Methods using preference in pain research

The thesis deals with neuropathic pain measurement in laboratory mice and rats. Neuropathic pain is characterized besides evoked allodynia and hyperalgesia also by spontaneous pain and anhedonia, further motivational-affective part of pain is highlighted. Traditional pain threshold testing is not appropriate method to measure these aspects of pain. Therefore, the aim of the thesis is to describe preference methods in pain research. We focused on three methods - conditioned place preference, sucrose preference test and thermal place preference. The first mentioned method creates an association between pain relief and a specific place, which afterwards the animal prefers. The conditioned place preference can be used to detect spontaneous pain. Sucrose preference test monitors decrease in consumption of sugar water after exposure to chronic pain, which can be interpreted as a sign of depression, so thanks to this method we have the opportunity to explore the interaction between pain and depression. The thermal place preference method studies changes of preferences between the cold and hot plate after induction of pain or analgesics. The findings based on preference methods help us to examine all aspects of neuropathic pain and develop more options for pain treatment