Scientists identify neural mechanism responsible for chronic pain
|
21:15 |
No Comments |
In a new study published in the journal Neuron, scientists from
the University of Berne in Switzerland identify a mechanism in the
brain they suggest is responsible for chronic pain. The researchers hope
that their discovery will lead toward new treatments for chronic pain.
"The constant perception of pain severely influences the standard of life of the patients and represents a unprecedented emotional burden," says lead author Thomas Nevian on the Department of Physiology in the University of Bern.
Nevian explains that despite chronic pain affecting over 1 million people in Switzerland alone (about 100 million Americans suffer from the condition), treatment strategies are missing many times.
"Thus," he tells, "understanding the introduction of chronic pain is of outmost importance for neuroscience research."
Neurons inside the gyrus cinguli build a 'pain memory'
Nevian and colleagues' discovery could be the identification of any cellular mechanism in the brain region called gyrus cinguli, that's typically linked to the emotional facets of pain. In a mouse model, they found that neurons to the picture are modified by chronic pain, establishing a sort of "pain memory."
"The neurons are constantly activated with a noxious stimulus," explains Nevian, "thus making a memory trace for pain that becomes irreversible. Our idea ended up being to understand this mechanism safer to derive potential new treatment strategies."
Because pain is perceived by electrical impulses in neurons, they looked for electrical fluctuations among neurons from the limbic system. They found such changes - "more excitable" neurons - within the gyrus cinguli.
They feel that the neurons were more excitable here caused by a down-regulation of the ion channel, which rather than regulating electrical properties of cells, causes an increased quantity of nerve impulses during these cells. The increase in nerve impulses is therefore perceived with the brain as pain.
Next, the study attempted to restore the function of the ion channel. They succeeded for doing this by activating a receptor understanding of serotonin. Nevian explains the role serotonin plays in reactivating the ion channel:
"It may be known for a little while that serotonin can modulate pain perception along with the function of some drugs is dependant on this. Nevertheless, what's new within our study now could be that we made it possible to identify a certain subtype of serotonin receptor that reduced the perception of pain more proficiently. This is a vital result, that might help to treat chronic pain more efficiently from the future."
An interesting additional finding in this research is how the results suggest a mechanism to go into detail how tricyclic antidepressants work. Previously, it has become assumed that tricyclics work by functioning on the back, even so the Bern study implies that they also work right on pain perception inside the brain.
However, Nevian says that though he believes a vital step continues to be made on this research, it will be a long time before novel prescription medication is designed determined by these results.
Nevian explains that despite chronic pain affecting over 1 million people in Switzerland alone (about 100 million Americans suffer from the condition), treatment strategies are missing many times.
"Thus," he tells, "understanding the introduction of chronic pain is of outmost importance for neuroscience research."
Neurons inside the gyrus cinguli build a 'pain memory'
Nevian and colleagues' discovery could be the identification of any cellular mechanism in the brain region called gyrus cinguli, that's typically linked to the emotional facets of pain. In a mouse model, they found that neurons to the picture are modified by chronic pain, establishing a sort of "pain memory."
"The neurons are constantly activated with a noxious stimulus," explains Nevian, "thus making a memory trace for pain that becomes irreversible. Our idea ended up being to understand this mechanism safer to derive potential new treatment strategies."
Because pain is perceived by electrical impulses in neurons, they looked for electrical fluctuations among neurons from the limbic system. They found such changes - "more excitable" neurons - within the gyrus cinguli.
They feel that the neurons were more excitable here caused by a down-regulation of the ion channel, which rather than regulating electrical properties of cells, causes an increased quantity of nerve impulses during these cells. The increase in nerve impulses is therefore perceived with the brain as pain.
Next, the study attempted to restore the function of the ion channel. They succeeded for doing this by activating a receptor understanding of serotonin. Nevian explains the role serotonin plays in reactivating the ion channel:
"It may be known for a little while that serotonin can modulate pain perception along with the function of some drugs is dependant on this. Nevertheless, what's new within our study now could be that we made it possible to identify a certain subtype of serotonin receptor that reduced the perception of pain more proficiently. This is a vital result, that might help to treat chronic pain more efficiently from the future."
An interesting additional finding in this research is how the results suggest a mechanism to go into detail how tricyclic antidepressants work. Previously, it has become assumed that tricyclics work by functioning on the back, even so the Bern study implies that they also work right on pain perception inside the brain.
However, Nevian says that though he believes a vital step continues to be made on this research, it will be a long time before novel prescription medication is designed determined by these results.
0 comments:
Post a Comment