CHEMISTRY OF INPUT TO SPINAL PROJECTION NEURONS

这个实验室的长期目标是了解 灵长类伤害性感受的化学基础。这个项目的重点是 是为了确定刺网的化学基础。 (SRT)、脊髓-中脑(SMT)和脊髓-下丘脑束 (Sht)对传入刺激的反应。有令人信服的证据 这些通路，除了脊髓丘脑束(STT)外， 为伤害性感受性神经元头端传递提供主要通道 信息。尽管STT的功能似乎已经确立，但一个明确的 对其他三条途径的功能的理解仍然存在 难以捉摸。作为更好地确定这些其他区域的作用的第一步， 有必要了解这些途径是以什么方式 被初级传入刺激激活，并测定脑组织的可塑性 周围损伤后这些神经束的反应。早期研究 已经证明了两类初级传入传递器，即 正常情况下兴奋性氨基酸外周刺激。 此外，早期的研究表明，背角的可塑性 外周损伤后的神经元，最常见的证据是 增加或敏化对周围刺激的反应，也 受兴奋性氨基酸和神经激肽多肽的影响。 这里概述的提案由三个目标组成，以测试全球 一种假说，认为三者的激活是以相似的化学为基础的 以上所列脊髓前外侧的主要传入通路。 具体地说，我们建议确定以下关于SRT的内容， SMT和SHT：兴奋性氨基酸和神经激肽受体的作用 在正常情况下激活这些通路；无论是 这些通路的反应显示出功能的增强 (敏感化)周围损伤或炎症后，或以下 脊髓神经损伤；以及兴奋性氨基酸和 神经激动素激动剂在这些通路的敏化中。

The long-term goal of this laboratory is to gain an understanding of the chemical basis of nociception in the primate. The focus of this project is to determine the chemical basis of excitation of the spino-reticular (SRT), the spino-mesencephalic (SMT) and the spino-hypothalamic tracts (SHT) in response to afferent stimulation. There is compelling evidence that these pathways, in addition to the spinothalamic tract (STT), provide the main channels for the rostral transmission of nociceptive information. Although the functions of the STT seems established, a clear understanding of the functions of the other three pathways remains elusive. As a first step to define better the role of these other tracts, it is necessary to understand the manner in which these pathways are activated by primary afferent stimuli and to determine the plasticity in the responses of these tracts after peripheral injury. Earlier studies have shown that two classes of primary afferent transmitters, the excitatory amino acids peripheral stimulation under normal conditions. In addition, earlier studies have shown that plasticity of dorsal horn neurons following peripheral injury, evidenced most frequently by an increase, or sensitization, of responses to peripheral stimuli, also mediated by an affect of excitatory amino acids and neurokinin peptides. The proposal outlined here is composed of three aims to test the global hypothesis that a similar chemistry underlies the activation of the three major afferent pathways in the anterolateral spinal cord listed above. Specifically, we propose to determine the following concerning the SRT, SMT and SHT: the role of excitatory amino acid and neurokinin receptors in the activation of these pathways in normal conditions; whether the responses of these pathways show an enhancement of function (sensitization) following peripheral injury or inflammation, or following injury to a spinal nerve; and the role of excitatory amino acid and neurokinin agonists in the sensitization of these pathways.