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Galanin in Somatosensory Function a
Author(s) -
WIESENFELDHALLIN ZSUZSANNA,
XU XIAOJUN
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1998.tb10708.x
Subject(s) - galanin , spinal cord , neuropeptide , nociception , galanin receptor , neuroscience , dorsal root ganglion , central nervous system , somatosensory system , sensory system , peripheral nerve injury , medicine , population , peripheral nervous system , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , receptor , endocrinology , biology , sciatic nerve , environmental health
A bstract : Galanin‐like immunoreactivity and galanin receptors are found in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells and in dorsal horn interneurons, suggesting that this neuropeptide may have a role in sensory transmission and modulation at the spinal level. Expression of galanin or galanin receptors in the DRG and spinal cord are altered, sometimes in a dramatic fashion, by peripheral nerve injury or inflammation. Under normal conditions, galanin occurs in a small population of primary sensory neurons as well as in spinal interneurons. However, following peripheral nerve injury or inflammation, expression of galanin in primary afferents and spinal cord is upregulated. We examined the role of galanin in spinal processing of nociceptive information under normal and pathologic conditions in a large series of electrophysiologic and behavioral studies. Results suggest that under normal conditions galanin exerts tonic inhibition of nociceptive input to the central nervous system. After peripheral nerve injury the inhibitory control exerted by endogenous galanin, probably released from DRG neurons, is increased. During inflammation, galanin presumably released from dorsal horn interneurons also exerts an inhibitory function. Thus, stable galanin agonists may be useful in the treatment of inflammatory and neuro‐pathic pain.