Abstract
The pattern of vaginocervical stimulation-evoked expression of the proto-oncogene c-fos in lumbar 5-sacral 1 segments of the spinal cord of ovariectomized adult rats was mapped using immunocytochemistry. A calibrated force of mechanostimulation was applied to the vaginal cervix of experimental animals and to the perineum of control animals while they were gently restrained. The number of cells expressing c-fos was significant greater in the experimental than the control animals in laminae I, IV, V-VI and X. The implications of the present findings for elucidating the spinal pathways mediating the various behavioral, neuroendocrine and autonomic effects of vaginocervical stimulation (VS) are discussed.
Original language | English (US) |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 93-96 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Neuroscience Letters |
Volume | 145 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Sep 28 1992 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Neuroscience(all)
Keywords
- C-fos
- Sacral parasympathetic nucleus
- Spinal cord
- Vaginocervical stimulation
- Visceral afferent pathways