Noxious visceral inputs enhance cutaneous tactile response in rat thalamus.

The current study investigates whether visceral nociceptive inputs affect tactile processing in the thalamic ventroposterior lateral nucleus in anesthetized rats by means of extracellular single unit recordings. Twenty out of the 44 neurons had their response to tactile stimulation increased by preceding nociceptive colorectal distension (CRD), and this influence appear more potent than the opposite effect, tactile on CRD response. There was a dynamic change of tactile response along with CRD response and the background activities as a function of repeated colorectal stimulation. The abnormal neuronal discharge in response to tactile stimulation in the condition of visceral nociception could contribute to the development of referred pain and allodynia. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.