Increased Nociceptive Responses in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats and the Related Expression of Spinal NR2B Subunit of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptors

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the role of NR2B in a modulated pain process in the painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) rat using various pain stimuli. METHODS: Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly allocated into four groups (n=8): control, diabetes mellitus (DM) rats and diabetic rats treated with ifenprodil at a lower dose (0.5 µg/day) (I 0.5) or higher dose (1.0 µg/day) (I 1.0). DM was induced by a single injection of streptozotocin at 60 mg/kg on day 0 of experimentation. Diabetic status was assessed on day 3 of the experimentation. The responses on both tactile and thermal stimuli were assessed on day 0 (baseline), day 14 (pre-intervention), and day 22 (post-intervention). Ifenprodil was given intrathecally for 7 days from day 15 until day 21. On day 23, 5% formalin was injected into the rats' hind paw and the nociceptive responses were recorded for 1 hour. The rats were sacrificed 72 hours post-formalin injection and an analysis of the spinal NR2B expression was performed. RESULTS: DM rats showed a significant reduction in pain threshold in response to the tactile and thermal stimuli and higher nociceptive response during the formalin test accompanied by the higher expression of phosphorylated spinal NR2B in both sides of the spinal cord. Ifenprodil treatment for both doses showed anti-allodynic and anti-nociceptive effects with lower expression of phosphorylated and total spinal NR2B. CONCLUSION: We suggest that the pain process in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat that has been modulated is associated with the higher phosphorylation of the spinal NR2B expression in the development of PDN, which is similar to other models of neuropathic rats.

Neuroscience 101 for School Pupils: ‘The Brain Apprentice’ Project

Community engagement efforts in brains and neurosciences projects involving higher education institutions are currently sporadic in Malaysia and likely to contribute the apparent lack of neuroscience awareness in the society. In this paper, we highlight ‘The Brain Apprentice’ project as a knowledge transfer effort to raise neuroscience awareness using school-centred neuroscience clubs. These groups promote the appreciation of neuroscience beyond conventional classroom approaches and the training of neuroscience graduate interns as student facilitators in the teaching and learning of neuroscience. The Brain Apprentice was delivered through the establishment of two school-based neuroscience clubs, Sekolah Kebangsaan Kubang Kerian 3 (primary level) and Sekolah Menengah Sains Tengku Muhammad Faris Petra (secondary level). The teaching and learning of neuroscience was delivered through practical sessions and competitions. Questionnaires were collected from the students based on the following four domains: general satisfaction, impact of knowledge transfer, satisfaction with graduate interns, and knowledge and practical relevance of neuroscience. The National Brain Bee championship has resulted in the first Malaysia representative competing at the International Brain Bee 2012. Students, who had participated as neuroscience club members were exposed to the basic principles of neuroscience, which boosted their interest in science and neuroscience. The graduate interns had also been provided with opportunities to hone in their soft skills and be involved in community-engagement efforts. This project offered a suitable model of community-engagement in raising awareness about and the profile of neuroscience both in terms of knowledge exposure and from the perspective of career options in the field.