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The role of consciousness in stress-induced analgesia

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Summary

Male rats received unavoidable footshock administered while either awake or under Halothane® anaesthesia. Tail-flick threshold was measured subsequently in awake rats. An elevation in pain threshold indicative of stress-induced analgesia (SIA) appeared in rats shocked while awake, but not in those shocked while anaesthetized. The findings suggest that conscious processes are necessary for the occurrence of SIA.

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Author notes

  1. T. S. Jensen

    Present address: Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus

    D. F. Smith

  2. Psychopharmacology Research Unit Psychiatric Hospital, Risskov, Denmark

    T. S. Jensen & D. F. Smith

Authors
  1. T. S. Jensen
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  2. D. F. Smith
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Jensen, T.S., Smith, D.F. The role of consciousness in stress-induced analgesia. J. Neural Transmission 52, 55–60 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01253097

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01253097

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