In a groundbreaking development, veterinary scientists at the Université de Montréal have successfully scanned the brains of cats in a conscious state for the first time.
This achievement was made possible through the creation of custom-knitted wool caps filled with electrodes to record brain activity.
Traditionally, electroencephalograms (EEGs) required sedating the cats to prevent them from disrupting the electrodes, a process that could be both stressful and uncomfortable.
The new method allows for accurate EEG readings without sedation, which is a significant advancement in the field.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common issue among adult cats, often causing chronic pain and heightened sensitivity to touch.
For cats with OA, sedation during EEGs has been the norm to avoid behaviors like shaking off or chewing the electrodes.
However, this sedation often introduces its own set of challenges and inaccuracies.
The research team, led by Éric Troncy and Aude Castel, developed the caps to hold ten gold-plated surface electrodes in place.
They tested the new method on eleven adult cats with osteoarthritis, measuring their stress and pain levels using various stimuli delivered through the electrodes.
To further ease the cats’ suffering, the team exposed them to calming stimuli, including colored lights (blue, green, and red) and pleasant scents like grapefruit.
While early results are promising, it’s still unclear whether these stimuli effectively reduce pain in the long term, necessitating further research.
This innovative approach was partially inspired by a YouTube tutorial on crocheting cat hats.
Graduate students assisted in creating the custom-made wool caps, which concealed the electrodes, making them less noticeable to the cats.
This strategy was crucial in preventing the cats from attempting to remove the caps.
During the experiments, each cat was housed in a cozy, dimly lit space with controlled temperatures, featuring comfortable perches, soft beds, and stimulating scratching posts.
The caps not only secured the electrodes but also remarkably reduced motion artifacts, which are common in such studies.
The research, presented by co-author Aliénor Delsart at the Royal Society of Medicine in London, indicates that this is the first demonstration of EEG feasibility in conscious cats using surface electrodes while exposing them to sensory stimulations.
The findings were published in the Journal of Neuroscience Methods.
Future plans for the research include seeking NSERC – Alliance funding, in collaboration with private companies.
This funding will support the establishment of a genuine EEG signature for chronic pain and other applications that may automate chronic pain detection in cats.
The team is also working with researcher Guillaume Dumas to explore the synchronization of brain waves between cats (and dogs) and their owners, further broadening the scope of their innovative research.
The development of these custom-knitted caps represents a significant leap forward in the study of feline chronic pain and offers exciting new possibilities for non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.