Evaluation of the L5 spinal nerve ligation on Aδ- and C-fibers activation threshold and also LTP-induced by electrical high frequency stimulation of sciatic nerve in spinal dorsal horn of rats

The underlying central mechanisms for the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain are unknown. The current study aimed to evaluate the long-term potentiation (LTP) changes in spinal dorsal horn wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons following a peripheral neuropathy model. This study was conducted on 26 male Wistar rats. The spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model was performed to induce neuropathy. After surgery, thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia were evaluated one day before neuropathy, and then on days 2, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after neuropathy. Single-unit recording was used to study the changes of LTP. The changes of LTP and Aδ- and C-fiber evoked responses by high-frequency stimulation (100 Hz and current intensity six times that of the threshold for activation of C- fibers) of sciatic nerve in spinal WDR synapses were studied on day 14 after surgery up to 2 hours. Neuropathy was induced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia on day 2 and persisted for 28 days after neuropathy. Electrophysiological recording revealed that HFS induced LTP either in the Aδ- or in the C-fibers in both sham and neuropathy groups up to 2 hr on day 14 after neuropathy. Neuropathy also significantly decreased the threshold of these fibers. LTP-induced HFS in spinal WDR neurons can be one of the underlying central mechanisms in the maintenance of neuropathic pain.