Exploring Early Physiological Changes after Spinal Cord Injury as a Predictor of Pain-Related Outcomes Restricted; Files Only

Abstract

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) may cause physical disability, regulatory dysfunction, and chronic pain that can alter behavior.  This chronic pain often emerges weeks after injuries but the mechanisms that cause it are largely unknown. As a result, therapeutic options for treating pain after SCIs are limited and inadequate. Predicting the onset of future pain after SCI would allow for earlier interventions and a better understanding of what may cause chronic pain. To address these important issues, the movement (activity) and respiratory rate (RR) of mice was recorded before and after SCI using remote electric field sensors. We hoped to discern whether early changes in these biological variables may indicate the onset and severity of future pain. These measures were then correlated to behavioral responses to pain and behavior tests four weeks after injury, namely the von Frey, Hargreaves, and thermal preference tests. Mice exhibited sharp decreases in RR variability and movement immediately after injury, but these two early changes were not correlated with each other. When correlated to the pain-related outcomes, the mice that moved the least immediately after injury became the most hypersensitive in the von Frey test whereas mice that increased their RR variability within the first week after injury preferred increased temperatures in the thermal preference test. Overall, early changes in movement and RR variability may be predictive of future pain outcomes after SCIs. 

Table of Contents

Table of contents:

Introduction……………..………………………………………………………..…………………….. 1

Neuropathic Pain ……...……………………………………………………………..…………………. 1

Respiratory System…...……………………………………………………………….……….……..….2

Movement after SCI………………...…………...…………………………………...…………………..4

Predicting Pain……….………………………………………………………………....…….…………..4

Materials and Methods……….………………….…………………………………..…………………5

Subjects and Surgical Procedures..…………………………………………………..……………......5

Medical Ethics………….………………………………………………………………..………………..6

EF Sensors…………….………………………………………………………………..…………...……6

Respiratory Rate and Variability…...…………………………………...……………..……………......8

Activity Percentage………….…………………………………………………………..………...…......9

Von Frey Mechanical Hypersensitivity Test………….………………………………..…..………......9

Thermal Sensitivity Test………….…...……………………………………………….....…………....10

Statistical Analysis………….…………………………………………………………..……………....11

Results………….……………………………………...………………………………..……………....12

RR, RR variability, and activity levels ………....……………………………………..……………....13

Mechanical and thermal pain assessments ………….……………………………..…………….....16

Correlations between changes in respiratory variables and pain outcomes…………………......18

Discussion………….…………………………………………………………………………..……....20

Bibliography………….……………….…………………………………………………………..…....25

 

Figures:

Figure 1 ……...……………………..………………………………………….…….……………….…..3

Figure 2 ……...…………………………………………………………….……………………………...8

Figure 3 ……...……………………………………………………………….………………………….12

Figure 4 ……...………………………………………………………………….……………………….13

Figure 5 ……...……………………………………………………………….………………………….15

Figure 6 ……...…………………………………………………………………….…………………….17

Figure 7 ……...…………………………………………………………………….…………………….18

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology
Degree	B.S.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Biology, Neuroscience
Palavra-chave	Spinal Cord Injury
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Shawn Hochman, Emory University Don Noble, Emory University Robert Wyttenbach, Emory University

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