Depletion of calcitonin gene-related peptide from the caudal trigeminal nucleus of the rat after electrical stimulation of the Gasserian ganglion

• Published in: Experimental brain research Vol. 118; no. 1; pp. 111 - 114
• Main Authors: KNYIHAR-CSILLIK, E, TAJTI, J, SAMSAM, M, SARY, G, BUZAS, P, VECSEI, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01-01-1998
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide - analysis; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide - deficiency; Densitometry; Electric Stimulation; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Rats; Somesthesis and somesthetic pathways (proprioception, exteroception, nociception); interoception; electrolocation. Sensory receptors; Trigeminal Caudal Nucleus - physiology; Trigeminal Ganglion - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Peripheral nervous system; Rat; Migraine; Electrical stimulus; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Calcitonine gene related peptide; Neuropeptide; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Depletion; Somesthetic pathway; Sensory neuron; Trigeminal nucleus; Trigeminal ganglion; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0014-4819; 1432-1106
• DOI: 10.1007/s002210050260

Electrical stimulation of the Gasserian ganglion resulted in partial depletion of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from ipsilateral central terminals of pseudounipolar primary sensory ganglion cells. Affected terminals exhibit decreased CGRP immunoreactivity as shown by cytophotometric densitometry of the caudal trigeminal nucleus. The decrease in CGRP immunoreactivity is statistically significant only in the medial one-third of the caudal trigeminal nucleus. Since earlier studies have shown that electrical stimulation of the Gasserian ganglion induces first accumulation then depletion of CGRP from perivascular sensory terminals in the dura mater, the present experiments suggest that CGRP is depleted also from central terminals of primary sensory trigeminal neurons, which might be of importance in the pathogenesis of migraine headache.