title: The effect of intrathecal gabapentin on neuropathic pain is independent of the integrity of the dorsolateral funiculus in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates the contribution of inhibitory pain pathways that descend to the spinal cord through the dorsolateral funiculus (DLF) on the effect of intrathecal gabapentin against spinal nerve ligation (SNL)-induced behavioral hypersensitivity to mechanical stimulation in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were submitted to a sham or complete ligation of the right L5 and L6 spinal nerves and a sham or complete DLF lesion. Next, the changes induced by intrathecal administration of gabapentin on the paw withdrawal threshold of rats to mechanical stimulation were evaluated electronically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intrathecal gabapentin (200μg/5μl) that was injected 2 or 7days after surgery fully inhibited the SNL-induced behavioral hypersensitivity to mechanical stimulation in sham DLF-lesioned rats; gabapentin was effective against the SNL-induced behavioral hypersensitivity to mechanical stimulation also in DLF-lesioned rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effect of intrathecally administered gabapentin against SNL-induced behavioral hypersensitivity to mechanical stimulation in rats does not depend on the activation of nerve fibers that descend to the spinal cord via the DLF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 14049–900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Quintino Moura
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: João Walter Souza
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Gláucia Melo
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: Karina Abdo
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Ana Carolina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rossaneis
authors.forename: Rafael Sobrano
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Fais
authors.forename: Wiliam Alves
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Prado
mesh_terms: D000588:Amines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077206:Gabapentin; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D013127:Spinal Nerves / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000588:Amines; D000700:Analgesics; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin