TY - JOUR A1 - Kopach, O A1 - Krotov, V A1 - Voitenko, N UR - http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2017.08.001 SN - 1872-678X ID - discovery1570085 JF - Journal of Neuroscience Methods Y1 - 2017/10// N2 - BACKGROUND: Catheterization has been widely used in neuroscience and pain research for local drug delivery. Though different modifications were developed, the use of young animals for spinal catheterization remains limited because of a little success rate. A reliable technique is needed to catheterize young animals aimed for in vivo testing combined with spinal cord electrophysiology, often limited by animal age, to facilitate pain research. NEW METHODS: We describe intrathecal catheterization of young rats (3-week-old) through atlanto-occipical approach for long-lasting drug delivery into the lumbar subarachnoid space. The technique represents a surgical approach of minimized invasiveness that requires PE-10 catheter and few equipment of standard laboratory use. RESULTS: Behavioral assessments revealed that spinal catheterization does not change peripheral sensitivity of different modalities (thermal and mechanical) and gives no rise to locomotive deficit or anxiety-like behavior in young rats. The long-term administration of genetic material (oligodeoxynucleotides given up to 4days), examined both in vivo and in situ, produced no adverse effects on basal peripheral sensitivity, but changed the AMPA receptor-mediated currents in sensory interneurons of the spinal cord. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Dissimilar to already described methods, the method is designed for the use of young rats for behavioral testing in vivo and/or spinal cord electrophysiology in situ. CONCLUSIONS: A practical method for spinal catheterization of young animals designed for studies in vivo and in situ is proposed. The method is rapid and effective and should facilitate investigation of therapeutic effects on both systemic and subcellular levels, as an advantage over the existing methods. AV - public KW - Behavioral testing KW - Genetic material KW - Intrathecal delivery KW - Local treatment KW - Oligodeoxynucleotides KW - Peripheral sensitivity KW - Sensory interneurons KW - Spinal catheterization KW - Spinal cord electrophysiology KW - Young animals VL - 290 EP - 132 SP - 125 N1 - This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher?s terms and conditions. TI - Atlanto-occipital catheterization of young rats for long-term drug delivery into the lumbar subarachnoid space combined with in vivo testing and electrophysiology in situ ER -