Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Subcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Field Stimulation for Refractory Facial Pain
09:35

Subcutaneous Trigeminal Nerve Field Stimulation for Refractory Facial Pain

Published on: May 10, 2017

Selectively targeting pain in the trigeminal system

Hyun Yeong Kim1, Kihwan Kim, Hai Ying Li

  • 1National Research Laboratory for Pain, Dental Research Institute and Department of Physiology School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 110-749, Republic of Korea Department of Physiology School of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea Department of Oral Physiology and Neurobiology School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 700-412, Republic of Korea Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea Department of Neuroscience and Oral Physiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Osaka 565-0871, Japan Neural Plasticity Research Group, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Pain
|March 19, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Researchers found that combining QX-314 with capsaicin selectively blocks pain signals in orofacial nerves. This targeted approach offers potential for treating dental and facial pain by inhibiting pain transmission without affecting motor function.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Pain Research

Background:

  • Pain signaling in the orofacial region relies on nociceptors.
  • Selective blockade of pain signals without affecting other functions is a therapeutic goal.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the selective blockade of orofacial pain signals using QX-314 delivered via TRPV1 channels.
  • To assess the effects of co-applied QX-314 and capsaicin on trigeminal system functions.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized rats to examine the effects of QX-314 and capsaicin on trigeminal ganglion neurons.
  • Measured voltage-gated sodium channel currents (I(Na)) and action potentials (APs).
  • Assessed the jaw-opening reflex and orofacial analgesia.

Main Results:

  • Co-application of QX-314 and capsaicin blocked I(Na) and APs in TRPV1-positive neurons but not TRPV1-negative neurons.
  • TRPV1 expression was absent in trigeminal motor and mesencephalic neurons.
  • The treatment inhibited the jaw-opening reflex and produced long-lasting orofacial analgesia.

Conclusions:

  • Selective pain signal blockade in the orofacial area is achievable by co-applying QX-314 with TRPV1 agonists.
  • This method demonstrates potential for treating dental and facial pain by targeting specific neuronal pathways.

More Related Videos

Chronic Constriction Injury of the Distal Infraorbital Nerve (DIoN-CCI) in Mice to Study Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain05:38

Chronic Constriction Injury of the Distal Infraorbital Nerve (DIoN-CCI) in Mice to Study Trigeminal Neuropathic Pain

Published on: March 8, 2024

Assessment of Nerve Injury-Induced Mechanical Hypersensitivity in Rats Using an Orofacial Operant Pain Assay07:39

Assessment of Nerve Injury-Induced Mechanical Hypersensitivity in Rats Using an Orofacial Operant Pain Assay

Published on: July 26, 2022

Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
Thermosensation01:43

Thermosensation

Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...