Inhibitory actions produced by local electrical stimulation in the caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus in rat

Abstract

Inhibitory actions induced by local electrical stimulation (LES) on the tooth pulpal afferent activities were investigated in the caudal part of the rat spinal trigeminal nucleus. For the LES, ipsilateral Yin-Hsiang (intrasegmental point) or Ho-Ku (extrasegmental point) was used as a cathodal point which was stimulated electrically by a single pulse of 0.1 msec in duration or by 0.1 msec-pulse train at 45 Hz for 15 min. We found at least three types of inhibitions in the caudal trigeminal nucleus: Type I—this inhibition is the most forceful, caused by naloxone-reversible endogenous opiate system with a slow onset and prolonged aftereffect. This inhibition is presumably postsynaptic action. Type II—this is evoked by postsynaptical acting inhibition and begins within milliseconds after the stimulus is applied. Type III—this inhibition is elicited by presynaptic action and also begins within milliseconds after the onset of the stimulation. Type I and II inhibitions are evoked by stimulating either ultra- or extrasegmental LES points, however, Type III is produced by stimulation of intrasegmental and rarely provoked by extrasegmental point stimulation. Naloxone failed to reverse Type II and III inhibitions. During LES, Type I to III inhibitions co-work for producing the suppressive effect and after the cessation of its stimulation, only Type I inhibition produces the so-called aftereffect of the LES.