DEPLETION OF CALCITONIN-GENE-RELATED PEPTIDE FROM THE CAUDAL TRIGEMINAL NUCLEUS OF THE RAT AFTER ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION OF THE GASSERIAN GANGLION

Electrical stimulation of the Gasserian ganglion resulted in partial d epletion of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) from ipsilateral ce ntral terminals of pseudounipolar primary sensory ganglion cells. Affe cted terminals exhibit decreased CGRP immunoreactivity as shown by cyt ophotometric densitomery of the caudal trigeminal nucleus. The decreas e in CGRP immunoreactivity is statistically significant only in the me dial one-third of the caudal trigeminal nucleus. Since earlier studies have shown that electrical stimulation of the Gasserian ganglion indu ces first accumulation then depletion of CGRP from perivascular sensor y terminals in the dura mater, the present experiments suggest that CG RP is depleted also from central terminals of primary sensory trigemin al neurons, which might be of importance in the pathogenesis of migrai ne headache.