Preclinical Assessments of Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) Stimulation in a Rodent Osteoarthritis Model

Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation has been shown to be effective in treating neuropathic pain, especially for patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Although the mechanisms of DRG stimulation on pain relief have not been fully discovered, blocking of C-fiber action potential propagation at the T-junction was proposed as a potential mechanism of action (MoA). DRG stimulation has also been demonstrated to be effective in osteoarthritis (OA) pain alleviation in a rodent model. In addition to pain reduction, anti-inflammatory effect with neuromodulation therapy is likely to prevent or even reverse the progress of OA. In this study, we would like to investigate whether DRG stimulation not only alleviates pain but also inhibits the progress of OA progression.

The successful completion of the study would provide data about expansion of indication to preventive therapy to OA.