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Updated: Apr 20, 2026
A Preterm Rat Model for Pain Studies
Published on: February 9, 2024
Neonatal stress from limited bedding elicits visceral hyperalgesia in adult rats
Yumei Guo1, Zhuo Wang, Emeran A Mayer
1Departments of aPsychiatry and Behavioral Sciences bNeurology, Cell and Neurobiology, Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California cCenter for Neurobiology of Stress, Department of Medicine dDepartments of Physiology, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles eVeterans Administration Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Early life stress is a risk factor for developing functional pain disorders. The 'limited bedding' (LB) model elicits psychological stress in the dam and her pups by providing minimal nesting material following delivery. Little is known about the effects of LB on visceral pain. Rats (female, male) were exposed to LB on postnatal days 2-9. Electromyographic visceromotor responses were recorded at the age of 11-12 weeks during titrated colorectal distension. LB exposure resulted in significant visceral hyperalgesia in both sexes. Sex differences were demonstrated only in nonstressed controls, with females showing a greater visceromotor response. Our results prepare the way for use of the LB model in studying the development of visceral pain in adults with functional gastrointestinal disorders.
Early life stress is a risk factor for developing functional pain disorders. The 'limited bedding' (LB) model elicits psychological stress in the dam and her pups by providing minimal nesting material following delivery. Little is known about the effects of LB on visceral pain. Rats (female, male) were exposed to LB on postnatal days 2-9. Electromyographic visceromotor responses were recorded at the age of 11-12 weeks during titrated colorectal distension. LB exposure resulted in significant visceral hyperalgesia in both sexes. Sex differences were demonstrated only in nonstressed controls, with females showing a greater visceromotor response. Our results prepare the way for use of the LB model in studying the development of visceral pain in adults with functional gastrointestinal disorders.
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