Memorial University DAI: Studies on the involvement of enkephalin in stimulation produced analgesia

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Title	Studies on the involvement of enkephalin in stimulation produced analgesia
Author	Bourne, Gerald W., 1955-
Description	Thesis (M.Sc.) -- Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1980. Psychology
Date	1979
Pagination	128 leaves
Subject	Analgesics; Pain--Physiological aspects;
Degree	M.Sc.
Degree Grantor	Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dept. of Psychology
Discipline	Psychology
Language	Eng
Notes	Bibliography : leaves 96-112.
Abstract	Similarities between stimulation and opiate analgesia, together with the recent identification of central nervous system opiate receptors and endogenous opiate peptides has led to the proposal that periaqueductal gray (PAG) endorphins modulate pain perception. The specific hypothesis that PAG stimulation induces analgesia by the release of enkephalin was evaluated in rats using a specific competitive enkephalinase inhibitor (Gly-Gly-Phe-Met). -- In three studies the enkephalinase inhibitor was administered intracerebrally two millemeters caudal to an analgesia producing stimulation electrode in the PAG. Analgesia was assessed at two minute intervals using the tail flick test. Study I demonstrated that the enkephalinase inhibitor potentiated in intensity and duration the analgesic action of sub maximal PAG stimulation in a naloxone reversible manner. In Study II the potentiation effect on stimulation produced analgesia was shown to be directly dependent on enkephalinase inhibitor dose and was completely reversed by naloxone. In Study III using specific norepinephrine (6-OHDA) and serotonin (5.7-DHT) neurotoxins a serotonergic mechanism was shown to mediate enkephalinase inhibitor action. Additionally in these studies administration of enkephalinase inhibitor in the absence of stimulation was found to produce an attenuated naloxone reversible dose dependent analgesia. This antinociceptive action was also abolished by a spinal serotonin lesion. -- It was concluded that enkephalin within the PAG was released by stimulation and activated opiate receptors thereby producing analgesia. Thus endogenous enkephalin modulates the perception of pain.
Type	Text
Resource Type	Electronic thesis or dissertation
Format	Image/jpeg; Application/pdf
Source	Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries
Local Identifier	75058098
Rights	The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission.
Collection	Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Scanning Status	Completed
PDF File	(67.37 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Bourne_GeraldWesley.pdf
CONTENTdm file name	308213.cpd