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Repeated neonatal needle‐prick stimulation increases inflammatory mechanical hypersensitivity in adult rats
Author(s) -
Carvalho Ravena Carolina,
Prado Lara,
Rissardo Oliveira Naynne Cristina,
Vilela Giusti Fabiana Cardosos,
Santos Vieira Jádina,
GiustiPaiva Alexandre,
Silva Josie Resende Torres,
Silva Marcelo Lourenço
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
international journal of developmental neuroscience
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.761
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1873-474X
pISSN - 0736-5748
DOI - 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2019.02.004
Subject(s) - licking , nociception , stimulation , medicine , offspring , hyperalgesia , anesthesia , pregnancy , receptor , biology , genetics
Background and aims Newborn infants are vulnerable to procedural stress and pain exposure on the first weeks of life that represents a critical period for the development of nociceptive, sensory, emotional, and social functions. We evaluated the nociceptive behavior of adult male and female rats that were submitted to nociceptive experience in the neonatal period and the maternal behavior in the postnatal period. Methods The animals were submitted to repetitive needle pricking from the second to the fifteenth postnatal day (PND 2–15). Maternal behavior and litter weight were evaluated during this period. Mechanical sensitivity to pain was assessed in offsprings during the adulthood by exposing them to inflammatory stimuli, including formalin test or the Freund's complete adjuvant (CFA) injection followed by the electronic von Frey test at 0, 3, 6 and 24 h later. Results Maternal behavior and litter weight were not altered by pinprick stimuli during PND 2–15. Additionally, pinprick stimulation reduced the paw withdrawal threshold in CFA‐injected animals compared to control. In the formalin test, there was a difference between the genders. Female rats are statically more sensitive to formalin stimulation and showed an increased licking time in both the first and second phases and increased number of flinches in second phase. Conclusions Experiencing early life repetitive pain exposure increased inflammatory pain sensitivity in adult offspring rats and female rats are more sensitive to chemical stimulation. Implications Future investigations of the mechanisms involved in this effect may contribute to the improvement of the understanding of inflammatory pain sensitivity differences.