ASSESSMENT OF A PAIN SCORING SYSTEM FOR RHESUS MACAQUES

该子项目是利用NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源的许多研究子项目之一。子项目和研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得主要资金，因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为中心，不一定是研究者所在机构。近年来，人们越来越意识到需要改进实验动物的疼痛评估和管理技术。已经为各种物种创建了疼痛量表，以通过及时干预来减少疼痛和痛苦。然而，许多已经开发的评分系统是基于一个物种并适应于其他物种。这种做法可能不合适，因为不同物种对疼痛的表达往往不同。本研究的总体目标是建立和验证用于评估恒河猴（Macaca mulatta）疼痛的可用指南。虽然非人灵长类动物是生物医学研究中的常见对象，但这些物种的已发表疼痛评分系统很少。有了这样一个评分系统，灵长类动物兽医和研究人员就可以改进目前可接受的术后护理实践，以减少疼痛。在这项研究中，我们正在监测成年恒河猴在大手术前后的行为和生理变量，如心率，瞳孔扩张和活动。然后，我们将这些变量与可能预测疼痛水平的指标相关联，包括镇痛量（由手术人员管理），以更好地了解疼痛的行为和/或生理表现。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. In recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the need for improved pain assessment and management techniques for laboratory animals. Pain scales have been created for various species in an effort to reduce pain and suffering by allowing for timely intervention. However, many of the scoring systems that have been developed were based on one species and adapted to others. This practice may not be appropriate, given that expression of pain often differs across species. The overall goal of this study is to establish and validate useable guidelines for assessing pain in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). While nonhuman primates are common subjects in biomedical studies, there is a paucity of published pain scoring systems for these species. Having such a scoring system would allow primate veterinarians and researchers to refine current acceptable postoperative care practices to reduce pain. In this study, we are monitoring behavior and physiological variables such as heart rate, pupil dilation and activity in adult rhesus monkeys prior to and following a major surgery. We will then correlate these variables with indices that might predict pain levels, including the amount of analgesia (administered by the surgical staff), in an effort to get a better understanding of behavioral and/or physiological manifestations of pain.