[The effects of hyperventilation upon the spinal pain modulating system (second report)]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of hyperventilation on the spinal pain modulating system by using naloxone. Under enflurane anaesthesia, cats were prepared with midcollicular decerebration and lumbar laminectomy. The spinal cord was transected at T12-L1. WDR cells, responding primarily to noxious peripheral stimuli, were sampled with a microelectrode at the depth of 2,000 microns from the cord dorsum. Following the control period, ventilation was adjusted to produce hypocapnia of PCO2 20-25 mmHg. After activities of WDR cells were well suppressed, naloxone 0.1 mg.kg-1 was given intravenously. Changes of firings of WDR cells were investigated. Returning to normocapnia, recovery of firings was followed. Hypocapnia of PCO2 20-25 mmHg significantly suppressed the activities of WDR cells. Naloxone significantly antagonized the suppressive effects of hyperventilation upon the activity of WDR cell. Our results suggest that the hyperventilation has suppressive effects on single-unit activity of WDR cell and the mechanisms of those suppressive effects are related to pain modulating system by endogenous opiates.