Substance P content in the cerebrospinal fluid and fluid perfusing cerebral ventricles during elicitation and inhibition of trigemino-hypoglossal reflex in rats

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish whether tooth pulp and periaqueductal central gray (PAG) stimulation affects the release of substance P (SP) into the fluid perfusing the cerebral ventricles in rats. The content of substance P in the cerebrospinal fluid and fluid perfusing cerebral ventricles was determined during incisor pulp stimulation with electrical impulses inducing nociceptive trigemino-hypoglossal reflex and then during inhibition of the reflex by stimulation of PAG. Perfusion of the cerebral ventricles was carried out using artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF). SP-like immunoreactivity (SP-LI) was determined in the samples by radioimmunoassay. Samples were collected in four groups: first group—cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); second group—aCSF perfusates without stimulation; third group—aCSF perfusates during incisor pulp stimulation; fourth group—aCSF perfusates during incisor pulp stimulation and simultaneous inhibition of trigemino-hypoglossal reflex by PAG stimulation. It was shown that incisor pulp stimulation led to the increased release of SP-LI into the fluid perfusing cerebral ventricles. Stimulation of PAG reduced the release of SP-LI into the cerebro-ventricular system to the values obtained before the tooth pulp stimulation. The results indicate that PAG significantly inhibits the release of SP-LI into the rat cerebral ventricular system and may be involved in the inhibition of trigemino-hypoglossal reflex.