IAT Congress 2025 -- Pain response methods were introduced and methods were adapted for studies that were run at Labcorp in Eye, UK, to investigate the development for anti-neoplastic treatment for children suffering with neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is classified as an embryonal tumour, a type of cancer that develops from the cells left behind from a baby’s development in the womb. The cells from which it develops are specific cells in the nervous system called neuroblasts. Two different pain response methods were used across the project. In the first part of the project using the Hsd:RH-Foxn1rnu rats, pain response was assessed using an analgesiometer designed for the Randall-Selitto test. In the second part of the project using Sprague-Dawley rat, the Von Frey test was used. Traditionally, this method uses a Perspex arena with a wire-grid floor with graded-thickness filaments introduced on the plantar surface of the rat hind paws through the wire grid. However, as the study was performed with juvenile animals from post-natal day (PND) 10, the use of the wire-grid floored arena would not have been suitable due to the small size of the paws. We therefore adapted the technique to be performed in-hand.

• Download