| Institution: | 1. Pain Pharmacology and Neuromodulation Laboratory: Animal Models, Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS 90050-170, Brazil;2. Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences – Physiology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul Institute of Basic Health Sciences, Porto Alegre, RS 90050-170, Brazil;3. Postgraduate Program in Medicine, Medical Sciences, Medicine School, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 90035-003, Brazil;4. Laboratory of Neuromodulation, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital & Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Center for Non-invasive Brain Stimulation, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States;5. Unidade de Experimentação Animal, Grupo de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil;6. Serviço de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento em Engenharia Biomédica, Grupo de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, 90035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil |
| Abstract: | BackgroundChronic stress (CS) is associated with a decrease in pain threshold caused by the changes in neural pain circuits. It can be associated to glucocorticoid imbalance with alterations in neural circuitry. Inhibition of stress-induced pain-related neural changes by using techniques that safely induce neuroplasticity such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may prevent hyperalgesia triggered by CS.ObjectiveThis study aimed to verify the effect of tDCS performed prior to CS exposure on nociceptive response.MethodsThirty-two rats were distributed in the following groups: control; stress; sham-tDCS + stress; and tDCS + stress. Bicephalic active tDCS was performed for 8 consecutive days before the CS exposure. The pain threshold was evaluated using a hot plate and tail flick latency (TFL) tests.ResultsThe tDCS exposure increased the pain threshold on stressed rats.ConclusionThe data obtained indicate that the treatment with bicephalic active tDCS before chronic stress exposure prevents stress-induced hyperalgesia. |
