BACKGROUND: The anterior pretectal nucleus (APtN) activates descending mechanisms of @entity158 control. This study evaluated whether the APtN also controls @entity9 in @entity35 . METHODS: The @entity56 to mechanical stimulation with an electronic von Frey apparatus and the number of @entity5019 -immunoreactive ( @entity5019 -ir) neurons in the APtN were evaluated in @entity35 before and after chronic @entity1930 . RESULTS: The tactile @entity56 was characterized by an initial phase (the 2 days following the injury) and a maintenance phase (the subsequent 7 days). The injection of 2% lidocaine (0.25    L) or N-methyl-D-aspartate (2.5    g/0.25    L) into the APtN intensified the tactile @entity56 observed 2 days after injury but did not alter the tactile @entity56 observed 7 and 14 days after injury. The injection of naloxone (10   ng/0.25    L) or methysergide (40   pg/0.25    L) but not atropine (100   ng/0.25    L) into the APtN also intensified the tactile @entity56 observed 2 days after the injury. A significant increase in the number of @entity5019 -ir cells was found in the contralateral APtN 2 days but not 7 or 14 days after the injury. Electrical stimulation of the APtN reduced the tactile @entity56 at 2, 7 and 14 days after the nerve ligation. CONCLUSION: APtN exerts a tonic inhibitory influence on persistent @entity158 . The results point out to an important role of opioid and serotonergic mediation into the APtN to inhibit @entity1931 during the initial phase of @entity9 .

Descending mechanisms activated by the anterior pretectal nucleus initiate but do not maintain @entity9 in XXXX .

@entity1930 :: ('MESH:D020426', 'Disease') :: ['constriction injury of the sciatic nerve'] @entity1931 :: ('MESH:D006930', 'Disease') :: ['hyperalgesia'] @entity5019 :: ('314322(Tax:10116)', 'Gene') :: ['Fos'] @entity56 :: ('MESH:D004342', 'Disease') :: ['hypersensitivity'] @entity158 :: ('MESH:D010146', 'Disease') :: ['pain'] @entity35 :: ('10116', 'Species') :: ['rats'] @entity9 :: ('MESH:D009437', 'Disease') :: ['neuropathic pain']
@entity35 :: (10116,Species) :: ['rats']
