Glial activation: a driving force for pathological pain
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Updated: Oct 5, 2026

Improved 3D Hydrogel Cultures of Primary Glial Cells for In Vitro Modelling of Neuroinflammation
Published on: December 8, 2017
L R Watkins1, E D Milligan, S F Maier
1Dept of Psychology & the Center for Neurosciences, University of Colorado at, Boulder, CO, USA. lwatkins@psych.colorado.edu
Abstract:
Pain is classically viewed as being mediated solely by neurons, as are other sensory phenomena. The discovery that spinal cord glia (microglia and astrocytes) amplify pain requires a change in this view. These glia express characteristics in common with immune cells in that they respond to viruses and bacteria, releasing proinflammatory cytokines, which create pathological pain. These spinal cord glia also become activated by certain sensory signals arriving from the periphery. Similar to spinal infection, these signals cause release of proinflammatory cytokines, thus creating pathological pain. Taken together, these findings suggest a new, dramatically different approach to pain control, as all clinical therapies are focused exclusively on altering neuronal, rather than glial, function.
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