Pain‐induced aggression and changes in social behavior in mice

Abstract

The effects of neuropathic, formalin, and acetic acid‐induced visceral pain were investigated on the social and aggressive behaviors in the Swiss male mice. Neuropathic pain was induced by tibial nerve transection (TNT). Also, somatic and visceral pain was conducted by intraplantar injection of diluted formalin (1%, 20 μl) and intraperitoneal administration of acetic acid (0.6%, 200 μl), respectively. Fourteen and twenty one days after the TNT surgery, and also, 1 and 7 days following formalin and acetic acid administration, the three‐chambered test was used to determine sociability and preference for social novelty and resident/intruder test was used for the evaluation of the aggressive behaviors. In the sociability phase of the three‐chambered test, all the three models of pain did not change the animal's sociability. However, in the social novelty preference phase, the animals in pain showed deficits in social novelty preference by a significant increase in the time spent with the familiar mice compared to the control groups. Also, animals in pain significantly showed more aggressive behaviors like biting and clinching and have much less attack latency in comparison to the control groups. Pain‐induced changes in the social novelty preference and aggressive behaviors continued in the neuropathic group until the end of the experiment. However, 7 days following the induction of both formalin and visceral pain, animals' social memory, and aggression almost returned to the standard value. These results suggest that long‐lasting pain could lead to social memory impairment and increase aggressive behaviors in mice.

Analysis of Antidepressant, Benzodiazepine Anxiolytic, and Hypnotic Use When Treating Depression, Anxiety, and Aggression in Pain Clinic Patients Treated for Neuropathic Pain

“…The above results do not correlate with the available literature, because in neuropathic pain, aggression is described in both humans and in animals [ 6 , 46 ]. The frequency of its occurrence in cases of chronic pain is as high as 70% [ 8 ].…”

Participation in Bullying and Associated Health Characteristics, Risk Factors and Leisure Activities: A Profile of School-Age Children in Serbia

“…These are confirmed by Allen et al, who stated that the pain and discomfort as situation factors could increase the likelihood of aggression in a general aggression model [ 20 ]. Indeed, mice models of Khosravi et al demonstrated that the mice with a present pain were not just more aggressive, but showed lesser attack latency than the control group [ 21 ]. We could add to these findings, i.e., in that the literature distinguishes between the stable and unstable patterns of aggression in children, where perpetrators with high pain tolerance could misperceive pain inflicted by another person, which would disinhibit aggressive action during conflict with others [ 22 ].…”

Lateral Habenula and Its Potential Roles in Pain and Related Behaviors

“…Chronic pain also leads to aggressive behaviors. Compared with the control groups, mice with neuropathic, formalin, or acetic acid-induced visceral pain showed more aggressive behaviors like biting and clinching and had much less attack latency …”

“…Compared with the control groups, mice with neuropathic, formalin, or acetic acid-induced visceral pain showed more aggressive behaviors like biting and clinching and had much less attack latency. 7 It has already been reported that the LHb plays role in both pain and aggression. 32,69 Compared with that of nonaggressive male mice, the total number of c-fos + nuclei was reduced in the highly aggressive males, indicating global inactivation of the LHb.…”

“…Previous reviews of the LHb have mainly focused on psychiatric disorders, especially major depressive disorder . Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, usually associated with many neuropsychiatric comorbidities, such as depression-like and anxiety-like behaviors, antireward or aversion, aggression, defensive behavior, and substance use disorder. − Interestingly, recent studies have revealed that the LHb plays an important role in these pain-related negative behaviors. This review concentrates on such functions of the LHb.…”