Measurement of tail skin temperature: a model of menopausal hot flushes / flashes
Objectives:
- To evaluate skin vasomotion, a primary heat loss mechanism that can be monitored by changes in tail skin temperature
- To monitor changes in rat tail skin temperature of ovariectomized female rats used as a model of hot flushes / flashes
- Relevant model to evaluate the effects of drugs developed to treat menopausal vasomotor symptoms including hot flushes / flashes
Summarized methodology:Endpoints:
Adult female rat are ovariectomized bilaterally through a dorsal incision under general anesthesia. At least 2 weeks of post-surgical period to induce artificial menopause, the tail skin temperature is measured in a freely moving female rat using a thermocouple with a probe implanted in the rat tail (Pan et al., 2001; Williams et al., 2010; Yoneda et al., 2011).
Figure 1: Illustration of the thermocouple used for rat tail skin temperature measurement.
- Basal tail skin temperature (after ovariectomy but before treatment administration)
- Change in tail skin temperature (after treatment administration)
Links to applicable Targeted disorders / Pathophysiological models
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