Spinal blockade of opioid receptors prevents the analgesia produced by TENS in arthritic rats

Kathleen A Sluka; Merek Deacon; Andrea Stibal; Shannon Strissel; Amy Terpstra

doi:10.1016/S0022-3565(24)38209-6

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Spinal blockade of opioid receptors prevents the analgesia produced by TENS in arthritic rats

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Spinal blockade of opioid receptors prevents the analgesia produced by TENS in arthritic rats

Kathleen A Sluka, Merek Deacon, Andrea Stibal, Shannon Strissel and Amy Terpstra

The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, Vol.289(2), pp.840-846

05/1999

DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3565(24)38209-6

PMID: 10215661

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Abstract

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is commonly used for relief of pain. The literature on the clinical application of TENS is extensive. However, surprisingly few reports have addressed the neurophysiological basis for the actions of TENS. The gate control theory of pain is typically used to explain the actions of high-frequency TENS, whereas, low-frequency TENS is typically explained by release of endogenous opioids. The current study investigated the role of mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors in antihyperalgesia produced by low- and high-frequency TENS by using an animal model of inflammation. Antagonists to mu (naloxone), delta (naltrinodole), or kappa (nor-binaltorphimine) opioid receptors were delivered to the spinal cord by microdialysis. Joint inflammation was induced by injection of kaolin and carrageenan into the knee-joint cavity. Withdrawal latency to heat was assessed before inflammation, during inflammation, after drug (or artificial cerebral spinal fluid as a control) administration, and after drug (or artificial cerebral spinal fluid) administration + TENS. Either high- (100 Hz) or low- frequency (4 Hz) TENS produced approximately 100% inhibition of hyperalgesia. Low doses of naloxone, selective for mu opioid receptors, blocked the antihyperalgesia produced by low-frequency TENS. High doses of naloxone, which also block delta and kappa opioid receptors, prevented the antihyperalgesia produced by high-frequency TENS. Spinal blockade of delta opioid receptors dose-dependently prevented the antihyperalgesia produced by high-frequency TENS. In contrast, blockade of kappa opioid receptors had no effect on the antihyperalgesia produced by either low- or high-frequency TENS. Thus, low-frequency TENS produces antihyperalgesia through mu opioid receptors and high-frequency TENS produces antihyperalgesia through delta opioid receptors in the spinal cord.

Naltrexone - analogs & derivatives

Arthritis - physiopathology

Receptors, Opioid, kappa - antagonists & inhibitors

Spinal Cord - drug effects

Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Rats

Male

Receptors, Opioid, mu - antagonists & inhibitors

Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Arthritis - chemically induced

Naltrexone - pharmacology

Animals

Microdialysis

Naloxone - pharmacology

Narcotic Antagonists - pharmacology

Injections, Intra-Articular

Behavior, Animal - drug effects

Receptors, Opioid, delta - antagonists & inhibitors

Carrageenan

Kaolin

Details

Title: Subtitle: Spinal blockade of opioid receptors prevents the analgesia produced by TENS in arthritic rats
Creators: Kathleen A Sluka - Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa,USA. kathleen-sluka@uiowa.edu
Merek Deacon
Andrea Stibal
Shannon Strissel
Amy Terpstra
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, Vol.289(2), pp.840-846
Publisher: United States
DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3565(24)38209-6
PMID: 10215661
ISSN: 0022-3565
eISSN: 1521-0103
Language: English
Date published: 05/1999
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Nursing; Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science; Neuroscience and Pharmacology
Record Identifier: 9984040321602771

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