Sleep and EEG patterns in the chronic constriction injury model of neuropathic pain

Chronic neuropathic pain patients often report sleep disturbances such as reduced amount of sleep and excessive daytime tiredness. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible abnormalities in sleep patterns in a widely used animal model of neuropathic pain. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were chr...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physiology & behavior 2003-02, Vol.78 (2), p.241-246
Main Authors: Kontinen, Vesa K., Ahnaou, Abdellah, Drinkenburg, Wilhelmus H.I.M., Meert, Theo F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Activity levels. Psychomotricity
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Chronic constriction injury
Chronic Disease
Cold Temperature
EEG
Electroencephalography
Electromyography
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Hot Temperature
Hyperalgesia - etiology
Hyperalgesia - physiopathology
Hyperesthesia - etiology
Hyperesthesia - physiopathology
Ligation
Male
Nervous System Diseases - complications
Nervous System Diseases - etiology
Neuropathic pain
Pain - etiology
Pain - physiopathology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Sciatic Nerve
Sleep
Vigilance. Attention. Sleep
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Summary:Chronic neuropathic pain patients often report sleep disturbances such as reduced amount of sleep and excessive daytime tiredness. The aim of this study was to evaluate possible abnormalities in sleep patterns in a widely used animal model of neuropathic pain. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were chronically implanted with electrodes for electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram (EMG) registrations to allow continuous 24-h polygraphic recording. Subsequently, a chronic constriction injury (CCI) was inflicted on eight rats in accordance with the CCI model of neuropathic pain and a sham operation was performed on another eight rats. The polygraphic recordings were repeated 13, 27, 55, and 146 days after surgery. Although the CCI animals developed significant mechanical and cold allodynia and heat hyperalgesia, there were no significant differences between the CCI rats and the sham-operated control animals in the spontaneous EEG/EMG in homecage-like conditions. It is concluded that in the chronic phase, this neuropathic pain model does not produce clear sleep disturbances. Such an absence of general suffering from sleep disturbances is advantageous to the CCI model as it makes use of the model more acceptable ethically. Nonetheless, this outcome appears to be in contrast with the clinical situation in neuropathic pain and therefore could also be seen as a disadvantage for the face validity of the CCI model.
ISSN:0031-9384
1873-507X
DOI:10.1016/S0031-9384(02)00966-6