Modulation of Spinal GABAergic Inhibition and Mechanical Hypersensitivity following Chronic Compression of Dorsal Root Ganglion in the Rat

Figure 3

Quantitative analysis of GABA-ir and NeuN-ir cells by stereological cell counting. In (a), images used for stereological cell counts are shown, taken at six consecutive focal planes from the top to the bottom of the 20 μm optical dissector. The dissector contains 5 GABA-ir and 9 NeuN-ir cells for the sham-operated group (i) and 3 GABA-ir and 10 NeuN-ir cells for the 1-week post-CCD group (ii) (indicated by arrows). In (b), the mean numbers of cells estimated by stereological analysis from L4-L5 dorsal horn laminae I–III of individual animals are represented in bar graphs ( rats for each group). The number of GABA-ir cells significantly decreased for both 1-week and 8-week post-CCD groups compared with the sham-operated group, whereas no significant differences in NeuN-ir cell number were seen among all four groups. when compared with sham-treated control.

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