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Inactivation of the periaqueductal gray attenuates antinociception elicited by stimulation of the rat medial preoptic area.

ABSTRACT: The medial preoptic area (MPOA) is a sexually dimorphic structure that plays key roles in gonado-steroidal regulation and thermoregulation. The MPOA may be involved in sex-based differences in nociceptive processing and steroid hormones effect on pain thresholds. Consistent with this, there is evidence that MPOA can produce antinociception or hyperalgesia. MPOA stimulation inhibits spinal cord or trigeminal neuronal responses to noxious stimuli or produces analgesia, yet most of these studies utilized electrical stimulation which antidromically activates periaqueductal gray (PAG) and rostroventromedial medulla (RVM) neurons involved in descending modulation of nociception. Effects of selective activation of MPOA neurons on behavioral indices of antinociception and the site-specificity of such responses are unknown. To address these questions, we examined the influence of MPOA microinjections of d,l homocysteate (DLH) on hindlimb and tail nocifensive reflexes in lightly anesthetized rats. DLH, but not saline, microinjections into several MPOA subregions markedly increased withdrawal response latencies to noxious thermal stimuli. Antinociceptive effects of MPOA activation were abolished by microinjection of lidocaine into PAG. These results suggest that activation of MPOA neurons produces antinociception that is at least partly mediated by projections to PAG.

SUBMITTER: Zhang YH

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2170883 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Inactivation of the periaqueductal gray attenuates antinociception elicited by stimulation of the rat medial preoptic area.

Zhang Yi-Hong YH Ennis Matthew M

Neuroscience letters 20071011 2-3

The medial preoptic area (MPOA) is a sexually dimorphic structure that plays key roles in gonado-steroidal regulation and thermoregulation. The MPOA may be involved in sex-based differences in nociceptive processing and steroid hormones effect on pain thresholds. Consistent with this, there is evidence that MPOA can produce antinociception or hyperalgesia. MPOA stimulation inhibits spinal cord or trigeminal neuronal responses to noxious stimuli or produces analgesia, yet most of these studies ut ...[more]

PMID: 17980965

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Project description:The antero-ventral periventricular zone (AVPV) and medial preoptic area (MPOA) have been recognized as gonadal hormone receptive regions of the rodent brain that-via wiring to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons-contribute to orchestration of the preovulatory GnRH surge. We hypothesized that neural genes regulating the induction of GnRH surge show altered expression in proestrus. Therefore, we compared the expression of 48 genes obtained from intact proestrous and metestrous mice, respectively, by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) method. Differential expression of 24 genes reached significance (p < 0.05). Genes upregulated in proestrus encoded neuropeptides (kisspeptin (KP), galanin (GAL), neurotensin (NT), cholecystokinin (CCK)), hormone receptors (growth hormone secretagogue receptor, ?-opioid receptor), gonadal steroid receptors (estrogen receptor alpha (ER?), progesterone receptor (PR), androgen receptor (AR)), solute carrier family proteins (vesicular glutamate transporter 2, vesicular monoamine transporter 2), proteins of transmitter synthesis (tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)) and transmitter receptor subunit (AMPA4), and other proteins (uncoupling protein 2, nuclear receptor related 1 protein). Proestrus evoked a marked downregulation of genes coding for adenosine A2a receptor, vesicular gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter, 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase, tachykinin precursor 1, NT receptor 3, arginine vasopressin receptor 1A, cannabinoid receptor 1, ephrin receptor A3 and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member L1. Immunocytochemistry was used to visualize the proteins encoded by Kiss1, Gal, Cck and Th genes in neuronal subsets of the AVPV/MPOA of the proestrous mice. The results indicate that gene expression of the AVPV/MPOA is significantly modified at late proestrus including genes that code for neuropeptides, gonadal steroid hormone receptors and synaptic vesicle transporters. These events support cellular and neuronal network requirements of the positive estradiol feedback action and contribute to preparation of the GnRH neuron system for the pre-ovulatory surge release.

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Inactivation of the periaqueductal gray attenuates antinociception elicited by stimulation of the rat medial preoptic area.

Publications

Inactivation of the periaqueductal gray attenuates antinociception elicited by stimulation of the rat medial preoptic area.

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