AUTOTOMY PREVENTION BY AMITRIPTYLINE AFTER PERIPHERAL-NERVE SECTION IN DIFFERENT STRAINS OF MICE

This study evaluates the degree of autotomy induced by anesthesia dolo rosa after transection of the sciatic and saphenous nerves in four dif ferent strains of mice, and the effectiveness of amitriptyline adminis tration in two of them. The self-mutilating lesions were assessed by m eans of an autotomy score for one month after denervation. The onset o f lesions generally occurred during the first week, starting in the na ils and progressing proximally. Autotomy behavior developed differentl y in the mouse strains studied, involving 88% of the paw areas in OF1 mice, 61% in Balb-C, 35% in NMRI, and 15% in B6CBAF1. Two selected str ains, OF1 and NMRI, were treated with amitriptyline (8 mg/kg/day, p.o. ) from different intervals pre-operation. Administration starting 14 d ays before nerve lesion was the most effective treatment schedule for reducing autotomy in both strains.