/* */ PELVIPHARM - Vaginal blood flow engorgement measurement by Laser Doppler Flowmetry (rat/guinea pig/rabbit)
Receive our news

 

Vaginal blood flow engorgement measurement by Laser Doppler Flowmetry (rat/guinea pig/rabbit)

objectives

  • To evaluate peripheral sexual response by monitoring blood flow in the vaginal wall using Laser Doppler Perfusion Measurement (LDPM) in baseline conditions and after pelvic nerve stimulation.
  • Useful for the evaluation of the effect of drugs developed for female sexual disorders, including lubrication difficulties, vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy or dyspareunia.

SUMMARIZED METHODOLOGY

 Non-invasive laser doppler microprobes are placed against the inner lateroventral side of the vaginal lumen in anaesthetized animals. A bipolar platinum electrode connected to an electrical stimulator is placed on the pelvic nerve to allow electrical stimulation at different stimulation frequencies in view of establishing a frequency-response curve. The carotid artery is catheterized to record blood pressure.

Figure 1: Illustration of the parameters computed for vaginal blood engorgement following electrical stimulation of the pelvic nerve

Figure 1: Illustration of the parameters computed for vaginal blood engorgement following electrical stimulation of the pelvic nerve


Endpoints

  • Baseline LDPM and BP, measured during the 30-min baseline period before any pelvic nerve stimulation

And, for each pelvic nerve stimulation:

  • the mean maximal amplitude of the response, being the percentage of LDPM increase calculated as follows : deltaLDPM x 100 / Base LDPM, and expressed in %
  • the area under the curve of the response calculated for the entire response (AUC), normalized by Base LDPM and expressed in % x s
  • the vascular capacitance which corresponds to the ratio of the mean maximal amplitude of the response to the corresponding mean BP expressed in % / mmHg.
Related Pelvipharm bibliography
Giuliano, F. et al.
Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol (2001) : 281:R140-149
SITEMAP
TEL +331 704 293 39
FAX + 331 704 295 10
LEGAL