The neonatal injury-induced spinal learning deficit in adult rats: central mechanisms.
Previous research has shown that small injuries early in development can alter adult pain reactivity and processing of stimuli presented to the side of injury. However, the mechanisms involved and extent of altered adult spinal function following neonatal injury remain unclear. The present experiments were designed to 1) determine whether the effects of neonatal injury affect processing contralateral to the injury and 2) evaluate the role of cells expressing the NK1 receptor, shown to be involved in central sensitization in adults, in the negative effects of neonatal injury. The present findings indicate that the effects of neonatal injury are primarily isolated to the injured hind limb and do not result in a bilateral alteration in adult spinal function. In addition, the effects of neonatal injury appear to be partially dependent on cells expressing the NK1 receptor as ablating these cells at the time of injury or in adulthood results in attenuation of the neonatal injury-induced spinal learning deficit.
Department of Psychology, Kent State University, USA. e-young@tamu.edu
Erin E
EE
Young
Kyle M
KM
Baumbauer
Jessica E
JE
Hillyer
Ann Marie
AM
Patterson
Kevin C
KC
Hoy
Eric M
EM
Mintz
Robin L
RL
Joynes
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000187:drug effects; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects; D010812:Physical Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D000076985:Saporins; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013373:Substance P / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; D054789:Ribosome Inactivating Proteins, Type 1; C468274:substance P-saporin; D013373:Substance P; D000076985:Saporins