Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026
08:15
Dorsal Root Ganglia Isolation and Primary Culture to Study Neurotransmitter Release
Published on: October 6, 2018
Transmitters involved in central processing of nociceptive information
Anaesthesia and Intensive Care
|May 1, 1982
Summary
Substance P may transmit pain signals via nociceptive afferents. Further electrophysiological studies are needed to compare its effects with natural transmitters on dorsal horn neurons and understand pain inhibition.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurophysiology
- Pain Research
Background:
- Substance P is implicated as a neurotransmitter released by nociceptive primary afferent fibers.
- Understanding its precise role requires direct electrophysiological comparison with endogenous transmitters.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the electrophysiological effects of substance P with endogenous transmitters on dorsal horn neurons.
- To investigate the mechanisms of nociceptive impulse transmission and inhibition.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiological recordings from dorsal horn neurons.
- Comparison of substance P effects with endogenous neurotransmitters.
- Investigation of segmental and supraspinal inhibitory pathways.
Main Results:
- Electrophysiological data are needed to confirm substance P's role as a nociceptive transmitter.
- Segmental inhibition likely involves glycine and GABA.
- Supraspinal inhibition in cats may involve noradrenaline, not amino acids, enkephalins, or serotonin.
Conclusions:
- Further electrophysiological studies are essential to validate substance P's function in pain transmission.
- Noradrenaline is a potential mediator of supraspinal pain inhibition in cats.
Related Concept Videos
01:43Thermosensation
Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
01:44Nociception
Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...
01:30Classification of Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters play a crucial role in the communication between neurons in the autonomic nervous system. Neurons in the autonomic nervous system can be cholinergic or adrenergic depending on the neurotransmitters synthesized. Cholinergic neurons use acetylcholine as their primary neurotransmitter. This includes all the preganglionic fibers of the sympathetic and pre- and postganglionic fibers of the parasympathetic nervous systems. In addition, neurons of the somatic nervous system also use...
01:30Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters play a crucial role in the communication between neurons in the autonomic nervous system. Neurons in the autonomic nervous system can be cholinergic or adrenergic depending on the neurotransmitters synthesized. Cholinergic neurons use acetylcholine as their primary neurotransmitter. This includes all the preganglionic fibers of the sympathetic and pre- and postganglionic fibers of the parasympathetic nervous systems. In addition, neurons of the somatic nervous system also use...
01:31Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters are essential chemical messengers within the nervous system, facilitating the communication between neurons. These chemical messengers, varying in function and effect, are critical for sustaining various aspects of neurological health and emotional well-being.
01:20Pain
Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...