Response latencies in the tail-flick test depend on tail skin temperature.
Tail skin temperatures and tail-flick latencies were simultaneously recorded in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to various ambient temperatures (22-30 degrees C). There was a positive correlation between tail skin temperature and ambient temperature and a negative correlation between tail-flick latency and ambient temperature. Importantly, a highly significant negative correlation was present between tail-flick latency and skin temperature, even at constant ambient temperature (22.1 or 23.3 degrees C). Thus, the results of tail-flick testing are highly affected by skin temperature and factors altering the skin temperature must be considered when tail-flick latencies are interpreted in terms of nociception.
Berge
O G
OG
Department of Physiology, University of Bergen, Norway.
Garcia-Cabrera
I
I
Hole
K
K
D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D008297:Male; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation*; D013623:Tail / Q000294:innervation