A summary of measurement methods for abdominal withdrawal reflex test / 中国比较医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) test, which evaluates the behavioral response of animals through expanding the intestinal tract, is the most widely used method to assess animal's visceral sensitivity in recent years.However, as AWR experimental operation involves many factors, it''s hard to find a commonly recognized operating procedure.Through review of literature of AWR experimental measuring methods, this article summarizes the basic steps of AWR operation.Meanwhile, it scrutinizes the differences of various measuring methods in relevant factors, including expansion method and airbag method, with special operating suggestions to them.Hopefully, this article will provide an option to future researchers who will use this method to evaluate animal''s visceral sensitivity, and provide a necessary foundation for the standardization of the experimental operation.