Cerebellar stimulation modulates thalamic noxious-evoked responses

Brain Res Bull. 1993;30(5-6):529-34. doi: 10.1016/0361-9230(93)90079-q.

Abstract

Parafascicular (PF) neurons responding to noxious stimuli and focal electrical stimulation of midbrain, diencephalon, and hypothalamic nuclei, which send projections to PF, modulates the PF spontaneous and noxious-evoked responses. Some cerebellar efferents ascend to PF. This investigation attempted to study the effect of cerebellar stimulation on spontaneous and noxious-evoked PF neuronal activity in rats. It was observed that 26% (73/280) of PF neurons responded to a noxious stimulus. The PF neuronal population exhibits two cell types according to their response pattern following the noxious stimulus. One type of PF neurons were excited (n = 53) and were classified as nociceptive-on cells. The second type of PF neurons responded to noxious stimulus by a decrease in the ongoing firing rate (n = 20) and were classified as nociceptive-off cells. The responses of these two types of nociceptively identified cells were tested following cerebellar lateral nucleus stimulation (Lat.N.S.) utilizing several current intensities. Lat.N.S. with lower intensities (0.1-0.2 mA) elicited suppression of both spontaneous and nociceptive-evoked discharges of the nociceptive-on neurons, although higher intensities (0.4-0.6 mA) elicited excitation on both discharges of this type of neuron. In contrast, Lat.N.S. induced a monophasic intensity-dependent suppression of both the spontaneous and the nociceptive-evoked discharges of the nociceptive-off neurons. The results indicate that Lat.N.S. modulates the nociceptive-evoked responses of PF neurons. The possible role and related pathways of cerebellum in modulating noxious input were discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cerebellar Nuclei / physiology*
  • Electric Stimulation
  • Evoked Potentials / physiology
  • Female
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Male
  • Microelectrodes
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Nociceptors / physiology
  • Pain / physiopathology
  • Physical Stimulation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Sciatic Nerve / physiology
  • Thalamus / physiology*