Spinal NGF Restores Opioid Sensitivity in Neuropathic Rats: Possible Role of NGF as a Regulator of CCK-Induced Anti-Opioid Effects

The breadth of peripheral effects produced by nerve growth factor (NGF) in nociceptive processing has been well documented. However, less is known about the functional significance of central NGF in nociceptive transmission. The effect of NGF on the nervous system is dependent on the developmental s...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Catherine M Cahill, Terence J Coderre
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2000-01-01
Series:Pain Research and Management
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/347212
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832559386261716992
author Catherine M Cahill
Terence J Coderre
author_facet Catherine M Cahill
Terence J Coderre
author_sort Catherine M Cahill
collection DOAJ
description The breadth of peripheral effects produced by nerve growth factor (NGF) in nociceptive processing has been well documented. However, less is known about the functional significance of central NGF in nociceptive transmission. The effect of NGF on the nervous system is dependent on the developmental stage. During the prenatal developmental period, NGF is critical for survival of nociceptors; in the postnatal period it regulates the expression of nociceptor phenotype, and in the adult it contributes to pain following an inflammatory insult. The implications for central NGF in the expression and regulation of spinal neuropeptides that are involved in pain mechanisms are reviewed. Knowledge has been gained by studies using peripheral nerve injury models that cause a deprivation of central NGF. These models also give rise to the development of pain syndromes, which encompass spontaneous pain, hyperalgesia and allodynia, routinely referred to as neuropathic pain. These models provide an approach for examining the contribution of central NGF to nociceptive transmission. Chronic pain emanating from a nerve injury is typically refractory to traditional analgesics such as opioids. Recent evidence suggests that supplementation of spinal NGF restores morphine-induced antinociception in an animal model of neuropathic pain. This effect appears to be mediated by alterations in spinal levels of cholecystokinin. The authors hypothesize that NGF is critical in maintaining neurochemical homeostasis in the spinal cord of nociceptive neurons, and that supplementation may be beneficial in restoring and/or maintaining opioid analgesia in chronic pain conditions resulting from traumatic nerve injury.
format Article
id doaj-art-f1b4619fa62a4fb3840aff350e388246
institution Kabale University
issn 1203-6765
language English
publishDate 2000-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Pain Research and Management
spelling doaj-art-f1b4619fa62a4fb3840aff350e3882462025-02-03T01:30:12ZengWileyPain Research and Management1203-67652000-01-0151495710.1155/2000/347212Spinal NGF Restores Opioid Sensitivity in Neuropathic Rats: Possible Role of NGF as a Regulator of CCK-Induced Anti-Opioid EffectsCatherine M Cahill0Terence J Coderre1Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, CanadaPain Mechanisms Laboratory, Clinical Research Institute of Montreal, CanadaThe breadth of peripheral effects produced by nerve growth factor (NGF) in nociceptive processing has been well documented. However, less is known about the functional significance of central NGF in nociceptive transmission. The effect of NGF on the nervous system is dependent on the developmental stage. During the prenatal developmental period, NGF is critical for survival of nociceptors; in the postnatal period it regulates the expression of nociceptor phenotype, and in the adult it contributes to pain following an inflammatory insult. The implications for central NGF in the expression and regulation of spinal neuropeptides that are involved in pain mechanisms are reviewed. Knowledge has been gained by studies using peripheral nerve injury models that cause a deprivation of central NGF. These models also give rise to the development of pain syndromes, which encompass spontaneous pain, hyperalgesia and allodynia, routinely referred to as neuropathic pain. These models provide an approach for examining the contribution of central NGF to nociceptive transmission. Chronic pain emanating from a nerve injury is typically refractory to traditional analgesics such as opioids. Recent evidence suggests that supplementation of spinal NGF restores morphine-induced antinociception in an animal model of neuropathic pain. This effect appears to be mediated by alterations in spinal levels of cholecystokinin. The authors hypothesize that NGF is critical in maintaining neurochemical homeostasis in the spinal cord of nociceptive neurons, and that supplementation may be beneficial in restoring and/or maintaining opioid analgesia in chronic pain conditions resulting from traumatic nerve injury.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/347212
spellingShingle Catherine M Cahill
Terence J Coderre
Spinal NGF Restores Opioid Sensitivity in Neuropathic Rats: Possible Role of NGF as a Regulator of CCK-Induced Anti-Opioid Effects
Pain Research and Management
title Spinal NGF Restores Opioid Sensitivity in Neuropathic Rats: Possible Role of NGF as a Regulator of CCK-Induced Anti-Opioid Effects
title_full Spinal NGF Restores Opioid Sensitivity in Neuropathic Rats: Possible Role of NGF as a Regulator of CCK-Induced Anti-Opioid Effects
title_fullStr Spinal NGF Restores Opioid Sensitivity in Neuropathic Rats: Possible Role of NGF as a Regulator of CCK-Induced Anti-Opioid Effects
title_full_unstemmed Spinal NGF Restores Opioid Sensitivity in Neuropathic Rats: Possible Role of NGF as a Regulator of CCK-Induced Anti-Opioid Effects
title_short Spinal NGF Restores Opioid Sensitivity in Neuropathic Rats: Possible Role of NGF as a Regulator of CCK-Induced Anti-Opioid Effects
title_sort spinal ngf restores opioid sensitivity in neuropathic rats possible role of ngf as a regulator of cck induced anti opioid effects
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2000/347212
work_keys_str_mv AT catherinemcahill spinalngfrestoresopioidsensitivityinneuropathicratspossibleroleofngfasaregulatorofcckinducedantiopioideffects
AT terencejcoderre spinalngfrestoresopioidsensitivityinneuropathicratspossibleroleofngfasaregulatorofcckinducedantiopioideffects