Serotonergic modulation of pain and analgesic responses in Wistar-Zagreb 5HT rats

What is it about?

A role of the serotonin (5HT) transporter, a key regulator of serotonergic transmission, in the physiology, pharmacology and genetics of pain responses has been proposed recently. The present study aimed to explore the impact of constitutive differences in the activity of the serotonin transporter, and 5HT homeostasis in general, on the modulation on pain sensitivity and analgesic responses to drugs that utilize 5HT mechanisms.

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Why is it important?

A novel genetic animal model, Wistar-Zagreb 5HT rats was used. As a consequence of breeding, two sublines of this model, termed high-5HT and low-5HT, differ in both central and peripheral serotonin homeostasis. Thermal pain sensitivity of 5HT sublines was assessed at baseline and following administration of analgesic drugs, as determined by paw withdrawal latency to radiant heat stimulation. The findings in this artical support the idea that functionality of the serotonin transporter is one of the physiological/genetic determinants of individual differences in pain responses and modulation. They also validate Wistar-Zagreb 5HT rats as a potential new genetic model for studying serotonergic modulation of pain responses.