Abstract
Intrathecal injection of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) induces a short duration hyperalgesia in mice. An inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), administered either systemically or intrathecally, blocked the NMDA-induced hyperalgesia. This effect was partially reversed by the NOS substrate, l-arginine. Intrathecal hemoglobin mimicked the effects of l-NAME. Intrathecal injection of the NO-donating compounds, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and hydroxylamine, resulted in a hyperalgesia that lasted 3 h and was reduced by coadministration of hemoglobin. Thus, nitric oxide production appears to mediate NMDA-induced hypersensitivity and may contribute to other forms of centrally induced hyperalgesia.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1-5 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Neuroscience Letters |
Volume | 148 |
Issue number | 1-2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 14 1992 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors wish to thank Dr. Leonard Lichtblau for expert assistance with the data analysis. This work was supported by USPHS Grants R01-DA-04274, R01-DA-01933 and K-02-DA-00145 to G.L.W.
Keywords
- Hyperalgesia
- NMDA
- Nitric oxide
- Nociception
- Sodium nitroprusside
- Synaptic plasticity