Involvement of Peripheral Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors in Orofacial Thermal Hyperalgesia in Rats

Abstract

The present findings suggest that peripheral Glu receptor mechanisms may contribute to cold hyperalgesia in the tongue but not in the facial skin, and also contribute to heat hyperalgesia in the tongue and facial skin, and that the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade in Vc-C2 neurons may be involved in these Glu-evoked hyperalgesic effects.