title: Autotomy behavior in rats following peripheral deafferentation is suppressed by daily injections of amitriptyline, diazepam and saline.
abstract: Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), was effective in suppressing self-mutilation of a peripherally deafferented hind paw in rats ('autotomy'). This effect was not due to the drug's sedative effect, since locomotor activity was not lower in treated than untreated rats. Daily injections of normal saline also suppressed autotomy, but for a shorter period of time than amitriptyline. This effect was not apparent in diazepam-treated rats, suggesting that the saline injection delayed autotomy as a result of stress-induced anti-nociception. Since amitriptyline is effective in humans in alleviating certain chronic pain disorders, these results further corroborate the suggestion that autotomy is a model of chronic pain, sensitive to centrally acting analgesics and to some forms of stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Oral Medicine and Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University - Hadassah, Jerusalem 91010 Israel Department of Anatomy, Oral Medicine and Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University - Hadassah, Jerusalem 91010 Israel Department of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Medicine and Radiology, School of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University - Hadassah, Jerusalem 91010 Israel.
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Seltzer
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tal
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sharav
mesh_terms: D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D003714:Denervation; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000294:innervation; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D000639:Amitriptyline; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D003975:Diazepam