Subconvulsive dose of strychnine enhances the transneuronal effect of peripheral sensory nerve transection.

The effect of transection of the inferior alveolar nerve on the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis neuron was examined under the influence of systemic strychnine in the rat. Chronic intoxication with a subconvulsive dose of strychnine induced electron dense degeneration of somata and dendrites at 30 days following transection in the area of subnucleus caudalis which received primary projection from the transected nerve. Removal of the postsynaptic inhibition appears to enhance the transneuronal effect of peripheral nerve injury.