Neuro-Microglial Interactions in the Spinal Centers of Pain Modulation in the Neuropathic Pain Syndrome

The dynamics of the expression of the neuronal NO-synthase and microglia activity in the spinal centers of pain modulation were studied on the ligated rat sciatic nerve. The development of neuropathic pain causes an increase in the activity of neuronal NO-synthase and the iba-1-positive microglia in the spinal ganglia and the surface laminae of the posterior horn of the spinal cord, which dynamically corresponds to the severity of pain. At the same time, the dynamics of NO-ergic activity are parallel with the activation of microglia in these brain structures. Thus, we cannot exclude the direct inter-modulating effects of spinal microglia and NO-ergic nociceptive neurons.