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Substantia gelatinosa neurones hyperpolarized in vitro by enkephalin

Substantia gelatinosa neurones hyperpolarized in vitro by enkephalin The sensation of pain is carried to the central nervous system by small-diameter fibres which terminate in the superficial layers of the spinal grey matter, particularly the substantia gelatinosa1. Opiate drugs administered into the substantia gelatinosa inhibit the excitation of deeper dorsal horn neurones by noxious peripheral stimuli while sparing the responses to other sensations such as touch2. It has been suggested that opiates impair the release of the transmitter from the small-diameter nociceptive fibres3,4 but it is also possible that opiates directly depress the responses of cells in the substantia gelatinosa which serve as interneurones in the pain pathway5–7. We have made intracellular recordings from substantia gelatinosa neurones in a slice of rat spinal cord, and report here that morphine and enkephalin directly hyperpolarize substantia gelatinosa cells by opening membrane K+ channels. This inhibitory action of exogenous morphine provides a likely cellular mechanism for its analgesic properties. Moreover, enkephalin is an endogenous constituent of some cells of the substantia gelatinosa8,9, where it is concentrated within terminals making synaptic contacts with other cell bodies and dendrites10,11. The present findings thus strongly suggest that enkephalin serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter within the substantia gelatinosa. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Nature Springer Journals

Substantia gelatinosa neurones hyperpolarized in vitro by enkephalin

Yoshimura, Megumu; North, R. Alan
Nature , Volume 305 (5934) – Oct 6, 1983
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References (18)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 by Nature Publishing Group
Subject
Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, multidisciplinary; Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, multidisciplinary; Science, multidisciplinary
ISSN
0028-0836
eISSN
1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/305529a0
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The sensation of pain is carried to the central nervous system by small-diameter fibres which terminate in the superficial layers of the spinal grey matter, particularly the substantia gelatinosa1. Opiate drugs administered into the substantia gelatinosa inhibit the excitation of deeper dorsal horn neurones by noxious peripheral stimuli while sparing the responses to other sensations such as touch2. It has been suggested that opiates impair the release of the transmitter from the small-diameter nociceptive fibres3,4 but it is also possible that opiates directly depress the responses of cells in the substantia gelatinosa which serve as interneurones in the pain pathway5–7. We have made intracellular recordings from substantia gelatinosa neurones in a slice of rat spinal cord, and report here that morphine and enkephalin directly hyperpolarize substantia gelatinosa cells by opening membrane K+ channels. This inhibitory action of exogenous morphine provides a likely cellular mechanism for its analgesic properties. Moreover, enkephalin is an endogenous constituent of some cells of the substantia gelatinosa8,9, where it is concentrated within terminals making synaptic contacts with other cell bodies and dendrites10,11. The present findings thus strongly suggest that enkephalin serves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter within the substantia gelatinosa.

Journal

Nature – Springer Journals

Published: Oct 6, 1983

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