Heat hyperalgesia following partial sciatic ligation in rats: interacting nature and nurture

As in humans, levels of neuropathic pain produced by nerve injury are highl y variable among animals. This variability was attributed to genetic and en vironmental factors. For example, we reported that chronic neuropathic sens ory disorders developing following total (autotomy) or partial nerve injury (allodynia and hyperalgesia) depended on the diet rats consumed. Here we i nvestigated the interaction between genetic and dietary factors in the deve lopment of heat hyperalgesia in rats following partial sciatic ligation (th e PSL model). We show that heat sensitivity of intact rats and levels of he at hyperalgesia of PSL-injured rats were highly variable across eight diffe rent rat strains and seven different diets. Thus, genetic and environmental variables interact in determination of levels of chronic neuropathic senso ry disorders in rats. NeuroReport 12:809-813 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.