Open Field Two-Texture Preference Testing Is Not Associated With the Neuropathic Pain-Like Phenotype That Occurs Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury

Development of neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the major complications associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). While well-established methods such as von Frey mechanical and facial grimace testing are often used to assess SCI-induced NP-like behaviors in animal models, these assays have significan...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: David A. Jaffe, Megan A. Lyttle, Angelo C. Lepore
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-07-01
Series:Neuroscience Insights
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055251361442
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849728567355637760
author David A. Jaffe
Megan A. Lyttle
Angelo C. Lepore
author_facet David A. Jaffe
Megan A. Lyttle
Angelo C. Lepore
author_sort David A. Jaffe
collection DOAJ
description Development of neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the major complications associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). While well-established methods such as von Frey mechanical and facial grimace testing are often used to assess SCI-induced NP-like behaviors in animal models, these assays have significant limitations, including experimenter bias and long periods of active testing and analysis. To address these challenges, we aimed to develop a novel open field 2-texture preference test (TTPT) to assess NP-like behaviors following unilateral C5 hemicontusion SCI in mice. To do so, we modified the open field apparatus by introducing both a rough and a smooth texture to different portions of the chamber floor based on the hypothesis that the abrasive rough surface would differentially elicit NP-like avoidance behavior. However, at both pre-injury baseline and following SCI, mice spent more time and traveled a greater distance on the rough compared to smooth surface. Additionally, the TTPT did not show any correlation with von Frey or grimace data obtained from the same animals. While this novel test may be able to provide information pertaining to other components of functional outcome, the assay is not associated with the persistent NP-like phenotype that occurs following SCI.
format Article
id doaj-art-a87d15eaad8641d7abdaf9aeac6715d7
institution DOAJ
issn 2633-1055
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series Neuroscience Insights
spelling doaj-art-a87d15eaad8641d7abdaf9aeac6715d72025-08-20T03:09:31ZengSAGE PublishingNeuroscience Insights2633-10552025-07-012010.1177/26331055251361442Open Field Two-Texture Preference Testing Is Not Associated With the Neuropathic Pain-Like Phenotype That Occurs Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord InjuryDavid A. Jaffe0Megan A. Lyttle1Angelo C. Lepore2Department of Neuroscience, Jefferson Synaptic Biology Center, Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Neuroscience, Jefferson Synaptic Biology Center, Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USADepartment of Neuroscience, Jefferson Synaptic Biology Center, Vickie & Jack Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USADevelopment of neuropathic pain (NP) is one of the major complications associated with spinal cord injury (SCI). While well-established methods such as von Frey mechanical and facial grimace testing are often used to assess SCI-induced NP-like behaviors in animal models, these assays have significant limitations, including experimenter bias and long periods of active testing and analysis. To address these challenges, we aimed to develop a novel open field 2-texture preference test (TTPT) to assess NP-like behaviors following unilateral C5 hemicontusion SCI in mice. To do so, we modified the open field apparatus by introducing both a rough and a smooth texture to different portions of the chamber floor based on the hypothesis that the abrasive rough surface would differentially elicit NP-like avoidance behavior. However, at both pre-injury baseline and following SCI, mice spent more time and traveled a greater distance on the rough compared to smooth surface. Additionally, the TTPT did not show any correlation with von Frey or grimace data obtained from the same animals. While this novel test may be able to provide information pertaining to other components of functional outcome, the assay is not associated with the persistent NP-like phenotype that occurs following SCI.https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055251361442
spellingShingle David A. Jaffe
Megan A. Lyttle
Angelo C. Lepore
Open Field Two-Texture Preference Testing Is Not Associated With the Neuropathic Pain-Like Phenotype That Occurs Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury
Neuroscience Insights
title Open Field Two-Texture Preference Testing Is Not Associated With the Neuropathic Pain-Like Phenotype That Occurs Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury
title_full Open Field Two-Texture Preference Testing Is Not Associated With the Neuropathic Pain-Like Phenotype That Occurs Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury
title_fullStr Open Field Two-Texture Preference Testing Is Not Associated With the Neuropathic Pain-Like Phenotype That Occurs Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury
title_full_unstemmed Open Field Two-Texture Preference Testing Is Not Associated With the Neuropathic Pain-Like Phenotype That Occurs Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury
title_short Open Field Two-Texture Preference Testing Is Not Associated With the Neuropathic Pain-Like Phenotype That Occurs Following Mouse Cervical Contusion Spinal Cord Injury
title_sort open field two texture preference testing is not associated with the neuropathic pain like phenotype that occurs following mouse cervical contusion spinal cord injury
url https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055251361442
work_keys_str_mv AT davidajaffe openfieldtwotexturepreferencetestingisnotassociatedwiththeneuropathicpainlikephenotypethatoccursfollowingmousecervicalcontusionspinalcordinjury
AT meganalyttle openfieldtwotexturepreferencetestingisnotassociatedwiththeneuropathicpainlikephenotypethatoccursfollowingmousecervicalcontusionspinalcordinjury
AT angeloclepore openfieldtwotexturepreferencetestingisnotassociatedwiththeneuropathicpainlikephenotypethatoccursfollowingmousecervicalcontusionspinalcordinjury