Abstract
LABORAS (Metris, the Netherlands) enables continual monitoring of spontaneous motor activity of laboratory rats and mice according to the analysis of the platform vibrations generated by animal movements. The aim of our study was to employ the LABORAS system in the study of pain.
We found decrease of motor activity in rats with peripheral neuropathic pain, the decrease lasted for more than 4 weeks and was higher than in sham-operated animals. Further, a dose dependent decrease of motor activity after administration of baclofen (spasmolytics with analgetic action) was demonstrated.
The LABORAS system was found as a valuable tool in studies of pain. Spontaneous motor activity determined by LABORAS may form another important, although indirect parameter showing level of pain in animals.