Involvement of N-methyl- d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in a rat model of visceral hypersensitivity

• Published in: Behavioural brain research 2004-04, Vol.150 (1), p.185-189
• Main Authors: Gaudreau, Geneviève-Anne, Plourde, Victor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abdomen - physiology; Animals; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Colon - physiology; Colorectal distension; Disease Models, Animal; Dizocilpine Maleate - administration & dosage; Dizocilpine Maleate - pharmacology; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists - administration & dosage; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hyperalgesia; Hyperalgesia - physiopathology; Injections, Intraperitoneal; Injections, Spinal; Irritable bowel syndrome; Male; MK-801; Muscle Contraction - physiology; NMDA; Physical Stimulation; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - drug effects; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - physiology; Rectum - physiology; Somesthesis and somesthetic pathways (proprioception, exteroception, nociception); interoception; electrolocation. Sensory receptors; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Visceral hypersensitivity
• ISSN: 0166-4328; 1872-7549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2003.07.004

N-Methyl - d-aspartate (NMDA) is known to be involved in the transmission of nociceptive information. In the present study, we investigated the effect of peripheral and central NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 in visceral hypersensitivity. In an animal model of colorectal distension (CRD), administration of both intrathecal MK-801 (1.5 nmol) and intraperitoneal MK-801 (0.15 mg/kg) completely abolished the CRD-induced visceral hypersensitivity of noxious and innocuous stimuli. Thus, the results from this experiment demonstrate the efficacy of MK-801 in blocking the visceral hypersensitivity mediated by central and peripheral mechanisms.