Performance of behavioral assays: the Rat Grimace Scale, burrowing activity and a composite behavior score to identify visceral pain in an acute and chronic colitis model.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The Rat Grimace Scale (RGS), a facial expression scale, quantifies the affective component of pain in rats. The RGS was developed to identify acute and inflammatory pain, and applicability in acute and chronic visceral pain is unknown. The dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis model is commonly used in rats, but pain is rarely assessed, instead, disease progression is monitored with the Disease Activity Index (DAI; assessing fecal blood, stool consistency, and weight loss).

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess whether the RGS and 2 additional behavioral tools (composite behavior score [CBS] and burrowing) could identify pain in an acute and chronic DSS colitis model.

Methods

Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were block randomized to (1) acute c

SUBMITTER: Leung VSY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6455688 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar-Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature