Dynamic processing of nociception in cortical network in conscious rats: a laser-evoked field potential study

Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2008 Aug;28(5):671-87. doi: 10.1007/s10571-007-9216-3. Epub 2007 Oct 6.

Abstract

(1) Field potential study in conscious rats provides a convenient and effective animal model for pain mechanism and pharmacological research. However, the spatial-temporal character of nociception processing in cortex revealed by field potential technique in conscious rats remains unclear. (2) In the present study, multi-channel field potentials evoked by noxious laser stimulation applied to the hind paw of conscious rats were recorded through 12 chronically implanted skull electrodes. Independent component analysis (ICA) was used to remove possible artifacts and to extract the specific nociception-related component. (3) Two fast sharp responses and one slow blunt response were evoked by noxious laser stimulation. Systemic morphine (5 mg/kg, i.p.) preferentially attenuated the amplitude of the slow blunt response while had no significant effect on the first two sharp responses. ICA revealed that those responses came from activities of contralateral anterior parietal area, medial frontal area and posterior parietal area. A movement artifact was also detected in this study. Partial directed coherence (PDC) analysis showed that there were changes of information flows from medial frontal and posterior parietal area to anterior parietal area after noxious laser stimulation. (4) Characterization of the spatio-temporal responses to noxious laser stimulation may be a valuable model for the study of pain mechanisms and for the assessment of analgesia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Afferent Pathways / drug effects
  • Afferent Pathways / physiology
  • Afferent Pathways / radiation effects
  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiology*
  • Consciousness / physiology
  • Electroencephalography
  • Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / drug effects
  • Evoked Potentials, Somatosensory / physiology*
  • Frontal Lobe / anatomy & histology
  • Frontal Lobe / drug effects
  • Frontal Lobe / physiology
  • Functional Laterality / drug effects
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Lasers*
  • Male
  • Nerve Net / anatomy & histology
  • Nerve Net / drug effects
  • Nerve Net / physiology*
  • Nociceptors / drug effects
  • Nociceptors / physiology*
  • Nociceptors / radiation effects
  • Pain / drug therapy
  • Pain / etiology
  • Pain / physiopathology*
  • Parietal Lobe / anatomy & histology
  • Parietal Lobe / drug effects
  • Parietal Lobe / physiology
  • Physical Stimulation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reaction Time / drug effects
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Reaction Time / radiation effects
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid