Neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius mediate the acupuncture analgesia in visceral pain rats.

Authors :: Liu K
Gao XY
Li L
Ben H
Qin QG
Zhao YX
Zhu B
Source :: Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical [Auton Neurosci] 2014 Dec; Vol. 186, pp. 91-4. Date of Electronic Publication: 2014 Aug 28.
Publication Year :: 2014
Abstract: The study investigated the role of nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) neurons in electroacupuncture (EA) analgesia in colorectal distension (CRD) rats. NTS neurons responding to both CRD test and EA conditioning stimulations were considered somato-visceral convergent neurons. The neuronal activities evoked by graded CRD showed multiple firing patterns indicating multisynaptic connections. Some of the CRD excitatory neurons were inhibited by EA and vice versa. There was no discrepancy among different acupoints in inducing the changes of unit discharges. Conclusively, EA could regulate CRD related neurons in the NTS through polysynaptic cross-talk mechanism, which mediates EA analgesia on visceral pain in anesthetized rats.<br /> (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Subjects :: Action Potentials
Animals
Disease Models, Animal
Male
Microelectrodes
Neural Inhibition physiology
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Acupuncture Analgesia
Electroacupuncture
Neurons physiology
Solitary Nucleus physiopathology
Visceral Pain physiopathology
Visceral Pain therapy

Full Text Access

Tools