2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Local anesthetics inhibit glutamatergic transmission in spinal dorsal horn neurons

Research Project

Project/Area Number	21791440
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Anesthesiology/Resuscitation studies
Research Institution	Niigata University
Principal Investigator	FURUTANI Kenta Niigata University, 医歯学総合病院, 医員 (40535176)
Project Period (FY)	2009 – 2010
Keywords	局所麻酔薬 / グルタミン酸受容体 / パッチクランプ / 痛み
Research Abstract	It is well established that local anesthetics block impulses in peripheral nerves through the inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels. The glutamate receptors play an important role in the central nervous system, mediating rapid excitatory neurotransmission. In this study, we showed that local anesthetics inhibited the NMDA-type glutamate receptors in spinal dorsal horn neurons. These findings raise the possibility that the antinociceptive effect of bupivacaine may be due to direct modulation of NMDA receptors in superficial dorsal horn. In addition to voltage-gated sodium channels, the NMDA-type glutamate receptors are also important for anesthesia and analgesia induced by local anesthetics.