Analgesic Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Central Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Cord Contusive Rat Model

Abstract

The aim is to investigate the analgesic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation(tDCS) on central neuropathic pain(CNP) in spinal cord contusive rat model. Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats (250±50 g, male) were used. Thoracic spinal cord(T10) A central neuropathic pain caused by a spinal cord injury may be divided into a nociceptive pain by over-activity of peripheral sensitization receptor and a neuropathic pain by nerve damage.They act as the limit of several physiotherapies because they cause heavy pains by damage of nerve cells or axons consisting of CNS(central nervous system) [1].The common symptoms of neuropathic pain are allodynia(the pain caused by soft stimulus), hyperalgesia(the pain of bigger intensity induced by the stimulus of the intensity equivalent to induce a normal pain) and a spontaneous pain(the pain caused by without external stimulus)[2]- [4].Recently, several 1.INTRODUCTION* Corresponding author. E-mail :pray1980@hanmail.net Manuscript received Nov. 07, 2011 accepted Jan.27, 2012 experimental animal models showing similar activities to allodynia, hyperalgesia and spontaneous pain frequently observed in patients with a spinal cord injury have been developed, and so there have been various tries and challenges to discover the mechanism [5].The clinical patterns of rats for a neuropathic pain, such as shake of the head toward the stimulus site, sharp screaming, complex regional pain syndrome accompanying edema and color change, allodynia, and heat hyperesthesia, were reported[1], [6].However, mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesiawere regarded as the most representative presenting symptoms [7], [8].The neuropathic pain mechanism caused by a spinal cord injury is explained by hyper-excitability of spinal nerve cells and effacement of inhibitory control (disinhibition) from an upper nervous system [9]. Various drugs such as NMDA antagonist, tramadol agent and anti-depressant opioids to treat http://dx

Analgesic Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Central Post-Stroke Pain

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