Honors Theses
Date of Award
2014
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Kenneth Sufka
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The present research sought to determine the effects of sumatriptan on clinically relevant behavioral endpoints in migraine produced by repeated nitroglycerin (NTG) administrations in rats. Rats were given 5 NTG administrations each of which was followed by either saline, 0.3 mg/kg sumatriptan, or 1.0 mg/kg sumatriptan over a 2-week period. During their 5th NTG migraine episode, behavioral endpoints were the Rat Grimace Scale, photophobia, and movement. Sumatriptan dose dependently attenuated a) loss in weight, b) elevated Rat Grimace Scale pain scores, and c) decreased movement in the modified light-dark box. In addition, rats with the highest dose of sumatriptan tended to spend more time in the light portion of the light-dark box. We conclude from this study that sumatriptan is effective in reversing behavioral endpoints that parallel clinical symptoms of human migraineurs. These findings further validate the recurrent NTG migraine model as a clinically relevant simulation of human migraine that can be used as a drug-screening tool for novel therapeutics.
Recommended Citation
Davis, Morgan Elizabeth, "The Effect of Sumatriptan on Clinically Relevant Behavioral Endpoints in a Recurrent Nitroglycerin Migraine Model in Rats" (2014). Honors Theses. 719.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/719
Accessibility Status
Searchable text