Modelling migraine-related features in the nitroglycerin animal model: trigeminal hyperalgesia is associated with affective status and motor behaviour

This dataset comprises the findings obtained in the study aimed at exploring the correlation between trigeminal hyperalgesia and affective status or behavioral components in a migraine-specific animal model based on nitroglycerin administration (see article Modelling migraine-related features in the nitroglycerin animal model: trigeminal hyperalgesia is associated with affective status and motor behaviour).

In vivo assessments performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats four hours after treatment with nitroglycerin (10mg/kg, i.p.) or its vehicle:

- in the open field test were evaluated: time spent (expressed in seconds) in the center of the apparatus as a measure of anxiety; distance (expressed in meters) travelled in the apparatus as a measure of motor behaviour; number of rearings as a measure of exploratory behaviour; time spent in grooming behavior (expressed in seconds) used as nociception index;

- evaluation of trigeminal hyperalgesia in the orofacial formalin test: the face rubbing was measured counting the seconds the animal spent grooming the injected area (upper lip, lateral to the nose) with the ipsilateral forepaw or hindpaw 0–3 min (Phase I) or 12–45 min (Phase II) after formalin injection (50 µl, s.c.). The observation time was divided into 15 blocks of 3 min each.

RESULTS

The data analysis shows an inverse correlation between trigeminal hyperalgesia and motor or exploratory behavior, and a positive association with anxiety-like behavior of spontaneous grooming.

These findings further expand on the translational value of the migraine-specific model based on nitroglycerin administration and prompt additional parameters that can be investigated to explore the complexity of the disease.