Research team
Expertise
Neuropathic pain syndromes result from damage or dysfunction of the somatosensory nervous system. They are very resistant to common pain-killers and patients often suffer from terrible discomfort. Trigeminal neuralgia (“tic douloureux”) is an extreme form of facial neuropathic pain. A rat model was developed where the Infraorbital nerve (IoN), which constitutes almost the entire maxillary branch of the trigeminal nerve, is loosely ligated. Following IoN surgery, rats display increased face grooming behavior directed to the territory of the injured IoN indicative of spontaneous pain. After an initial period of hyporesponsiveness, rats also become hyperresponsive to mechanical (von Frey hair) stimulation of the IoN territory. In addition to its role in tumourigenesis and angiogenesis, evidence is accumulating that ET-1 may be of critical importance in the occurrence of cancer pain. Recently, our lab has been focusing on the effects of application of ET-1 to the infraorbital nerve (IoN) of the rat and of prolonged exposure to ET-1. Video-ECoG, or the simultaneous recording of behaviour and electrocorticography in awake animals, has become a valuable tool in neurophysiological and neuropharmacological studies. In our lab, we have begun to implement the video-ECoG methodology in the IoN-CCI model in order to correlate behavioral (grooming) data with ECoG data in normal and IoN-CCI rats.
In vivo testing of tool TRPM3 inhibitor in an infraorbital nerve chronic constriction injury (IoN-CCI) mouse model.
Abstract
Trigeminal neuralgia (TG) is a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from the face to the brain. A very recent study in rodents, indicated a role of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 3 (TRPM3) ion channel selectively in nociception. Recently, a novel class of highly potent, selective and orally bio-available TRPM3 antagonists have been developed by researchers at KU Leuven. In the present study, the efficacy of one of these compounds, CIM133288, will be investigated in the infraorbital nerve chronic constriction injury model.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Deseure Kristof
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project
Study of the pain-producing and pain-potentiating effects of prolonged exposure to Endothelin-1 (ET-1).
Abstract
Endothelin-1 is being increasingly recognized as an important molecule in the development and progression of cancer, but also in the occurrence of cancer pain. So far, all studies have used acute administration of ET-1, bearing little resemblance with the prolonged exposure observed in clinical conditions. It is therefore proposed to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to ET-1 on signs of spontaneous and evoked pain behaviour.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Deseure Kristof
- Co-promoter: Hans Guy
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project
Study of the pain-producing and pain-potentiating effects of prolonged exposure to Endothelin-1 (ET-1).
Abstract
Endothelin-1 is being increasingly recognized as an important molecule in the development and progression of cancer, but also in the occurrence of cancer pain. So far, all studies have used acute administration of ET-1, bearing little resemblance with the prolonged exposure observed in clinical conditions. It is therefore proposed to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to ET-1 on signs of spontaneous and evoked pain behaviour.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Deseure Kristof
- Co-promoter: Hans Guy
- Co-promoter: Vercauteren Marcel P E
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project
Study of the pain-producing and pain-potentiating effects of prolonged exposure to Endothelin-1 (ET-1).
Abstract
Endothelin-1 is being increasingly recognized as an important molecule in the development and progression of cancer, but also in the occurrence of cancer pain. So far, all studies have used acute administration of ET-1, bearing little resemblance with the prolonged exposure observed in clinical conditions. It is therefore proposed to investigate the effects of chronic exposure to ET-1 on signs of spontaneous and evoked pain behaviour.Researcher(s)
- Promoter: Deseure Kristof
Research team(s)
Project type(s)
- Research Project