Levodopa has been shown to produce analgesia in various clinical and experimental settings, but its use for chronic pain treatment has not been established. We have undertaken a study of the antiallodynic actions of levodopa in a rat model of painful mononeuropathy. When administered systemically, levodopa produced a decrease in tactile and cold allodynia lasting at least 3h. Direct intrathecal (i.t.) levodopa injection at lumbar levels produced a similar, though shorter, antiallodynic effect. This effect was blocked by the D2-type receptor antagonist sulpiride, which supports the involvement of the spinal dopaminergic system in the analgesic action of levodopa on neuropathic pain. These results provide experimental support on the antiallodynic effect of levodopa in neuropathic pain and suggest that at least part of the analgesic action takes place in the spinal cord and involves dopaminergic D2-type receptors.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresbull.2010.08.012 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Targeting the insular cortex for neuropathic pain modulation: Insights into synaptic and neuronal mechanisms.
FASEB J
January 2025
Department of Physiology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Neuropathic pain, caused by nerve damage, greatly affects quality of life. Recent research proposes modulating brain activity, particularly through electrical stimulation of the insular cortex (IC), as a treatment option. This study aimed to understand how IC stimulation (ICS) affects pain modulation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEffectiveness and Safety of Gabapentin versus Pregabalin in the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
Br J Hosp Med (Lond)
December 2024
Department of Neurology, Huai'an Hospital of Huai'an City, Huai'an, Jiangsu, China.
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common chronic pain disease that persists after the rash (clusters of clear blisters on the surface of the skin) has healed, adversely affecting the quality of life of affected patients. Gabapentin (GPT) and pregabalin (PGB) are two commonly used drugs for the treatment of PHN, but there have been broad concerns regarding their efficacy and safety. Thus, this retrospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness and safety of GPT versus PGB in the treatment of PHN.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPerioperative ketamine to reduce and prevent acute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
J Thorac Dis
December 2024
Department of Anaesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, University Hospital Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany.
Background: Moderate to severe postoperative pain is common among patients following thoracotomy and serves as a risk factor for developing chronic post-thoracotomy pain (CPTP). This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effects of pre-emptively administered ketamine compared to placebo and standard care on both acute postoperative pain and CPTP.
Methods: Two hundred patients were enrolled in this prospective, randomized trial.
Case Report: Percutaneous Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for the Treatment of Occipital Neuralgia.
Orthop Rev (Pavia)
January 2025
Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care, and Pain Medicine The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
Headaches are among the most prevalent medical complaints globally. Occipital neuralgia is a chronic headache disorder characterized by unilateral or bilateral severe pain originating in the neck or skull base and radiating up along the occipital nerve distribution. Effective treatment options for occipital neuralgia can be challenging and some patients may prove to be refractory to conventional medical and interventional therapies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOptimal Patient Positioning for Microvascular Decompression of Trigeminal Neuralgia Utilizing the "Arrowhead" Technique: A Technical Report.
Cureus
December 2024
Neurosurgery, Desert Regional Medical Center, Palm Springs, USA.
Microvascular decompression (MVD) is a neurosurgical operation used to treat trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The surgery is performed through a retrosigmoid approach, where a Teflon pledget is placed in between the offending vessel (most commonly the superior cerebellar artery) and trigeminal nerve. The surgery is performed within the superior aspect of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) through a small working corridor that is triangulated by the petrous bone and tentorium.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!