Alterations in Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Pain Behavior in Mice: An Experimental Study

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2009
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Haverford College. Department of Psychology
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Award
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eng
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Haverford users only
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Abstract
Previous research has shown that social housing and running activity can influence neurogenesis. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between neurogenesis and pain behavior, specifically through stress-induced analgesia (SIA) and tonic pain. Mice were placed in either group or isolated housing conditions, with or without access to a running wheel, received daily injection stress. Animals were tested with a formalin injection to evaluate changes in tonic pain, and hotplate and tail withdrawal pain tests, before and after a restraint stress, in order to examine stress-induced analgesia. Group-housed runners were expected to have more newly-generated neurons, greater signs of ongoing pain behavior in the formalin pain test-especially in the latephase, and less stress-induced analgesia through shorter response latency to hotplate and tailwithdrawal pain tests. However, the findings did not support this hypothesis. Study 1, revealed that group housed animals exhibited overall greater persistent pain behavior following formalin injection. However, this effect was differentially affected by running. Results from study 2 show significant effects housing, and running on pain behavior. Finally, the relationship between neurogenesis and pain behavior, which was limited by a small sample size, was not significant, but demonstrated interesting patterns. Further research should examine the relationship between pain behavior and neurogenesis using a larger sample size.
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