Development of a new animal model of chronic low back pain utilizing analysis of pain behaviors and elucidation of pain mechanisms

我们证明双侧小关节切除导致大鼠椎间盘退变和节段性不稳定，而无脊椎滑脱。在该动物模型中，使用CatWalk的行为分析显示了术后7周的疼痛相关行为，并且在受影响的背根神经节中观察到与疼痛相关的神经递质和促炎细胞因子的增加。此外，我们还发现疼痛相关行为与伤害性疼痛和神经源性疼痛有关。在该动物模型中，疼痛相关行为是否由椎间盘本身的退变过程影响或刺激马尾和/或继发于节段性不稳定的神经根引起，还需要进一步研究。

We demonstrated that bilateral resection of the facet joints results in intervertebral disc degeneration and segmental instability without spondylolisthesis in the rat. In this animal model, behavioral analysis utilizing CatWalk revealed pain-related behaviors 7 weeks after operation and increase in neurotransmitter related to pain and proinflammatory cytokines were seen in the affected dorsal root ganglia. In addition, we found that the pain-related behaviors were related to nociceptive and neurogenic pain. Further studies are needed to elucidate if the pain-related behaviors result from degenerative process of the intervertebral disc itself influence or irritation of the cauda equina and/or the nerve root secondary to segmental instability in this animal model.