Role of cholinergic systems in pain modulation: I. Impact of scopolamine on environmentally induced hypoalgesia and pain reactivity

Behav Neurosci. 1991 Feb;105(1):62-81. doi: 10.1037//0735-7044.105.1.62.

Abstract

Scopolamine was found to block both brief shock-induced (3 0.75-s, 1.0-mA shocks) and conditioned hypoalgesia on the tail-flick test in rats. The drug also produced a general increase in pain reactivity as measured by both the tail-flick test and shock-induced vocalization. It was shown that this hyperalgesia cannot account for the effect of the drug on brief-shock or conditioned hypoalgesia. Scopolamine did not block the nonopioid analgesia observed after long shock (3 25-s, 1.0-mA shocks). When the effect of the drug on baseline levels of pain reactivity was controlled, it potentiated long shock-induced hypoalgesia. Scopolamine also increased reactivity to tactile stimulation, which suggests the hyperalgesia reflects a general increase in arousal. None of these effects were observed with methylscopolamine, which suggests they are not peripherally mediated.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arousal / drug effects*
  • Electroshock
  • Habituation, Psychophysiologic / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mental Recall / drug effects
  • N-Methylscopolamine
  • Nociceptors / drug effects*
  • Parasympatholytics
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Reaction Time / drug effects
  • Receptors, Cholinergic / drug effects*
  • Scopolamine / pharmacology*
  • Scopolamine Derivatives / pharmacology
  • Sensory Thresholds / drug effects
  • Social Environment*
  • Vocalization, Animal / drug effects

Substances

  • Parasympatholytics
  • Receptors, Cholinergic
  • Scopolamine Derivatives
  • Scopolamine
  • N-Methylscopolamine