FIG. 3.

Locomotor performance, hemorrhage, and hemodynamics 1.5 and 6 hours after injury. Contused rats were exposed to noxious electrical stimulation, or nothing, 1.5 or 6 h after injury and tested for 3 h (A). Exposure to 1.5 or 6 h of noxious electrical stimulation after injury did not affect locomotor performance (B). Animals exhibited higher systolic BP (C), heart rate (D), and blood flow (E) 1.5 h after injury relative to animals tested 6 h after injury. In no case did noxious electrical stimulation have a significant effect on hemodynamics. Electrical stimulation increased hemorrhage when applied 6 h after injury, but not when given at 1.5 h (F). Error bars represent standard error of the mean (SEM) (n = 8). Asterisks indicate significance differences between groups (*p < 0.05).