Grace Gargiulo
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Research Mentor(s): Emily Jutkiewicz
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Pharmacology / Medicine
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 3 – 1:40pm – 2:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Grace Gargiulo, Gwen Burgess, Dr. Emily Jutkiewicz
Presenter: 20
Abstract
In the US, approximately 18% of people experience chronic pain. It has been consistently demonstrated that chronic pain patients experience an “anti-reward†like state such that previously reinforcing activities are no longer as reinforcing. Additional evidence demonstrates that chronic pain patients exhibit decreases in the dopaminergic activity in the brain. However, we do not fully understand the time course of these effects or how dopamine may play a role in the transition from acute to chronic pain. This is partly due to previous studies often examining dopamine levels in acute pain models. Lastly, almost no studies examine how dopamine is altered by chronic pain in females. The goal of the present study was to assess the impact of chronic pain on dopamine mediated behaviors, such as eye-blinking and yawning, in both male and female rats. To model chronic pain in rats, we utilized a highly translatable and long lasting (18+ months) animal of chronic neuropathic pain called the Spared Nerve Injury (SNI). We observed the frequency of blinks and yawns in rats; which are mediated by the D1 receptor and D2 & D3 receptor activity, respectively. These behaviors were observed with and without drug challenges. We established the baseline blink and yawn rate of both SNI or sham groups. Next, we repeatedly evaluated dose response curves of drugs that target the dopamine D1, D2, or D3 receptors specifically, to determine at what point following exposure to chronic pain the dopamine system is altered. We hypothesize that as time progresses, a decrease in eye blinks and yawning frequency will be observed. Further, we expect that the SNI rats will be less sensitive to the effects of drug challenges such that the D1, D2, and D3 agonists will be less potent in SNI rats compared to sham. These experiments will advance understanding about how dopamine levels change as pain becomes chronic. Importantly, the studies will also evaluate potential sex differences in these effects.
Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary, Natural/Life Sciences
