Effects of exercise treatment on the responsiveness of dorsal horn neurons in an animal model of low back pain

• Grant number: 16/14308-5
• Support type: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Effective date (Start): November 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal researcher: Maria Cláudia Gonçalves de Oliveira
• Grantee: Graciana de Azambuja
• Supervisor abroad: Rolf-Detlef Treede
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas (FCA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Limeira , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/20738-0 - Exercise Induces Hypoalgesia: Effect of chronic and individualized exercise and evaluation of the involvement of PPAR-³ receptors in this process, BP.MS

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common chronic pain conditions in humans. In most cases the origin of the pain cannot be determined by conventional clinical diagnostic methods (so called non-specific LBP). Data about interventions that could prevent the transition or abolish existing chronic non-specific LBP are rare. The classical treatment for non-specific low back pain is the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. However, in the last years the prescription of regular exercise has emerged as an effective treatment of acute and chronic pain. So far, no data are available showing the influence of regular exercise treatment at the sensitization process of spinal dorsal horn neurons, which is one of the first steps in the development of chronic pain. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of exercise treatment on the behavior response of dorsal horn neurons in an animal model of low back pain induced by repeated injections of NGF. The model mimics signs and symptoms of muscles activities that are normally not painful, but overload the muscles, which in long term, may lead to chronic pain. Electrophysiological recordings will be made from single dorsal horn neurons to evaluate the effects of repeated exercise treatment at the state of neuronal sensitization. Therefore, repeated injections of nerve growth factor into a low back muscle will be used as a model of non-specific low back pain. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE AZAMBUJA, G.; HORTSCHT, U.; HOHEISEL, U.; OLIVEIRA FUSARO, M. C.; MENSE, S.; TREEDE, R. -D. Short-term swimming exercise attenuates the sensitization of dorsal horn neurons in rats with NGF-induced low back pain. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PAIN, v. 22, n. 8, p. 1409-1418, SEP 2018. Web of Science Citations: 0.