Neuromodulatory techniques have been studied to treat drug addiction or compulsive eating as well as different chronic pain conditions, such as neuropathic and inflammatory pain in the clinical and preclinical settings. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the association of alcohol withdrawal with neuropathic pain based on nociceptive and neurochemical parameters in rats. Thirty-six adult male Wistar rats were randomized into five groups: control, neuropathic pain, neuropathic pain + tDCS, neuropathic pain + alcohol, and neuropathic pain + alcohol + tDCS. The neuropathic pain model was induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) to the sciatic nerve. Rats were then exposed to alcohol (20%) by oral gavage administration for 15 days (beginning 24 h after CCI). tDCS was started on the 17th day after surgery and lasted for 8 consecutive days. The nociceptive test (hot plate) was performed at baseline, 16 days after CCI, and immediately and 24 h after the last session of tDCS. Rats were killed by decapitation, and structures were removed and frozen for biochemical analysis (nerve growth factor and interleukin (IL-1α, IL-1β, and IL-10 measurements). Neuropathy-induced thermal hyperalgesia was reversed by tDCS, an effect that was delayed by alcohol abstinence. In addition, tDCS treatment induced modulation of central levels of IL-1α, IL-1ß, and IL-10 and neurotrophic growth factor. We cannot rule out that the antinociceptive effect of tDCS could be related to increased central levels of IL-1α and IL-10. Therefore, tDCS may be a promising non-pharmacological therapeutic approach for chronic pain treatment.

中文翻译：

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经颅直流电刺激 (tDCS) 在患有神经性疼痛和戒酒的大鼠中诱导镇痛。

神经调节技术已被研究用于治疗药物成瘾或强迫性进食以及不同的慢性疼痛状况，例如临床和临床前环境中的神经性和炎症性疼痛。在这项研究中，我们旨在根据大鼠的伤害感受和神经化学参数，研究经颅直流电刺激 (tDCS) 对酒精戒断与神经性疼痛的关联的影响。36 只成年雄性 Wistar 大鼠被随机分为五组：对照组、神经性疼痛、神经性疼痛 + tDCS、神经性疼痛 + 酒精和神经性疼痛 + 酒精 + tDCS。神经性疼痛模型是由坐骨神经的慢性收缩性损伤（CCI）诱导的。然后通过口服管饲法将大鼠暴露于酒精（20％）15天（在CCI后24小时开始）。tDCS于术后第17天开始，持续8天。伤害性测试（热板）在基线、CCI 后 16 天以及最后一次 tDCS 后立即和 24 小时进行。通过断头处死大鼠，取出结构并冷冻以进行生化分析（神经生长因子和白细胞介素（IL-1α、IL-1β 和 IL-10 测量）。tDCS 可逆转神经病变引起的热痛觉过敏，这种效果被戒酒延迟。此外，tDCS 治疗诱导调节中枢水平的 IL-1α、IL-1ß 和 IL-10 和神经营养生长因子。我们不能排除 tDCS 的镇痛作用可能与增加中枢神经有关。 IL-1α 和 IL-10 的水平。因此，tDCS 可能是一种有前途的慢性疼痛治疗的非药物治疗方法。