Frequency dependent changes in mechanosensitivity of rat knee joint afferents after antidromic saphenous nerve stimulation

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of electrical saphenous nerve stimulation (14 V, 1–10 Hz) on the mechanosensitivity of rat knee joint afferents. The responses to passive joint rotations at defined torque were recorded from slowly conducting knee joint afferent nerve fibres (0.6–20.0 m/s). After repeated nerve stimulation with 1 Hz, the mechanosensitivity of about 79% of the units was significantly affected. The effects were most prominent at a torque close to the mechanical threshold. In about 46% of the examined nerve fibres a significant increase was obtained, whereas about 33% reduced their mechanosensitivity. The sensitisation was prevented by an application of 5 μM phentolamine, an α-adrenergic receptor blocker, together with a neuropeptide Y receptor blocker. An inhibition of N-type Ca 2+ channels by an application of 1 μM ω-conotoxin GVIA caused comparable changes of the mechanosensitivity during the electrical stimulation. Electrical nerve stimulation with higher frequencies resulted in a further reduction of the mean response to joint rotations. After stimulation with 10 Hz, there was a nearly complete loss of mechanosensitivity. In conclusion, antidromic electrical nerve stimulation leads to a frequency dependent transient decrease of the mechanosensitivity. A sensitisation was only obtained at 1 Hz, but this effect may be based on the influence of sympathetic nerve fibres.