Effects of electrical stimulation of the dorsal cutaneous branches of spinal nerves on the discharge activity of remote mechanoreceptive units in rats.
- Author:
Jun JIA
1
;
Yan ZHAO
;
Wen-Chun SHI
;
Hui-Sheng WANG
;
Yuan GUO
Author Information
1. Department of Physiology, Medical School of Xi an Jiaotong University, Xi an 710061.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH:
Animals;
Electric Stimulation;
Electrophysiology;
Female;
In Vitro Techniques;
Male;
Mechanoreceptors;
physiology;
Rats;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley;
Spinal Nerves;
anatomy & histology;
physiology
- From:
Acta Physiologica Sinica
2002;54(2):125-128
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The method of isolating filaments of the dorsal cutaneous branches was used to observe the effects of antidromic electrical stimulation of the spinal nerves on the discharge of remote A delta and C mechanoreceptive units in rats. Seventy-nine mechanoreceptive units were recorded from the T12 nerve filaments after stimulation of the dorsal cutaneous branches of T9 spinal nerve. It was found that the discharge frequency of 59.3% (16/27) A delta-units and 71.2% (37/52) C-units significantly increased during 90-120 s after the stimulation. Sixty-four mechanoreceptive units were recorded from the T12 nerve filaments after stimulation of the dorsal cutaneous branches of T8 spinal nerves. The discharge frequency of 47.8% (11/23) A delta-units and 36.6% (15/41) C-units significantly increased during 120-150 s after the stimulation. In addition, the threshold of the majority of these mechanoreceptors (78.3%, 18/23) decreased after the stimulation. The results suggest that antidromic electrical stimulation of the dorsal cutaneous branches of spinal nerves leads to sensitization of A delta and C mechanoreceptive units of the remote peripheral nerve endings, which results in an increase in afferent discharge of these units.
