INDUCTION OF C-FOS EXPRESSION IN THE DIENCEPHALON FOLLOWING ORAL APPLICATION OF CAPSAICIN TO THE MOUSE TONGUE

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Capsaicin, the pungent ingredient in chili peppers, not only evokes oral irritation but also exerts an influence on the central nervous system. c-Fos expression has been used as a histochemical marker for activated neurons in the central nervous system. We have investigated cFos expression in the diencephalon following application of capsaicin to the mouse tongue. Numbers of c-Fos-immunoreactive neurons were significantly increased following capsaicin application in the lateral hypothalamus, arcuate nucleus, posterior hypothalamic nucleus, supraoptic hypothalamic nucleus, lateral habenular nucleus, paraventricular thalamic nucleus, reuniens thalamic nucleus, rhomboid thalamic nucleus, and centrolateral and paracentral thalamic nuclei. Few c-Fos immunoreactive cells were found in control animals. These results indicate that stimulation with oral capsaicin activates various diencephalic regions mostly overlapped with pain center in the brain.
名古屋市立大学の論文
2007-01-31