Taste modulation of nociception differently affects chronically stressed rats.
Stress responses cover a wide range of physiological changes, including alterations in the perception of and response to pain. Animals submitted to repeated stress present altered nociception and this effect is part of this process of adaptation; in addition pleasant and unpleasant experiences with tastes and odors have been shown to affect distinct behavioral aspects, such as pain perception. The aim of the present study is to verify the responses of repeatedly stressed rats (1 h of daily immobilization during 40 days) to pleasant and unpleasant tastes on nociception, when compared to control animals. An increase in the tail-flick latency (TFL) was observed 5 min after exposure to a sweet taste in the control group, whereas no effect was observed in chronically stressed animals. When submitted to an unpleasant taste (5% acetic acid), the chronically stressed group presented an increase in TFL, whereas no effect was observed in the control group. In conclusion, chronically stressed animals present different nociceptive responses to sweet and acid tastes; although control animals suitably respond to a sweet stimulus, stressed animals seem to be more apt to react to the unpleasant stimulus.
Fontella
Fernanda Urruth
FU
Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rua Domingos Crescêncio 215/101, CEP 90650-090, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. furruth@terra.com.br
Nunes
Marcele Leon
ML
Crema
Leonardo M
LM
Balk
Rodrigo S
RS
Dalmaz
Carla
C
Netto
Carlos Alexandre
CA
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000698:Analgesia / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D007103:Immobilization; D008297:Male; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D013649:Taste