Pharmacological validation of voluntary gait and mechanical sensitivity assays associated with inflammatory and neuropathic pain in mice.

ABSTRACT: The urgent need for more effective analgesic treatment options has prompted a re-evaluation of the behavioral tests used to assess pain in pre-clinical research, with an emphasis on inclusion of more voluntary, un-evoked behavioral assessments of pain. In order to validate voluntary gait analysis and a voluntary mechanical conflict-avoidance assay, we tested mouse models of neuropathy (spared nerve injury) and inflammation (complete Freund's adjuvant) alongside reflexive measures of mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. To establish whether the observed changes in behavioral responses were pain-related, known analgesics (buprenorphine, gabapentin, carprofen) were also administered. Spared nerve injury persistently altered several gait indices, whereas complete Freund's adjuvant caused o

SUBMITTER: Shepherd AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5743638 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature