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Animal models of pain: progress and challenges.
1Department of Psychology and Alan Edwards Centre for Research on Pain, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. jeffrey.mogil@mcgill.ca
Nature Reviews. Neuroscience
|March 5, 2009
Summary
Translational research in pain management faces challenges. Re-evaluating animal models is crucial for developing effective pain therapies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Translational Medicine
Background:
- Significant basic science advances in pain research using animal models have not translated into new effective clinical treatments.
- This lack of translational progress necessitates a critical review of current animal models of pain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-examine the utility and limitations of animal models in pain research.
- To highlight the need for improved methodologies in preclinical pain studies.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on pain research methodologies.
- Analysis of advanced techniques including mutant animals and refined assays.
- Consideration of modulatory factors affecting pain perception in animal models.
Main Results:
- Despite new tools like mutant animals and sophisticated assays, assessing the true value of animal models remains complex.
- Pain studies are significantly influenced by factors such as sex, genotype, and social communication.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive re-evaluation of animal models is essential for advancing translational pain research.
- Careful consideration of modulatory factors is critical for the accurate interpretation of animal pain study results.
