CONTRIBUTION OF THE SCIATIC AND SAPHENOUS NERVE TO THE VENTROBASAL THALAMIC NEURONAL RESPONSES TO PINCH IN RATS WITH A CHRONIC SCIATIC-NERVE CONSTRICTION - A STUDY USING ANESTHETIC BLOCKS AND NERVE-SECTION

To extend the study on the respective contribution of the sciatic and saphenous nerve in abnormal nociceptive responses observed in rats wit h a loose constriction of one sciatic nerve, neuronal responses to pin ch applied to the territory of the injured nerve, recorded in the vent robasal complex of the thalamus have been studied. Eleven neurones rec orded in 11 rats with a nerve constriction since 15-19 days and clear abnormal pain-related behaviour to mechanical stimulus, were tested be fore and during an anesthetic block of the saphenous and/or of the sci atic nerve, and/or after the saphenous nerve section. Only the sciatic nerve block depressed significantly the pinch responses.