Responses of T2-4 spinal cord neurons to irritation of the lower airways in the rat. Am J Physiol 1997 Sep;273(3 Pt 2):R1147-57
Date
10/10/1997Pubmed ID
9321898DOI
10.1152/ajpregu.1997.273.3.R1147Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0031229916 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 35 CitationsAbstract
The aim of the study was to investigate the information processing in the thoracic spinal cord (T2-4) after chemical irritation of the lower airways. Experiments were performed in pentobarbital sodium-anesthetized and pancuronium-paralyzed male Sprague-Dawley rats. Balloon distension of the esophagus was used as the search stimulus. Ammonia and smoke were applied by means of a tracheal cannula; they produced excitatory, inhibitory, and biphasic responses in a concentration-related manner (ammonia 39/39; smoke 23/ 39). Inhaled irritant-responsive neurons exhibited a number of similarities that have been described for neurons responding to stimulation of other thoracic viscera. These similarities relate to the distribution of neurons in the deeper laminae of the thoracic spinal cord, the relatively small number of neurons receiving input from the lower airways, the extensive convergent input from the skin and other thoracic viscera, and the pattern of responses. In addition, both stimulus-induced responses and spontaneous activity are subject to modulation from supraspinal sites. On the basis of responses to inhaled irritants after either spinal cord or vagus nerve block/transection, these T2-4 spinal neurons are likely to receive spinal afferent input that is modulated by vagal-brain stem input.
Author List
Hummel T, Sengupta JN, Meller ST, Gebhart GFAuthor
Jyoti N. Sengupta PhD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AmmoniaAnimals
Esophagus
Irritants
Male
Neurons
Pain
Physical Stimulation
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Reproducibility of Results
Smoke
Spinal Cord
Tail
Thoracic Vertebrae
