title: Effects of repeated tooth pulp stimulation on concentrations of plasma catecholamines, corticosterone, and glucose in rats.
abstract: In this study, we examined whether tooth pulp stimulation (TPS) affects the stress responses in anesthetized rats. As for stress response indices, we monitored changes in the concentrations of plasma catecholamines (CAs) (adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine), corticosterone (CS), and glucose (Glu). We observed that repeated TPS attenuated plasma adrenaline, dopamine, CS, and Glu levels compared with those of sham-TPS. After administering naloxone, an opioid antagonist, repeated TPS reversed the decreases in plasma CAs, CS, and Glu. These findings showed that the effects of repeated TPS may be mediated by endogenous opioid administration. Our findings suggest that repeated TPS can induce stress-analgesia and that an endogenous descending pain modulation system exists.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hada
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Kousuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Honda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D003782:Dental Pulp / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000097:blood; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002395:Catecholamines; D009270:Naloxone; D004298:Dopamine; D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine
keywords: Catecholamines,; Corticosterone,; Descending pain modulation,; Glucose,; Tooth pulp stimulation