title: Ultrasonic vocalization response elicited in adjuvant-induced arthritic rats as a useful method for evaluating analgesic drugs.
abstract: Adjuvant-induced arthritic (AIA) rats develop a severe chronic polyarthritis which shares some features in common with human rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether AIA rats emit ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) when they are confronted with a healthy 'stimulus rat' in social interactions. We also examined the effects of three analgesic drugs (piroxicam, rofecoxib and ketoprofen) on USV responses using the same paradigm. In social interactions, AIA rats and intact controls emitted USVs in the 22-28 kHz range. Vocalization activities were significantly higher in AIA rats than those in intact controls. Moreover, the USVs of AIA rats were significantly inhibited by the three analgesic drugs. These results suggest that the USV responses elicited in AIA rats are useful for the evaluation of analgesic drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Fuchinobe, Sagamihara, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Naito
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001169:Arthritis, Experimental / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods*; D007660:Ketoprofen / Q000494:pharmacology; D007783:Lactones / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D010894:Piroxicam / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012919:Social Behavior; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014828:Vocalization, Animal
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D007783:Lactones; D013450:Sulfones; C116926:rofecoxib; D010894:Piroxicam; D007660:Ketoprofen