Chronic electrical stimulation reduces hyperalgesia and associated spinal changes induced by peripheral nerve injury
Abstract
We aimed to investigate if different protocols of electrical stimulation following nerve injury might improve neuropathic pain outcomes and modify associated plastic changes at the spinal cord level. Adult rats were subjected to sciatic nerve transection and repair, and distributed in four groups: untreated (SNTR, n = 12), repeated acute electrical stimulation (rAES, 50 Hz, one hour, n = 12), chronic electrical stimulation (CES, 50 Hz, one hour, n = 12), and increasing-frequency chronic electrical stimulation (iCES, one hour, n = 12) delivered during two weeks following the lesion. The threshold of nociceptive withdrawal to mechanical stimuli was evaluated by means of a Von Frey algesimeter during three weeks postlesion. Spinal cord samples were processed by immunohistochemistry for labeling glial cells, adrenergic receptors, K+ -Cl- cotransporter 2 (KCC2) and GABA. Acute electrical stimulation (50 Hz, one hour) delivered at 3, 7, and 14 days induced an immediate increase of mechanical pain threshold that disappeared after a few days. Chronic electrical stimulation given daily reduced mechanical hyperalgesia until the end of follow-up, being more sustained with the iCES than with constant 50 Hz stimulation (CES). Chronic stimul...Continue Reading
References
Enhancing K-Cl co-transport restores normal spinothalamic sensory coding in a neuropathic pain model
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