Modulatory role of glutamic acid on the electrical activities of pain-related neurons in the hippocampal CA3 region

• Published in: Neuroscience letters 2012-03, Vol.513 (1), p.67-71
• Main Authors: Ma, Xu, Shi, Tie-feng, Zhang, Min, Lu, Xiao-Yu, Yang, Chun-xiao, Zhu, Dan, Shi, Dong-xiao, Yang, Yue, Wang, Chun-lei, Zhang, Shuang, Xu, Man-ying
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; CA3 Region, Hippocampal - cytology; CA3 Region, Hippocampal - physiopathology; Dizocilpine Maleate - pharmacology; Electric Stimulation; Electrical activities; Electrophysiological Phenomena - physiology; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists - pharmacology; Extracellular Space - drug effects; Extracellular Space - physiology; Glutamic acid; Glutamic Acid - pharmacology; Hippocampal CA3 region; Microelectrodes; MK-801; Neurons - physiology; Nociceptive modulation; Pain - physiopathology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - antagonists & inhibitors; Stereotaxic Techniques
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2012.02.009

► The hippocampal CA3 region contains the pain-related neurons. ► Glu is involved in the modulation of nociceptive response in CA3 region. ► MK-801can block non-NMDA receptor, i.e. showing the analgesic effect. ► The hippocampal CA3 region is an important pain regulation center. Glutamic acid (Glu) participates in pain modulation of the central nervous system. The CA3 region of the hippocampal formation has been suggested to be involved in nociceptive perception. However, it is unknown whether Glu could modulate the electrical activities of pain-related neurons in the hippocampal CA3 region. The present study aimed to determine the effects of Glu and its receptor antagonist MK-801 in the pain-evoked response of both pain-excited neurons (PENs) and pain-inhibited neurons (PINs) in the hippocampal CA3 region of normal rats. We used a train of electric impulses applied to the sciatic nerve as noxious stimulation. The electrical activities of either PENs or PINs in the hippocampal CA3 region were recorded by a glass microelectrode. The results revealed that intra-CA3 region microinjection of Glu (0.5μg/1μl) increased the evoked firing frequency and shortened the firing latency of PEN, while decreased the evoked firing frequency and prolonged the inhibitory duration of PIN in the hippocampal CA3 region of rat evoked by the noxious stimulation. Intra-CA3 region administration of MK-801 (0.25μg/1μl) produced the opposite response. These results suggest that Glu and its receptors in hippocampal CA3 region are involved in the modulation of nociceptive information transmission by affecting the electric activities of PENs and PINs.