Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Controls and Arthritis in the Rat

  • Chapter
Pain and Neuroimmune Interactions

  • 120 Accesses

Abstract

Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Controls (DNIC) - which involve supraspinal structures and modulate the transmission of nociceptive signals - were investigated during the development of joint inflammation in rats with acute or chronic monoarthritis and in rats with chronic polyarthritis. During both acute monoarthritis and chronic polyarthritis, DNIC triggered by nociceptive stimulations of the inflamed joint(s) were clearly exacerbated, parallel with the increased sensitivity of inflamed joints to mechanical stimulations. In contrast, in the chronic stage of monoarthritis, DNIC triggered by thermal or pressure stimuli were almost similar for both normal and inflamed ankles. The discrepancy between behavioral and electrophysiological data during chronic monoarthritis indicates that inputs activated at this stage of the disease fail to recruit DNIC. This suggests that chronic inflammatory processes can induce a re-organisation of the spinal transmission of nociceptive signals, which modifies the recruitment of DNIC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Bouhassira, D., Le Bars, D. and Villanueva, L., Heterotopic activation of Ad-and C- fibres triggers inhibition of trigeminal and spinal convergent neurones in the rat, J. Physiol., 389 (1987) 301–317.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouhassira, D., Le Bars, D., Bolgert, F., Laplane, D. and Willer, J.C., Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) in man. A neurophysiological investigation of a patient with a form of Brown-Séquard syndrome, Ann. Neurol., 34 (1993) 536–543.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brennan, T.J., Oh, U., Hobbs, S.F., Garrison, D.W. and Foreman, R.D., Urinary bladder and hindlimb afferent input inhibits activity of primate T2–T5 spinothalamic tract neurons, J. Neurophysiol., 61 (1989) 573–588.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, S.H., Godefroy, F., Besson, J.M. and Weil-Fugazza, J.A., Limited arthritic model for chronic pain studies in the rat, Pain, 48 (1992) 73–81.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cadden, S.W. and Morrison, J.F.B., Effects of visceral distension on the activities of neurones receiving cutaneous inputs in the rat lumbar dorsal horn; comparison with effects of remote noxious somatic stimuli, Brain Res., 558 (1991) 63–74.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cadden, S.W., Villanueva, L., Chitour, D. and Le Bars, D., Depression of activities of dorsal horn convergent neurones by propriospinal mechanisms triggered by noxious inputs: comparison with diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC), Brain Res., 275 (1983) 1–11.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvino, B., Villanueva, L., Le Bars, D., The heterotopic effects of visceral pain: behavioural and electrophysiological approaches in the rat, Pain, 20 (1984) 261–271.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvino, B., Villanueva, L. and Le Bars, D., Dorsal horn (convergent) neurones in the intact anaesthetized arthritic rat. I. Segmental excitatory influences, Pain, (1987a) 81–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calvino, B., Villanueva, L. and Le Bars, D., Dorsal horn (convergent) neurons in the intact anaesthetized arthritic rat. II. Heterotopic inhibitory influences, Pain, 31 (1987b) 359–379.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvino, B., Crepon-Bemard, M.O. and Le Bars, D., Parallel clinical and behavioral studies of adjuvant-induced arthritis in the rat: possible relationship with “chronic pain”, Behay. Brain Res., 24 (1987c) 11–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cervero, F., Schaible, H-G. and Schmidt, R.F., Tonic descending inhibition of spinal cord neurons driven by joint afferents in normal cats and in cats with an inflamed knee joint, Exp. Brain Res., 83 (1991) 675–678.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Colpaert, F.C., Meert, T.H., De Witte, P.H. and Schmitt, P., Further evidence validating adjuvant arthritis as an experimental model of chronic pain in the rat, Life Sci., (1982) 67–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coggeshall, R.E., Hong, K.A.P., Langford, L.A., Schaible, H-G. and Schmidt, R.F., Discharge characteristics of fine medial articular afferents at rest and during passive movements of inflamed knee joints, Brain Res., 272 (1983) 185–188.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dallel, R., Raboisson, P., Woda, A. and Sessle, B., Properties of nociceptive and non-nociceptive neurons in trigeminal subnucleus oralis of the rat, Brain Res., 521 (1990) 95–106.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Danziger, N., Weil-Fugazza, J., Le Bars, D. and Bouhassira, D., Alteration of descending modulation of nociception during the course of monoarthritis in the rat, J. Neurosci., 19 (6) (1999) 2394–2400.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Castro Costa, M., De Sutter, D., Gybels, J. and Van Hees, J., Adjuvant induced arthritis in rats; a possible model of chronic pain, Pain, (1981) 173–186.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickenson, A.H. and Le Bars, D., Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) involve trigeminothalamic and spinothalamic neurones in the rat, Exp. Brain Res., 49 (1983) 174–180.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dougherty, P.M., Sluka, K.A., Sorkin, L.S., Westlund, K.N. and Willis, W.D., Neural changes in acute arthritis in monkeys. I. Parallel enhancement of responses of spinothalamic tract neurons to mechanical stimulation and excitatory amino acids, Brain Res. Rev., 17 (1992) 1–13.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fields, H.L. and Basbaum, A.I., “Central nervous system mechanisms of pain modulation”. In Textbook of pain, PDWall, R Melzack, eds. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone, (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleischmann, A. and Urca, G., Clip-induced analgesia: noxious neck pinch supresses spinal and mesencephalic neural responses to noxious peripheral stimulation, Physiol. Behay., 46 (1989) 151–157.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gautron, M. and Guilbaud, G., Somatic responses of ventrobasal thalamic neurons in polyarthritic rats, Brain Res., 237 (1982) 459–471.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Godefroy, F., Weil-Fugazza, J. and Besson, J.M., Complex temporal changes in 5hydroxytryptamine synthesis in the central nervous system induced by experimental polyarthritis in the rat, Pain, 28 (1987) 223–238.