Innovations and advances in modelling and measuring pain in animals

The translation of analgesic drug candidates to the clinic relies upon successful preclinical pain modelling. In this Review, Stucky and colleagues describe recent trends in the methods used to model pain in laboratory animals and provide recommendations for experimental designs that may increase translational success. Best practices in preclinical algesiometry (pain behaviour testing) have shifted over the past decade as a result of technological advancements, the continued dearth of translational progress and the emphasis that funding institutions and journals have placed on rigour and reproducibility. Here we describe the changing trends in research methods by analysing the methods reported in preclinical pain publications from the past 40 years, with a focus on the last 5 years. We also discuss how the status quo may be hampering translational success. This discussion is centred on four fundamental decisions that apply to every pain behaviour experiment: choice of subject (model organism), choice of assay (pain-inducing injury), laboratory environment and choice of outcome measures. Finally, we discuss how human tissues, which are increasingly accessible, can be used to validate the translatability of targets and mechanisms identified in animal pain models.

Automated summary

This review discusses recent trends in preclinical pain modelling and provides recommendations for experimental designs that may increase translational success. Best practices in pain behaviour testing have shifted over the past decade due to technological advancements and the emphasis on rigor and reproducibility. The discussion focuses on four fundamental decisions in pain behavior experiments: choice of subject, choice of assay, laboratory environment, and choice of outcome measures.