Neuroscience research
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Neuroscience research · Sep 2006
Assessing mechanical sensitivity of masseter muscle in lightly anesthetized rats: a model for craniofacial muscle hyperalgesia.
In this report, we present a simple and reliable way of assessing mechanical sensitivity of masseter muscle as a model for craniofacial muscle hyperalgesia. Mechanical thresholds that evoke nocifensive hindpaw responses following noxious masseter stimulation were assessed. ⋯ This lightly anesthetized rodent paradigm allows us to provide calibrated and reliable mechanical stimulus, which is not possible in behaving animals. The technique can be applied to study mechanistic bases for craniofacial muscle tenderness.