Ventromedial hypothalamic mediation of sucrose feeding induced pain modulation

Electrophysiological and behavioural studies suggest a modulatory role of ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) in nociceptive behaviour. Lesion of the VMH produces hyperalgesia and a greater preference for sucrose solution. Hyperalgesia is also produced by sucrose feeding. To explore specifically the contribution of glucoreceptor neurons of the VMH in the mediation of sucrose-fed hyperalgesia, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG, antimetabolite of glucose) was slowly albeit continuously infused (1 microl/h for 7 days by microinfusion pumps) into the VMH of adult male rats. Simultaneously, the rats underwent tests for their nociceptive responses in control and sucrose-fed states. The tests for nociception, namely, tail flick latency (TFL), thresholds of tail flick (TF), vocalization during stimulus (SV), vocalization after discharge (VA) were recorded at 0500 h. The tests were repeated after 6, 12, and 48 h in 1 M saline (control group) and 2-DG (experimental group) microinfused rats. Rats were presented with sucrose (20%) solution for 48 h at 0500 h ad libitum in addition to food pellets and tap water. Infusion of 2-DG per se in the VMH led to hypoalgesia (in threshold of TF, SV, VA) while feeding sucrose for 6-12 h per se led to hyperalgesia (in TFL, threshold of SV and VA). Sucrose feeding to 2-DG rats, however, attenuated the hypoalgesia of 2-DG as well as the hyperalgesia of sucrose feeding. The results suggest that the VMH glucoreceptor neurons probably modulate sucrose mediated phasic pain responses.