Exercise effects on pain sensitivity in hyperglycemic rats

• Grant number: 09/09677-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2010
• End date: December 31, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Tavella Navega
• Grantee: Denise Martineli Rossi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia e Ciências (FFC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Marília. Marília , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome characterized by endocrine-metabolic abnormalities that alter the metabolic homeostasis in man. The "Peripheral Diabetic Neuropathy" (NDP) is the most common form of DM and one of the most evasive symptoms is the pain, which is characterized by mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia or allodynia. Exercise is an important factor in the treatment of diabetes and it contributes to improve the quality of life in diabetic people. We believe that exercise can exert a protective effect against experimental peripheral neuropathy in rats as a result of multiple mechanisms; therefore, it may avoid the potential deterioration of the NDP. The aim of the present study was to analyze the exercise effects on pain sensitivity in hyperglycemic rats. It will be used Wistar rats (200-250g, N=6 per group) divided into four groups: sedentary control group (CS), trained control group (CT), sedentary hyperglycemic group (HS) and hyperglycemic group trained (HT), and that the experiments will be performed in two sets, in other words, six animals per group in each set. The animals are anesthetized and received a single intravenous injection of Streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) for the diabetes induction. After verification of diabetic state, the animals of groups HT and CT will be submitted to swimming exercise training every day for eight weeks. After that, it will be performed the hot plate test in order to analyze the latency time. In order to analyze data we will use ANOVA test followed by Newman-Keuls post-test. For correlation between glucose values and performance on the acute pain test we will use Pearson Correlation Coefficient test for parametric variables and Spearman test for no-parametric distributions. We will consider statistical significance for p < 0.05.