Figure 2.

Frequency and length of face grooming and exploratory behavior were observed before the operation and at eight postoperative time points.

Notes: (A–D) No significant differences among groups were found before and 3 days after the operation (P>0.05). At postoperative day 6, the frequency and length of exploratory behavior of rats after cobra venom injection showed remarkable decrease in comparison to the rats in sham-operated group (*: compared between cobra venom and sham-operated groups, frequency: *P=0.011, length: *P=0.041; ^&: compared between EA and sham-operated groups, frequency: ^&P=0.007, length: ^&P=0.024; ^#: compared between pregabalin and sham-operated groups, frequency: ^#P=0.002, length: ^#P=0.019), while the frequency and length of grooming behavior showed increase in comparison to the rats in sham-operated group (*: compared between cobra venom and sham-operated groups, frequency: *P=0.003, length: *P=0.028; ^&: compared between EA and sham-operated groups, frequency: ^&P=0.005, length: ^&P=0.002; ^#: compared between pregabalin and sham-operated groups, frequency: ^#P=0.011, length: ^#P=0.040). Significant differences were observed at postoperative day 20 after EA and pregabalin treatment, respectively, compared to cobra venom group (*: compared between cobra venom and sham-operated groups, frequency of exploratory behavior: *P=0.003, length of exploratory behavior: *P=0.012, frequency of grooming behavior: *P=0.031, length of grooming behavior: *P=0.003; ⁺: compared between EA and cobra venom groups, frequency of exploratory behavior: ⁺P=0.040, length of exploratory behavior: ⁺P=0.040, frequency of grooming behavior: ⁺P=0.011, length of grooming behavior: ⁺P=0.002; ⁻: compared between pregabalin and cobra venom groups, frequency of exploratory behavior: ⁻P=0.038, length of exploratory behavior: ⁻P=0.037, frequency of grooming behavior: ⁻P=0.001, length of grooming behavior: ⁻P=0.001).

Abbreviation: EA, electro-acupuncture.