Gamma-aminobutyric acid is released in the dorsal horn by electrical spinal cord stimulation: An in vivo microdialysis study in the rat

THE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING the beneficial effect of electrical stimulation of the posterior surface of the spinal cord in chronic pain states are unknown. The prolonged pain relief following a short stimulation period is believed to imply the activation of long-lasting neurochemical processes, mainly in the spinal cord, but possibly also involving other parts of the central nervous system. Previous studies have demonstrated that substance P and serotonin are released in the cat dorsal horn during spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with electrical parameters similar to those used in the clinic. However, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has also been hypothesized to play a role in the effect of SCS, but there have been no studies of the possible effects of SCS on GABA release. The authors applied SCS to anesthetized rats and monitored the extracellular concentration of GABA in the lumbar dorsal horns by microdialysis and a sensitive reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography technique. After 30 minutes of SCS, the GABA level increased significantly (by almost 270%) in comparison with the basal level recorded before stimulation, from 3.6 ± 1.0 nmol/L to 13.1 ± 2.2 nmol/L (mean ± the standard error of the mean; P < 0.05). The peak release was delayed and appeared in the 30-minute fraction collected after stimulation. Also, perfusion of the dialysis probes with potassium (100 mmol/L) induced an increase of the GABA level. In control experiments without electrical stimulation, slowly decreasing GABA levels were observed throughout the experiments. The present results may suggest an involvement of GABA in the mechanism for SCS-induced pain relief. A hypothetical role for GABA in the effect of SCS on the activity of wide dynamic range neurons and on symptoms of neuropathy is discussed on the basis of these observations and other recent experimental findings.