INFLUENCE OF SEX DIFFERENCES AND OXYTOCINERGIC NEUROTRANSMISSION ON THE CHRONIC PAIN SENSORIAL AND AFFECTIVE COMPONENTS IN MICE SUBMITTED TO SOCIAL ISOLATION

• Grant number: 22/12932-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): December 01, 2022
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo Luiz Nunes de Souza
• Grantee: Ana Claudia Braga Dias
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Chronic pain conditions have a huge worldwide prevalence, affecting women in a higher proportion. In addition, there is a relevant correlation between chronic pain and psychopathologies, triggering progressive mood changes sex-dependent, such as anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. From the neuro-functional aspect, oxytocin is an important modulator of behavioral and neurobiological responses related to stress and pain. In this sense, it is relevant to investigate the role of oxytocinergic neurotransmission in emotional and sensorial aspects of chronic pain and the influence of sex differences on these responses. For the investigation, sciatic nerve constriction will be used as a model for the induction of chronic pain in mice; the Von Frey test will be used to assess mechanical hypersensitivity and the facial pain scale will be used as a parameter for the quantification of affective aspects of pain. Moreover, the elevated plus maze test will be used to analyze responses associated with anxiety; the sucrose splash test nest building to assess depression-related behaviors. At the end of the behavioral analyses, to verify the role of oxytocinergic neurotransmission, the brains of the animals will be removed and the areas responsible for oxytocin synthesis and release (paraventricular and supraoptic hypothalamic nucleus) will have their activation pattern investigated through immunofluorescence assays for quantification of ”FosB protein levels.