Adolescent Social Isolation Associated Changes in Pain Sensitivity

Authors: Dehaven McCray, Skylee M. Eiffert, Alston Zhuo, Gavin J. Vaughan, Madison C. Heitkamp, Anushree N. Karkhanis

Field of Study: Integrative Neuroscience

Program Affiliation: McNair Scholars Program, Undergraduate Research Award

Faculty Mentors: Anushree Karkhanis

Easel: 38

Timeslot: Afternoon

Abstract: Clinical literature suggests that individuals with adverse life experiences during developmentally critical periods such as adolescence report hyperalgesia. The neurobiological mechanisms underlying this outcome are unknown. Here, this study characterizes a rodent model of adolescent adversity. Male and female rats were housed in groups (4 rats/cage; aGH) or isolation (1 rat/cage; aSI) beginning PD 28. After the end of the adolescent period (PD 68) rats were examined on Hargreaves apparatus to measure thermal nociception and Von Frey filaments before and after induction of inflammation to assess hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, respectively. aSI augmented thermal nociception in both sexes, but produced hyperalgesia selectively in female rats. Following inflammation however, aSI male and female rats exhibited greater mechanical allodynia compared to their respective aGH counterparts. Overall, these data suggest that this is a promising model to assess adolescent adversity associated changes in pain sensitivity to further elucidate the underlying neurobiological mechanisms.