Convergence of cutaneous, musculoskeletal, dural and visceral afferents onto nociceptive neurons in the first cervical dorsal horn

摘要: The convergence of cutaneous, musculoskeletal, dural and visceral afferents onto nociceptive neurons in the first cervical dorsal horn was investigated urethane/chloralose-anesthetized rats. Electrical stimulation applied to facial, neck, shoulder forepaw skin, cornea (COR), dura, second (C2) nerve, hypoglossal temporomandibular joint, masseter (MAS) muscle superior laryngeal nerve. In addition, acetic acid injected intraperitoneally microinjection glutamate tongue, MAS muscle, splenius cervicis dura intrapericardial area. A total 52 classified as wide dynamic range (n = 28) or nociceptive-specific 24) studied. All received afferent input from skin at least one COR, source trigeminal (V) area but sources caudal C2 innervation territory sparse. proportion responding dural, nerve stimulations 87, 54, 85, 52, 73, 64 31%, respectively. all tested sites showed a double logarithmic stimulus-response relation, cluster analysis excitability revealed two groups neurons, mainly containing neurons. These findings indicate that may be limited craniofacial they play an important role integration upper inputs.