Decreased anxiety-like behavior and trigeminal ganglion BDNF levels persist in rats with temporomandibular joint arthritis even after resolution of the nociceptive process.

In this study, pain- and anxiety-like behaviors, locomotor and exploratory activity, histological and biomarker parameters were evaluated following induction of a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthritis model in rats. Twenty-two adult male Wistar rats were assigned to receive either saline (sham group) or Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA - pain group) into the right TMJ. Mechanical allodynia was assessed using the facial electronic von Frey (VF) test, while thermal hyperalgesia was assessed using the Orofacial Pain Assessment Device (OPAD) assay.