Bursting interneurons in the deep dorsal horn develop increased excitability and sensitivity to serotonin after chronic spinal injury

• DOI: 10.1152/jn.00701.2019
• Publication Date: 2020-03-25T12:27:01Z
• Authors: Theeradej Thaweer...; Derin Birch; Mingchen C. Jiang; Matthew C. Tresch; David J. Bennett; Charles J. Heckman; Vicki M. Tysseling
• Keywords: Motor Neurons; Serotonin; Spasm; N-Methylaspartate; Action Potentials; Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials; Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists; Tryptamines; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Posterior Horn Cells; Disease Models, Animal; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Interneurons; Chronic Disease; Animals; Spinal Nerve Roots; Oxazolidinones; Spinal Cord Injuries

We investigate the firing characteristics of bursting deep dorsal horn (DDH) neurons following chronic spinal transection. DDH neurons in the chronic stage are different from those in the acute stage as noted by their increase in excitability overall and their differing responses serotonin (5-HT) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonists. Also, there is a strong relationship between DDH neuron activity and ventral root output. These results support a contribution of the bursting DDH neurons to muscle spasms following chronic spinal cord injury (SCI).