Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Electrophysiological Methods to Assess Peripheral Pain Block in an Anesthetized Rat
Published on: November 21, 2025
Contribution of primary afferent channels to neuropathic pain
Andrea M Harriott1, Michael S Gold
1Department of Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Abstract:
Neuropathic pain remains a serious medical problem because of patient morbidity and the absence of effective therapeutic interventions. Recent evidence suggests that this type of pain may be particularly difficult to manage because underlying mechanisms are influenced by a variety of factors, including type of injury, site of injury, and time after injury. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that different mechanisms may contribute to unique aspects of neuropathic pain, including ongoing pain as well as mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity. The different ion channels present in primary afferent neurons implicated in each of these aspects of neuropathic pain are reviewed.
Related Concept Videos
Nociception
Overview of Somatic Sensory Pathways
The somatosensory system is divided into three main pathways: the dorsal (or posterior) column-medial lemniscus, spinothalamic (or anterolateral), and spinocerebellar pathways.
The dorsal...
Pain
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels
Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers
Major Somatic Sensory Pathways
