The long-range goal of the proposed research is to advance our knowledge of neural mechanisms underlying pelvic visceral sensation, particularly pain arising from internal reproductive organs in females. The general strategy is to use the female rat as a model and carry out behavioral and electrophysiological studies of the organization, functions and conscious sensory consequences of innervation of her internal reproductive organs under normal and pathological conditions. Studies proposed for the next grant period will use these two methods to address four general issues: (1) functions of the hypogastric, pelvic and pudendal nerves in gynecological sensations, particularly pain; (2) how sensory input from these nerves is processed in the central nervous system (spinal cord and thalamus); (3) how pain of gynecological origin varies with normal variations in hormonal conditions (estrous cycle, pseudo-pregnancy); and (4) how functions of the nerves, processing of information in the central nervous system and hormonal variaitons in gynecological pain sensation as observed in normal rats differ in rat models of gynecological pathology such as endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease. It is reasoned that knowledge gained from these studies will stimulate others to carry out more research in this neglected area and will lead to improved strategies for treatment of gynecological and other visceral pains.
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