Pain
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Chronic pain is a multidimensional experience that not only includes changes in nociception, but also impairments in emotion and cognitive functions. These last 2 components are not often taken into account in preclinical research. We investigated emotional and cognitive impairments in a model of neuropathic pain in rats induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. ⋯ Duloxetine and gabapentin (10mg/kg) were effective to increase the time spent in the inner zone as well as locomotor activity. No difference was observed in depressive-like behaviour (saccharin preference test) between sham-operated and CCI rats. These data suggest that cognitive rather than emotional impairments seem to be present in neuropathic CCI rats and can be reversed by duloxetine and gabapentin.