Synaptic transmission of pain in the developing spinal cord fast synaptic transmission in the dorsal horn

Abstract

The altered nociceptive behaviour of neonatal animals implies that there are underlying differences in pain transmission between young and mature individuals. One important location where these differences have been shown to occur is at the level of the spinal cord dorsal horn where sensory information from the periphery is first integrated at the synaptic level. The maturation of synaptic transmission in this region will therefore have a profound effect on pain behaviour. In addition, the development of spinal pain processing is modulated by incoming sensory activity and immature dorsal horn synapses play a key role in postnatal activity-dependent shaping of pain circuitry. This chapter will explore the maturation of dorsal horn synaptic transmission at anatomical, molecular and functional levels. The competing forces of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission will be focussed upon separately and then finally the integration of these synaptic drives will be discussed in relation to the emergence of mature spinal pain processing.