2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

The analysis of plastic change in spinal dorsal horn after peripheral nerve injury using spinal cord slice with attached both side of dorsal roots.

Research Project

PDF

Project/Area Number	17K11104
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Anesthesiology
Research Institution	Niigata University
Principal Investigator	Hiroshi Baba 新潟大学, 医歯学系, 教授 (00262436)
Project Period (FY)	2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
Keywords	脊髄スライス / 末梢神経損傷 / 細胞内Ca / 光学的測定 / 両側後根刺激 / 成熟ラット
Outline of Final Research Achievements	Neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury is thought to be caused by the augmented activity of spinal cord dorsal horn (DH). However, whether peripheral nerve injury augments the activity of DH neurons evoked by peripheral tissue stimulation is controversial. To address this issue, we undertook intracellular Ca2+ imaging studies using spinal cord slices with attached both side dorsal roots, and examined if the excitability of injured side of dorsal horn is more increased than normal side. The excitability of injured side is not increased, but actually decreased. It is unlikely that peripheral nerve injury augments the activity of DH neurons.
Free Research Field	麻酔科学
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	臨床で遭遇する神経障害性疼痛患者の痛みの原因は脊髄における可塑性変化の結果、末梢から伝わってきた感覚信号が脊髄で増幅されて上位中枢である脳に伝わるためと考えられてきた。しかし、今回の実験結果から、脊髄から脳に送られる信号はむしろ弱まることが示唆され、脳への信号が弱まっても、それを痛みとして感じるのは脳における何らかの可塑性変化のためと予想された。本研究の結果は、今後の神経障害性疼痛の発生機序の解明は脳の感覚野あるいは辺縁系（情動系）をターゲットとすべきことを示唆している。