HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (6) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Schütz, T.C.B. Articles by Tufik, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Schütz, T.C.B. Articles by Tufik, S.

Influence of Temporomandibular Joint Pain on Sleep Patterns: Role of Nitric Oxide

Department of Psychobiology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina (UNIFESP/EPM), Rua Napoleão de Barros, 925 Vila Clementino SP-04024-002, São Paulo, SP, Brazil;

^* corresponding author, tschutz{at}psicobio.epm.br

Since nitric oxide is related to nociception and the sleep-wake cycle, this study sought to determine its involvement in the altered sleep pattern in a temporomandibular joint pain model by investigating the effect of the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (L-NAME) and that of its precursor (L-arginine). The temporomandibular joints of test animals were injected with Freund’s adjuvant or saline, and their sleep was recorded. The procedure was repeated after the administration of L-NAME and L-arginine. L-NAME increased rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in the control group. The orofacial pain group showed a reduction in total sleep time and an increase in sleep latency compared with the SHAM group. L-NAME increased sleep time, non-rapid eye movement (NREM), and REM sleep and reduced sleep latency in the orofacial pain group. L-arginine did not alter sleep parameters. Thus, L-NAME improved sleep efficiency, whereas L-arginine did not modify it, suggesting the involvement of nitric oxide in painful temporomandibular joint conditions.

KEY WORDS: orofacial pain • sleep • nitric oxide • L-NAME • L-arginine • rat

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T.C.B. Schutz, M.L. Andersen, and S. Tufik Effects of COX-2 Inhibitor in Temporomandibular Joint Acute Inflammation J. Dent. Res., May 1, 2007; 86(5): 475 - 479. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]