Neuromolecular and psychopharmacological investigation on the endovanilloid system and TRPV1 channels of medial prefrontal cortex in mediating chronic neuropathic pain

• Grant number: 14/16720-5
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): September 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): August 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal researcher: Renato Leonardo de Freitas
• Grantee: Mariana de Oliveira Silva
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/12916-0 - Role of endocannabinoid, glutamatergic and endovanilloid systems of medial prefrontal cortex in neuropathic pain model and investigation of neurological disorders and chronic pain comorbidity, AP.JP

Abstract

Chronic neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the major health problems, which it can affect more than 20% of adults. Patients with NP are also affected with problems like insomnia (60%), difficulty concentrating (36%), depression (33%) and anxiety (27%). Furthermore, the NP is a challenging disease with respect to their treatment, thereby necessitating the use of experimental animal models for the elucidation of its underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms and the development of new therapeutic strategies. In fact, the purpose of this paper is to study the neural, molecular and psychopharmacology of NP induced by chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve (CCI). Western Blotting will perform to evaluate if chronic pain increases the expression of TRPV1 channels in the MPFC, PAG, MRN and LC at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after stimulation of CCI. Von Frey will be the nociceptive test will be performed, in which the nociceptive response of animals with NP will be evaluated on the 7th, 14th and 21th and the 28th day after the CCI. After evaluate the involvement of the activation of the cortical and the increase of TRPV1 channels in the NP in brain, the pharmacological study will investigate evaluating the involvement of the endovanniloid systems, as well as TRPV1 channels of MPFC through the microinjection of agonist and antagonist at crescents concentrations in the MPFC of the Wistar rat with chronic neuropathic pain.