title: Changes in responses of neurons in spinal and medullary subnucleus reticularis dorsalis to acupoint stimulation in rats with visceral hyperalgesia.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of acupoints sensitization phenomenon at the spinal and medulla levels. Experiments were performed on adult male Sprague-Dawley rats and visceral noxious stimuli was generated by colorectal distension (CRD). The activities of wide dynamic range (WDR) and subnucleus reticularis dorsalis (SRD) neurons were recorded. The changes of the reactions of WDR and SRD neurons to electroacupuncture (EA) on acupoints of "Zusanli-Shangjuxu" before and after CRD stimulation were observed. The results showed that visceral nociception could facilitate the response of neurons to acupoints stimulation. In spinal dorsal horn, EA-induced activation of WDR neurons further increased to 106.84 ± 17.33% (1.5 mA) (P < 0.001) and 42.27 ± 13.10% (6 mA) (P < 0.01) compared to the neuronal responses before CRD. In medulla oblongata, EA-induced activation of SRD neurons further increased to 63.28 ± 15.96% (1.5 mA) (P < 0.001) and 25.02 ± 7.47% (6 mA) (P < 0.01) compared to that before CRD. Taken together, these data suggest that the viscerosomatic convergence-facilitation effect of WDR and SRD neurons may underlie the mechanism of acupoints sensitization. But the sensitizing effect of visceral nociception on WDR neurons is stronger than that on SRD neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, 215 Zhongshan Road, Wuhan 430022, China ; Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Ling-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Pei-Jing
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Guang
authors.initials: QG
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ben
authors.affiliation: Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Wuhan Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, 215 Zhongshan Road, Wuhan 430022, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Fu
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Huang