Researchers have discovered a method to scan cats’ brains while they are awake, utilizing electrodes hidden beneath specially designed wool caps.
Veterinary scientists at the Université de Montréal have achieved a groundbreaking milestone by developing a technique to scan the brains of awake cats using electrodes that are discreetly placed under unique wool caps.
During tests for chronic pain caused by common ailments like osteoarthritis, cats often try to remove or chew on the electrodes attached to their heads, which are necessary for recording electroencephalograms (EEGs).
To avoid this issue, cats would typically need to be sedated for the procedure.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Methods, researchers Éric Troncy and Aude Castel from UdeM’s Groupe de recherche en pharmacologie animale du Québec introduced a novel approach to secure the electrodes: by encasing them in crocheted hats.
Eleven adult cats suffering from osteoarthritis were included in the study.
After gauging their stress and pain responses through stimuli via the electrodes, the researchers then introduced calming stimuli, such as colored lights and comforting scents, aimed at alleviating their discomfort.
‘New opportunities have emerged’
This study, which is garnering attention worldwide, “opens new opportunities for exploring chronic pain in felines and the possible modulation of pain through sensory interventions,” the researchers concluded.
Upcoming efforts will include a national and global campaign to further promote this research.
Co-author Aliénor Delsart, a Ph.D. student, recently showcased preliminary findings from the UdeM team regarding various applications of EEG evaluations—particularly focusing on pain sensitization—at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.
“We aim to secure NSERC—Alliance funding in collaboration with private enterprises to help us establish a distinct EEG signature for chronic pain, along with numerous other applications that could lead to automated detection of chronic pain in the future,” Troncy stated.
One proposed collaboration involves working with UdeM computational psychiatry professor and CHU Sainte-Justine researcher Guillaume Dumas to examine the synchronization of brain waves between cats (and dogs) and their owners.
