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Organization of sensory input to the nociceptive‐specific cutaneous trunk muscle reflex in rat, an effective experimental system for examining nociception and plasticity
Author(s) -
Petruska Jeffrey C.,
Barker Darrell F.,
Garraway Sandra M.,
Trainer Robert,
Fransen James W.,
Seidman Peggy A.,
Soto Roy G.,
Mendell Lorne M.,
Johnson Richard D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of comparative neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.855
H-Index - 209
eISSN - 1096-9861
pISSN - 0021-9967
DOI - 10.1002/cne.23461
Subject(s) - neuroscience , nociception , sensory system , reflex , stimulation , biology , noxious stimulus , motor system , withdrawal reflex , nervous system , electromyography , nociceptor , sensory stimulation therapy , electrophysiology , receptor , biochemistry
Detailed characterization of neural circuitries furthers our understanding of how nervous systems perform specific functions and allows the use of those systems to test hypotheses. We have characterized the sensory input to the cutaneous trunk muscle (CTM; also cutaneus trunci [rat] or cutaneus maximus [mouse]) reflex (CTMR), which manifests as a puckering of the dorsal thoracolumbar skin and is selectively driven by noxious stimuli. CTM electromyography and neurogram recordings in naïve rats revealed that CTMR responses were elicited by natural stimuli and electrical stimulation of all segments from C4 to L6, a much greater extent of segmental drive to the CTMR than previously described. Stimulation of some subcutaneous paraspinal tissue can also elicit this reflex. Using a selective neurotoxin, we also demonstrate differential drive of the CTMR by trkA‐expressing and nonexpressing small‐diameter afferents. These observations highlight aspects of the organization of the CTMR system that make it attractive for studies of nociception and anesthesiology and plasticity of primary afferents, motoneurons, and the propriospinal system. We use the CTMR system to demonstrate qualitatively and quantitatively that experimental pharmacological treatments can be compared with controls applied either to the contralateral side or to another segment, with the remaining segments providing controls for systemic or other treatment effects. These data indicate the potential for using the CTMR system as both an invasive and a noninvasive quantitative assessment tool providing improved statistical power and reduced animal use. J. Comp. Neurol. 522:1048–1071, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.