Journal article
Activity of neurons in the rostral medulla of the halothane-anesthetized rat during withdrawal from noxious heat
Brain research, Vol.582(1), pp.154-158
1992
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/112660
PMID: 1498677
Abstract
The physiological and pharmacological properties of two classes of putative nociceptive modulatory neurons have been extensively characterized in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) of the barbiturate-anesthetized rat. ‘On-cells’ show a burst of activity, and ‘off-cells’ a sudden pause immediately preceding the occurence of nocifensor reflexes. In the present study, we have characterized the reflex-related activity of RVM neurons in halothane-anesthetized rats to determine whether the properties of these neurons are dependent on barbiturate anesthesia. Both on- and off-cells were identified in this preparation. Repeated noxious stimulation was associated with a high level of ongoing activity in on-cells, and a low level in off-cells. These data thus demonstrate that the previously described reflex-related changes in RVM neuron activity are not specific to barbiturate-anesthetized preparations, and that a failure to demonstrate off-cells in some studies may result from these neurons being inactive following repeated testing with noxious stimuli.
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Details
- Title
- Activity of neurons in the rostral medulla of the halothane-anesthetized rat during withdrawal from noxious heat
- Creators
- Michael M MorganMary M Heinricher
- Publication Details
- Brain research, Vol.582(1), pp.154-158
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Identifiers
- 99900547711901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article