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, P., Schaible, H-G. and Schmidt, R.F., Mechanical sensitivity of group III and IV afferents from posterior articular nerve in normal and inflamed cat knee, J. Neurophysiol., 55 (1986) 635–643.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grubb, B.D., Birrell, G.J., McQueen, D.S. and Iggo, A., The role of PGE2 in the sensitization of mechanoreceptors in normal and inflamed ankle joints of the rat, Exp. Brain Res., 84 (1991) 383–392.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grubb, B.D., Stiller, R.U. and Schaible, H-G., Dynamic changes in the receptive field properties of spinal cord neurons with ankle input in rats with chronic unilateral inflammation in the ankle region, Exp. Brain Res., 92 (1993) 441–452.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, J.W., Response properties of nociceptive and non-nociceptive neurons in the rat’s trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (medullary dorsal horn) related to cutaneous and deep craniofacial afferent stimulation and modulation by diffuse noxious inhibitory controls, Pain, 41 (1990) 331–345.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Iadarola, M.J., Brady, L.S., Draisci, G. and Dubner, R., Enhancement of dynorphin gene expression in spinal cord following experimental inflammation: stimulus specificity, behavioral parameters and opioid receptor binding, Pain, 35 (1988) 313–326.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jasmin, L., Kohan, L., Franssen, M., Janni, G. and Goff, J.R., The cold plate as a test of nociceptive behaviors: description and application to the study of chronic neuropathic and inflammatory pain models, Pain, 75 (1998) 367–382.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Le Bars, D., Dickenson, A.H. and Besson, J.M., Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC). I: Effects on dorsal horn convergent neurones in the rat, Pain, 6 (1979a) 283–304.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Bars, D., Dickenson, A.H. and Besson, J.M., Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC). II: Lack of effect on non-convergent neurones, supraspinal involvement and theoretical implications, Pain, 6 (1979b) 305–327.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Bars, D., Chitour, D., Kraus, E.., Dickenson, AH. and Besson, J.M., Effect of naloxone upon diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC) in the rat, Brain Res., 204 (1981) 387–402.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Matsumoto, N., Bester, H., Menendez, L., Besson, J.M. and Bernard, J.F., Changes in the responsiveness of parabrachial neurons in the arthritic rat: an electrophysiological study, J. Neurophysiol., 76 (1996) 4113–4126.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McQueen, D.S., Iggo, A., Birrell, G.J. and Grubb, B.D., Effects of paracetamol and aspirin on neural activity of joint mechanonociceptors in adjuvant arthritis, Br. J. Pharmacol., 104 (1991) 178–182.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Menétrey, D. and Besson, J.M., Electrophysiological characteristics of dorsal horn cells in rats with cutaneous inflammation resulting from chronic arthritis, Pain, (1982) 343–364.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, M.M., Gold, M.S., Liebeskind, J.C. and Stein, C., Periaqueductal grey stimulation produces a spinally mediated, opioid antinociception for the inflamed hindpaw of the rat, Brain Res., 545 (1991) 17–23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morton, C.R., Maisch, B. and Zimmermann, M., Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls of lumbar spinal neurons involve a supraspinal loop in the cat, Brain Res., 410 (1987) 347–352.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ness, T.J. and Gebhart, G.F., Interactions between visceral and cutaneous nociception in the rat. II. Noxious visceral stimuli inhibit cutaneous nociceptive neurones and reflexes, J. Neurophysiol., 66 (1991) 29–39.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neugebauer, V. and Schaible, H-G., Evidence for a central component in the sensitization of spinal neurons with joint input during development of acute arthritis in cat’s knee, J. Neurophysiol., 64 (1990) 299–311.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reiber, H., Suckling, AJ. and Rumsby, M.G., The effect of Freund’s adjuvant on blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier permeability, J. Neurol. Sci., 63 (1984) 55–61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ren, K. and Dubner, R., Enhanced descending modulation of nociception in rats with persistent hindpaw inflammation, J. Neurophysiol., 76 (1996) 3025–3037.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roby-Brami, A., Bussel, B., Willer, J.C. and Le Bars, D., An electrophysiological investigation into the pain-relieving effects of heterotopic nociceptive stimuli: possible involvement of a supraspinal loop, Brain, 110 (1987) 1497–1508.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schaible, H-G. and Grubb, B.D., Afferent and spinal mechanisms of joint pain, Pain, 55 (1993) 554.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schaible, H-G. and Schmidt, R.F., Effects of an experimental arthritis on the sensory properties of fine articular afferent units, J. Neurophysiol., 54 (1985) 1109–1122.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaible, H-G. and Schmidt, R.F., Time course of mechanosensitivity changes in articular afferents during a developing experimental arthritis, J. Neurophysiol., 60 (1988) 2180–2195.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaible, H-G., Schmidt, R.F., Neurophysiology of chronic inflammatory pain: electrophysiological recordings from spinal cord neurons in rats with prolonged acute and chronic unilateral inflammation at the ankle, Prog. Brain Res., 110 (1996) 167–176.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaible, H-G., Schmidt, R.F. and Willis, W.D., Enhancement of the responses of ascending tract cells in the cat spinal cord by acute inflammation of the knee joint, Exp. Brain Res., 66 (1987) 489–499.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaible, H-G., Neugebauer, V., Cervero, F. and Schmidt, R.F., Changes in tonic descending inhibition of spinal neurons with articular input during the development of acute arthritis in the cat, J. Neurophysiol., 66 (1991) 1021–1032.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schouenborg, J. and Dickenson, A.H., The effects of a distant noxious stimulation on A and C fibre evoked flexion reflexes and neuronal activity in dorsal horn of the rat, Brain Res., 328 (1985) 23–32

