier, France. cgerin@uic.edu
Teilhac
Jean-Rene
JR
Smith
Kristin
K
Privat
Alain
A
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis / Q000379:methods; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid