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Activation of α2-adrenoreceptors suppresses the excitability of C1 spinal neurons having convergent inputs from tooth pulp and superior sagittal sinus in rats

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that activation of α2-adrenoreceptors modulates the excitability of C1 neurons having convergent inputs from both the tooth pulp (TP) and the superior sagittal sinus (SSS), by using the microiontophoretic techniques of drug application and immunohistochemical approaches. Extracellular single-unit recordings were made from 38 C1 neurons responding to electrical stimulation of TP under pentobarbital-anesthetized rats. Seventy-one percent of C1 neurons (27/38) that responded to TP stimulation also responded to electrical stimulation of the SSS. In these neurons, l-glutamate-evoked C1 neuronal discharge firings were increased in a dose-dependent manner. The mean glutamate-evoked firing rates were dose-dependently inhibited after microiontophoretic application of clonidine (α2-adrenoreceptor/imidazoline I1 receptor agonist). The inhibition of glutamate-evoked C1 mean firings by clonidine was antagonized by the co-application of idazoxan (α2-adrenoreceptor/imidazoline I2 receptor antagonist), yohimbine (α2-adrenoreceptor) but not the α1-adrenoreceptor antagonist, prazosin with affinity for α2B- and α2C-adrenoreceptors. The mean spontaneous discharge frequencies were significantly inhibited by the microiontophoretic application of clonidine and this inhibition was reversed by the co-application of idazoxan, yohimbine. Microiontophoresis of clonidine also resulted in a reduction of TP-/SSS-evoked activity and this effect was reversed by the co-application of yohimbine. Immunoreactivity for α2A-adrenoreceptor was found in the superficial layers of I–III in the C1 region. These results suggest that α2-adrenoreceptor agonist clonidine inhibits the excitability of C1 neurons having convergent inputs from TP and SSS afferents, and that the activation of α2A-adrenoreceptors onto C1 dorsal horn neurons may contribute as a useful therapeutic target for the alleviation of trigeminal referred pain associated with migraine and tooth pain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, School of Dentistry at Tokyo, Nippon Dental University, 1-9-20 Fujimi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-8159, Japan

    M. Takeda, T. Tanimoto, M. Takahashi, J. Kadoi, M. Nasu & S. Matsumoto

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  1. M. Takeda
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  2. T. Tanimoto
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  3. M. Takahashi
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  4. J. Kadoi
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  5. M. Nasu
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  6. S. Matsumoto
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Correspondence to M. Takeda.

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Takeda, M., Tanimoto, T., Takahashi, M. et al. Activation of α2-adrenoreceptors suppresses the excitability of C1 spinal neurons having convergent inputs from tooth pulp and superior sagittal sinus in rats. Exp Brain Res 174, 210–220 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-006-0442-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-006-0442-6

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