Intrathecal serotonin in mice: Analgesia and inhibition of a spinal action of substance P

Janice L.K. Hylden, George L. Wilcox

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

84 Scopus citations

Abstract

Serotonin, administered intrathecally in mice, produced dose-related analgesia in the tail flick test and the subcutaneous hypertonic saline assay. Low doses (2.5-5 ng) of serotonin blocked the biting and scratching response elicited by intrathecal substance P. However, higher doses of serotonin itself elicited a behavioral syndrome characterized by scratching of the torso with the hindlimbs. Both the analgesic response and the scratching response due to serotonin were blocked by specific serotonin antagonists and the analgesia is likely mediated by a postsynaptic action on dorsal horn nociceptive neurons.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)789-795
Number of pages7
JournalLife Sciences
Volume33
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 22 1983

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by U.S. Public Health Grants DA01933, T32GM07397 and RR05385 and by a grant from the Proctor and Gamble Company.

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