[Role of the GABA system in adaptation to long-term pain stimulation]

Pain syndrome induced by daily peritoneal electrostimulation in rats within two weeks caused decrease in body weight and in motor behavior in open-field test. Moreover, there were a decrease in thymus weight, an increase in adrenal weight and an appearance in most of animals of gastric mucosal erosions. The disturbances of the behavior and somatic state of animals are accompanied by changes of GABA and energy metabolism in the neurons of the frontal cortex. These changes manifested themselves in activation of GABA degradation with simultaneous rise of the succinate--but not isocitrate dehydrogenase activity, inhibition of glutamate dehydrogenase activity and worsening of blood supply to neurons. Chronic (14 days) administration of GABA positive drugs (baclofen--7.5-12.5 mg/kg; depakin--200-400 mg/kg) increases resistance of animals to long-term exposure to pain, which correlates with the normalization of GABA and energy metabolism. Moreover, depakin but not baclofen prevents the development of the microcirculatory disturbances, which is indicated by the normalization of either the activity of sodium phosphatase or the quantity of active capillaries. It is suggested that activation of the inhibitory GABA-ergic mechanisms is a factor of both neuromediatory and metabolic adaptation to the pain.