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Mitochondrial Changes in Preoptic Neurones after Capsaicin Desensitization of the Hypothalamic Thermodetectors in Rats

Abstract

CAPSAICIN, the pungent principle in red pepper (paprika), is a potent irritant causing a sensation of burning pain. After initial violent stimulation, however, this substance induces a selective insensitivity to pain (desensitization) elicited by chemical agents1,2. This long-lasting insensitivity is accompanied by ultrastructural changes in the mitochondria of one type of neurone in the spinal ganglia3.

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SZOLCSÁNYI, J., JOÓ, F. & JANCSÓ-GÁBOR, A. Mitochondrial Changes in Preoptic Neurones after Capsaicin Desensitization of the Hypothalamic Thermodetectors in Rats. Nature 229, 116–117 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/229116a0

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