Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Open-Source Real-Time Closed-Loop Electrical Threshold Tracking for Translational Pain Research
10:28

Open-Source Real-Time Closed-Loop Electrical Threshold Tracking for Translational Pain Research

Published on: April 21, 2023

The ERK 1 and 2 pathway in the nervous system: from basic aspects to possible clinical applications in pain and

Célia D Cruz1, Francisco Cruz

  • 1Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine and IBMC, University of Porto, Portugal. ccruz@med.up.pt

Current Neuropharmacology
|March 24, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) are crucial in the nervous system, particularly in pain pathways. Inhibiting ERK phosphorylation shows promise for treating chronic pain and neuronal injury complications.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) cascade is a well-studied signaling pathway involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival.
  • ERK activity is regulated by phosphorylation, triggered by external stimuli like growth factors, neurotrophins, and neuronal activity.
  • In the nervous system, ERK phosphorylation is implicated in neuroplasticity and pain signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of ERK phosphorylation in the spinal cord concerning pain and neuronal injury.
  • To explore the potential of ERK as a therapeutic target for pain management and recovery from neuronal damage.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating ERK phosphorylation in the nervous system.
  • Analysis of experimental data using ERK inhibitors in pain models.

Main Results:

  • Spinal ERK phosphorylation is nociceptive-specific and upregulated in chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain conditions.
  • Inhibition of ERK phosphorylation alleviates allodynia and hyperalgesia in experimental pain models.
  • Spinal ERK phosphorylation influences the micturition reflex in models of bladder inflammation and spinal cord injury.

Conclusions:

  • ERK signaling plays a significant role in spinal cord pain mechanisms and associated behavioral changes.
  • Targeting ERK phosphorylation presents a potential therapeutic strategy for managing chronic pain and complications of neuronal injury.
Keywords:
ERKERK inhibitionMAPKpain.somatic painvisceral painvisceral reflex activity

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways01:29

Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways

Somatic sensory or somatosensory pathways refer to the neural pathways that carry information related to touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and proprioception from the skin, muscles, tendons, and joints to the brain. These pathways involve several stages of processing and integration of sensory information.
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways01:28

Major Somatic Sensory Pathways

Sensory impulses related to touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception from various body parts, such as the limbs, trunk, neck, and posterior head, travel to the cerebral cortex through the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway. The pathway’s name derives from the two white-matter tracts that convey the impulses: the spinal cord's posterior column and the brainstem's medial lemniscus. First-order sensory neurons extend their axons into the spinal cord, forming the posterior columns...
Nociception01:44

Nociception

Nociception—the ability to feel pain—is essential for an organism’s survival and overall well-being. Noxious stimuli such as piercing pain from a sharp object, heat from an open flame, or contact with corrosive chemicals are first detected by sensory receptors, called nociceptors, located on nerve endings. Nociceptors express ion channels that convert noxious stimuli into electrical signals. When these signals reach the brain via sensory neurons, they are perceived as pain. Thus, pain helps the...
Pain01:20

Pain

Pain serves as a critical warning signal that alerts the body to potential or actual harm. When mechanical pressure on the skin is intense, such as from a sharp pinch, the sensation transitions from touch to pain. Similarly, extreme temperatures, like a hot pot handle, convert the sensation of heat into pain. Pain can also result from overstimulation of other senses, such as blinding light, loud noise, or the intense heat from habañero peppers. This ability to sense pain is essential for...
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System01:11

Sensory Perception: Organization of the Somatosensory System

The somatosensory system is the central and peripheral nervous system component that senses and processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature, and body position or proprioception. The process of sensation takes place at three levels:
The receptor level:
The receptor level is the first stage of sensation. It involves the detection of a stimulus by specialized sensory receptors. The stimulus must arrive within the receptor's receptive field. Next, the receptor converts the energy of the stimulus...