NEW METHODS FOR ANIMAL PAIN TESTING IN EXPERIMENTAL SITUATIONS

''Classical'' behavioural methods for pain testing more generally use acute nociceptive stimulations (tail-flick and hot plate tests ; vocal ization evoked by transcutaneous electrical stimulation ; Randall-Seli tto test ;... ). Neurophysiological and psychophysiological mechanisms involved in these behavioural tests are not clearly understood and in terpretations are unsatisfying. Chronic pain is more interesting for c linicians : for a better understanding of chronic ''clinical'' pain, s everal groups involved in the study of basic pain mechanisms have prop osed the use of various experimental models close to clinical situatio ns. They are based on neurogenic or inflammatory processes. Behavioura l data obtained with two of these models will be developped in the pap er : rats rendered arthritic by Freund's adjuvant injection and rats w ith a moderate ligature of one common sciatic nerve. In each of these models, behavioural data provide new insights on the physiopathologica l mechanisms of the related clinical pain.