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Updated: May 1, 2026
Measuring Changes in Tactile Sensitivity in the Hind Paw of Mice Using an Electronic von Frey Apparatus
Published on: December 19, 2013
A simplified up-down method (SUDO) for measuring mechanical nociception in rodents using von Frey filaments
Robert P Bonin, Cyril Bories, Yves De Koninck1
1Unité de neurosciences cellulaires et moléculaire, Centre de recherche de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Québec, 2601 Chemin de la Canardière, Québec, QC G1J 2G3, Canada. yves.dekoninck@neuro.ulaval.ca.
A simplified up-down method (SUDO) for measuring mechanical pain sensitivity in animals using von Frey filaments provides accurate results. This method standardizes testing by using a fixed number of stimuli, improving upon the conventional up-down approach.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
- Animal Models
Background:
- Mechanosensitivity measurement is crucial for studying pain in animal models.
- The conventional up-down method using von Frey filaments can lead to inconsistent testing experiences due to a variable number of stimuli.
- This variability may influence subsequent animal responses and complicate data interpretation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a standardized and simplified method for measuring mechanosensitivity in rodents.
- To improve the reliability and efficiency of pain threshold measurements using von Frey filaments.
Main Methods:
- Introduction of a simplified up-down method (SUDO) utilizing a constant number of five stimuli per test.
- Refinement of the paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) calculation to directly estimate PWT from the fifth stimulus response, eliminating the need for lookup tables.
- Validation of the SUDO method against the conventional Chaplan et al. up-down method.
Main Results:
- SUDO-derived PWT estimates showed a strong correlation (r > 0.96) with estimates from the conventional method.
- High correlation was maintained across varying tester experience, experimental conditions, and in both mice and rats.
- Similar PWT estimates were observed in behavioral tests at baseline and after hyperalgesia induction.
Conclusions:
- The simplified up-down method (SUDO) is an accurate, fast, and user-friendly alternative to the conventional method.
- SUDO enhances standardization in mechanosensitivity testing, leading to more reliable pain research in animal models.
