Convergence of perianal cutaneous and pelvic visceral nociceptive inputs onto neurons of dorsal commissural nucleus in the cat sacral spinal cord.

The effects of somatic and visceral nociceptive stimulation on neurons of dorsal commissural nucleus in sacral spinal cord were studied in pentobarbitone anesthetized cats using extracellular recording techniques. The results indicated that all neurons deriving input from A delta fibers of the pelvic nerve were either nociceptive specific or wide dynamic range neurons, and could be activated by mechanical or intense electrical stimulation of the respective receptive fields including perianal region. The above results suggest that the A delta afferents innervation of the pelvic organ is important in nociception.