Activated microglia induce neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury -in vivo patch-clamp analysis-

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We investigated the mechanisms of neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) by in vivo patch-clamp methods. We analyzed the spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) of the dorsal horn neurons in below injury level. The average frequency of the sEPSCs in the SCI model rats was significantly larger than that in the sham model rats. This result suggests that the spinal excitatory synaptic plasticity was produced at the dorsal horn neurons in below injury level of the SCI pain model. Next, we examined the effect of the microglial activity inhibitor, Minocycline onto the excitatory synaptic transmission of SCI model rats. Contrary to our expectations, the application of Minocycline did not reduce the frequency of sEPSCs in the SCI model rats.