Spinal glia modulate both adaptive and pathological processes

Recent research indicates that glial cells control complex functions within the nervous system. For example, it has been shown that glial cells contribute to the development of pathological pain, the process of long-term potentiation, and the formation of memories. These data suggest that glial cell...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brain, behavior, and immunity Vol. 23; no. 7; pp. 969 - 976
Main Authors: Vichaya, Elisabeth G., Baumbauer, Kyle M., Carcoba, Luis M., Grau, James W., Meagher, Mary W.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 01.10.2009
Subjects:
Allergy and Immunology
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Astrocytes
Citrates - pharmacology
Conditioning, Operant - drug effects
Conditioning, Operant - physiology
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Electroshock
Fluorocitrate
Hindlimb
Inflammation
Inflammation - physiopathology
Injections, Spinal
Lipopolysaccharides - toxicity
LPS
Male
Microglia
Neuroglia - drug effects
Neuroglia - physiology
Neuronal Plasticity - physiology
Pain
Psychiatry
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Recovery of Function
Spinal Cord
Spinal Cord Injuries - physiopathology
Spinal cord injury
Spinal instrumental learning
Spinal plasticity
Tail
Thoracic Vertebrae - physiopathology
Pain
Astrocytes
Spinal plasticity
Recovery of function
Inflammation
Spinal cord injury
Spinal instrumental learning
Fluorocitrate
LPS
Microglia
ISSN:0889-1591, 1090-2139, 1090-2139
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Recent research indicates that glial cells control complex functions within the nervous system. For example, it has been shown that glial cells contribute to the development of pathological pain, the process of long-term potentiation, and the formation of memories. These data suggest that glial cell activation exerts both adaptive and pathological effects within the CNS. To extend this line of work, the present study investigated the role of glia in spinal learning and spinal learning deficits using the spinal instrumental learning paradigm. In this paradigm rats are transected at the second thoracic vertebra (T2) and given shock to one hind limb whenever the limb is extended (controllable shock). Over time these subjects exhibit an increase in flexion duration that reduces net shock exposure. However, when spinalized rats are exposed to uncontrollable shock or inflammatory stimuli prior to testing with controllable shock, they exhibit a learning deficit. To examine the role of glial in this paradigm, spinal glial cells were pharmacologically inhibited through the use of fluorocitrate. Our results indicate that glia are involved in the acquisition, but not maintenance, of spinal learning. Furthermore, the data indicate that glial cells are involved in the development of both shock and inflammation-induced learning deficits. These findings are consistent with prior research indicating that glial cells are involved in both adaptive and pathological processes within the spinal cord.
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ISSN:0889-1591
1090-2139
1090-2139
DOI:10.1016/j.bbi.2009.05.001