An improved experimental model for peripheral neuropathy in rats

Abstract

A modification of the Bennett and Xie chronic constriction injury model of peripheral painful neuropathy was developed in rats. Under tribromoethanol anesthesia, a single ligature with 100% cotton glace thread was placed around the right sciatic nerve proximal to its trifurcation. The change in the hind paw reflex threshold after mechanical stimulation observed with this modified model was compared to the change in threshold observed in rats subjected to the Bennett and Xie or the Kim and Chung spinal ligation models. The mechanical threshold was measured with an automated electronic von Frey apparatus 0, 2, 7, and 14 days after surgery, and this threshold was compared to that measured in sham rats. All injury models produced significant hyperalgesia in the operated hind limb. The modified model produced mean ± SD thresholds in g (19.98 ± 3.08, 14.98 ± 1.86, and 13.80 ± 1.00 at 2, 7, and 14 days after surgery, respectively) similar to those obtained with the spinal ligation model (20.03 ± 1.99, 13.46 ± 2.55, and 12.46 ± 2.38 at 2, 7, and 14 days after surgery, respectively), but less variable when compared to the Bennett and Xie model (21.20 ± 8.06, 18.61 ± 7.69, and 18.76 ± 6.46 at 2, 7, and 14 days after surgery, respectively). The modified method required less surgical skill than the spinal nerve ligation model.

Descending mechanisms activated by the anterior pretectal nucleus initiate but do not maintain neuropathic pain in rats

“…Five days later, the rats were subjected to CCI of the sciatic nerve according to the protocol of Bennett and Xie (), as modified by Dias et al. (), details in Supporting Information http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejp.638/suppinfo.…”

“…The WT for mechanical punctate stimulation was measured with an automated electronic von Frey apparatus (IITC Life Science Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA) as described elsewhere (Dias et al., ), details in Supporting Information http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejp.638/suppinfo.…”

The ventral portion of the anterior pretectal nucleus controls descending mechanisms that initiate neuropathic pain in rats

“…The method differs from the model proposed by Bennett and Xie which utilized four chromic gut loose ligatures around the nerve. The modification was shown to be suitable for obtaining hyperalgesic responses to mechanical stimulation in rats and produced less variable data than those obtained using the former method . The sham rats were subjected to similar procedures except for the nerve ligation, and were used as control.…”

“…The modification was shown to be suitable for obtaining hyperalgesic responses to mechanical stimulation in rats and produced less variable data than those obtained using the former method. 39 The sham rats were subjected to similar procedures except for the nerve ligation, and were used as control. The incision was then closed with silk sutures by planes and the rat kept in recovery for 2 days.…”

Indomethacin attenuates mechanical allodynia during the organization but not the maintenance of the peripheral neuropathic pain induced by nervus ischiadicus chronic constriction injury

“…We have recently reported an improvement in this procedure in a laboratory animal model of NP, inducing CCI of the right nervus ischiadicus through a single loose ligature in an adaptation of the NP model described by Bennett and Xie in 1988 (9-11). The modified model produced sensory, affective, and cognitive disorders in rodents (9)(10)(11)(12). In addition, mechanical allodynia has been recorded twenty-one days after nervus ischiadicus CCI surgery (10,11).…”