Antinociceptive effect of stimulating the zona incerta with glutamate in rats

► Stimulation of the ZI with glutamate increased tail flick latency in rats. ► Stimulation of the ZI with glutamate reduced incision pain in rats. ► The effect of glutamate did not occur in dorsolateral funiculus-lesion rats. ► The antinociception evoked from the ZI is not due to a reduced motor performance. ► The effect from ZI involves opioid, serotonergic and α-adrenoceptor mechanisms.