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sher, G.D. and Mitchell, D., Intrathecal N-Methyl-D-aspartate induces hyperexcitability in rat dorsal horn convergent neurones, Neurosci. Lett., 119 (1990) 199–202.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tomlinson, R.W.W., Gray, B.G., Dostrovsky, J.O., Inhibition of rat spinal cord dorsal horn neurons by non-segmental, noxious cutaneous stimuli, Brain Res., 279 (1983) 291–294.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Villanueva, L. and Le Bars, D., The encoding of thermal stimuli applied to the tail of the rat by lowering the excitability oftrigeminal convergent neurones, Brain Res., 330 (1985) 245–251.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Villanueva, L. and Le Bars, D., Indirect effects of intrathecal morphine upon diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNICs) in the rat, Pain, 26 (1986) 233–243.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Villanueva, L., Caddell, S.W. and Le Bars, D., Diffuse noxious inhibitory controls (DNIC): evidence for postsynaptic inhibition oftrigeminal nucleus caudalis convergent neurones, Brain Res., 321 (1984) 165–168.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Willer, J.C., Roby-Brami, A. and Le Bars, D., Psychophysical and electrophysiological approaches to the pain relieving effect of heterotopic nociceptive stimuli, Brain, 107 (1984) 1095–1112.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Willer, J.C., De Broucker, T. and Le Bars, D., Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Controls (DNIC) in man: involvement of an opioidergic link, Eur. J. Pharmacol., 182 (1990) 347–355.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Willis, W.D., Anatomy and physiology of descending control of nociceptive responses of dorsal horn neurons: comprehensive review, Prog. Brain Res., 77 (1988) 1–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zieglgänsberger, W., Bloom, E.E. and Geiger, S.R., Central control of nociception. In: V.B. Mountcastle (Ed.), Handbook of Physiology - the Nervous System IV, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, 1986, pp. 581–645.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSERM U161, 2 rue D’Alésia, 75014, Paris, France

    Nicolas Danziger, Daniel Le Bars & Didier Bouhassira

Authors
  1. Nicolas Danziger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel Le Bars
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Didier Bouhassira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

    Nayef E. Saadé  & Suhayl J. Jabbur  & 

  2. SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse, New York, USA

    A. Vania Apkarian

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2000 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Danziger, N., Le Bars, D., Bouhassira, D. (2000). Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Controls and Arthritis in the Rat. In: Saadé, N.E., Apkarian, A.V., Jabbur, S.J. (eds) Pain and Neuroimmune Interactions. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4225-4_6

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-4225-4_6

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6897-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-4225-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation