The post hoc analysis indicated a decreasing trend for latency across trials [ Figure 4D , 4 weeks: F trial (4,44) = 162.503, P < 0.0001; 12 weeks: F trial (4,44) = 141.706, P < 0.0001; 24 weeks: F trial (4,44) = 180.477, P < 0.0001].
At 12 weeks after surgery, CCH rats showed the same pattern as the other time points, but the difference failed to reach significance [ Figure 4C , 4 weeks: t (22) = 2.351, P = 0.028; 12 weeks: t (22) = 0.930, P = 0.362; 24 weeks: t (22) = 2.434, P = 0.024, respectively].
This impairment was significantly alleviated in rats treated with capsaicin, since their DI was higher (62.41 ± 13.60%, 70.25 ± 16.70%, and 67.53 ± 9.69%, respectively) than the vehicle control group (55.20 ± 11.02%, 55.06 ± 10.48%, and 54.72 ± 6.17%, respectively), except for the DI at 4 weeks (which showed the same pattern but the difference did not achieve significance, 4 weeks, P = 0.129; 12 weeks, P = 0.008; 24 weeks, P = 0.003).