Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Behavioral responses to phasic nociceptive stimulation occurring on the background of a tonic pain focus in ontogeny of the rabbit

  • Comparative and Ontogenic Physiology
  • Published:
Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effect of a focus of tonic pain (a subcutaneous injection of formalin into the dorsal field of the shin) on the thresholds of a defense reaction, an attempt to jump out of the chamber in response to a nociceptive electrocutaneous stimulation of the hindpaw1, was studied in the 20– 25-day-old and adult rabbits. The tonic pain produces a biphasic reduction of the defense reaction threshold. At the first phase, hyperalgesia is more pronounced than in the second one, but its duration is shorter. Changes in pain sensitivity in the rabbits proceed in the same direction in both age groups and coincide in time with increase of specific behavioral responses to the formalin injection (licking and shaking the paw). In the 20–25-day-old rabbits the reduction of the threshold of the defense reaction and duration of hyperalgesia phases are more pronounced than in adult animals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Butkevich, I.P. and Kassil’, V.G., The Effect of Stimulation of “Reward Zones” on Evoked Potentials in Parafascicular Complex of Thalamus in Rabbits,Zh. Vyssh. Nern. Deyateln., 1989, vol. 39, pp. 142–144.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Butkevich, I.P. and Kassil’, V.G., Ontogenetic Peculiarities of the Effect of Stimulation of “Reward Zones” on Evoked Potential in the Rabbit Parafascicular Complex,Zh. Evol. Biokhim. Fiziol., 1990, vol. 26, pp. 390–397.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kassil’, G.N.,Bol’ i obezbolivanie (Pain and Analgesia), Moscow, 1965.

  4. Abbott, F.V., Melzack, R., and Samuel, C., Morphine Analgesia in the Tail-Test and Formalin Pain Tests is Mediated by Different Neural System,Exp. Neurol., 1982, vol. 75, pp. 644–651.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Dennis, S.G. and Melzack, R., Comparison of Phasic and Tonic Pain in Animals,Advol. Pain Res. Ther., New York: Raven Press, 1979, vol. 3, pp. 747–760.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Melzack, R.,Zagadka boli (Mystery of Pain), Moscow, 1981.

  7. Kryzhanovskii, G.N.,Determinantnye struktury v patologii nervnoi sistemy (Determinant Structures in Pathology of the Nervous System), Moscow, 1980.

  8. Kryzhanovskii, G.N., Reshetnyak, V.K., Kukushkin, M.L.,et al., The Effect of Verapamil on Development of Pain Syndrome in Rats after Transection of the Sciatic Nerve,Byull. Exper. Biol. Med., 1992, vol. 64, pp. 229–231.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Wall, P.D., Mechanism of Acute and Chronic Pain,Advol. Pain Res. Ther., Kruger, L. and Liebeskind, J., Eds., New York: Raven, 1984, vol.6, pp. 95–103.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bianchi, M. and Panarai, A.E., Formalin Injection in the Tail Facilitates Hindpaw Withdrawal Reflexes Induced by Thermal Stimulation in the Rat: Effect of Paracetamol,Neurosci. Lett., 1997, vol. 237, nos. 2–3, pp. 89–92.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Calejesan, A.A., Chang, M.H., and Zhuo, M., Spinal Serotonergic Receptors Mediate Facilitation of a Nociceptive Reflex by Subcutaneous Formalin Injection into the Hindpaw in Rats,Brain Res., 1998, vol. 798, nos. 1–2, pp. 46–54.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Jia, Y. and Seybold, V.S., Spinal NK2 Receptors Contribute to the Increased Excitability of the Nociceptive Flexor Reflex during Persistent Peripheral Inflammation,Brain Res., 1997, vol. 751, pp. 169–174.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Dubuisson, D. and Dennis, S.G., The Formalin Test: A Quantitative Study of the Analgesic Effects of Morphine, Meperidine, and Brain Stimulation in Rats and Cats,Pain, 1977, vol. 4, pp.161–174.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Teng, C.J. and Abbott, F.V., The Formalin Test: A Dose Analysis at Three Developmental Stages,Pain, 1998, vol. 76, pp. 337–347.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Barr, G.A., Maturation of the Biphasic Behavioral and Heart Rate Response in the Formalin Test,Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav., 1998, vol. 60, pp. 329–335.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Guy, E.R. and Abbott, F.V., The Behavioral Response to Formalin in Preweaning Rats,Pain, 1992, vol. 51, pp. 81–90.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. McLaughlin, C.R., Lichtman, A.H., Fanselov, M.C., and Cramer, C.P., Tonic Nociception in Neonatal Rats,Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav., 1990, vol. 36, pp. 859–862.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Committee for Research and Ethical Issues of the IASP, Ethical Standards for Investigations of Experimental Pain in Animals,Pain, 1983, vol. 16, pp. 109–110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Aloisi, A.M., Lupo, C., and Carli, G., Effects of Formalin-Induced Pain on Exploratory Behavior in Rabbits,NeuroReport, 1993, vol. 4, pp. 739–742.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Falcon, M., Guendellman, D., Stolberg, A.,et al., Development of Thermal Nociception in Rats,Pain, 1996, vol. 67, pp. 203–208.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Tjolsen, A., Berge, O.-G., Hunskaar, S.,et al., The Formalin Test: an Evaluation of the Method,Pain, 1992, vol. 51, pp. 5–17.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Butkevich, I.P. and Kassil’, V.G., The Effect of Stimulation of “Punishment Zones” on the Nonspecific Nociceptive System of Thalamus during the Exaltation Period of Rabbit Development,Zh. Evol. Biokhim. Fiziol., 1993, vol. 29, pp. 280–289.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Mayer, D.J. and Liebeskind, J.C., Pain Reduction by Focal Electrical Stimulation of the Brain: an Anatomical and Behavioral Analysis,Brain Res., 1974, vol. 68, pp. 73–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Fitzgerald, M. and Koltzenburg, M., The Functional Development of Descending Inhibitory Pathways in the Dorsolateral Funiculus of the Newborn Rat Spinal Cord,Develop. Brain Res., 1986, vol. 24, pp. 261–270.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Ba, A. and Sery, B.V., Functional Development of Central Nervous System in the Rat: Ontogeny of Nociceptive Thresholds,Physiol. Behav., 1993, vol. 54, pp. 403–405.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Fitzgerald, M. and Gibson, S., The Postnatal Physiological and Neurochemical Development of Peripheral Sensory C Fibres,Neurosci., 1984, vol. 13, pp. 933–944.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Wiertelak, E.P., Furness, L.E., Horan, R.,et al., Subcutaneous Formalin Produces Centrifugal Hyperalgesia at a Non-Injected Site via the NMDA-Nitric Oxide Cascade,Brain Res., 1994, vol. 649, pp. 19–26.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Coderre, T.J., Katz, J., Vaccarino, A.L., and Melzack, R., Contribution of Central Neuroplasticity to Pathological Pain: Review of Clinical and Experimental Evidence,Pain, 1993, vol. 52, pp. 259–285.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pavlov Institute of Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia

    I. P. Butkevich, V. A. Mikhailenko & V. G. Kassil’

Authors
  1. I. P. Butkevich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. V. A. Mikhailenko
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. V. G. Kassil’
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Deceased.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Butkevich, I.P., Mikhailenko, V.A. & Kassil’, V.G. Behavioral responses to phasic nociceptive stimulation occurring on the background of a tonic pain focus in ontogeny of the rabbit. J Evol Biochem Phys 36, 311–316 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02737048

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02737048

Keywords

Search

Navigation