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10:37
Development of Recombinant Proteins to Treat Chronic Pain
Published on: April 11, 2018
Neuro-genetics of persistent pain
1Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, Nuffield Division of Anaesthetics, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DU, England, UK. michael.lee@ndcn.ox.ac.uk
Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|December 12, 2012
Summary
Chronic pain arises from complex gene-environment interactions influencing nociception and pain perception. Brain neuroimaging may identify genetic links for developing new chronic pain treatments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Pain Research
Background:
- Pain is a complex brain-based consciousness, often stemming from nociception (nerve activation).
- Persistent pain involves significant suffering and is influenced by gene-environment interactions.
- Chronic pain susceptibility is not solely due to injury but involves complex genetic and environmental factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review neuroimaging studies linking brain activity in pain to genetic factors.
- To explore the potential of neuroimaging endophenotypes for chronic pain treatment development.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing neuroimaging studies on pain and genetics.
- Systems-level analysis of brain activity related to nociception and pain consciousness.
- Examination of genetic variation penetrance in relation to pain phenotypes.
Main Results:
- Few neuroimaging studies have successfully connected brain activity during pain to specific genes.
- Brain neuroimaging can define and measure biological bases of chronic pain at a systems level.
- Genetic variation may have higher penetrance in neuroimaging-defined pain endophenotypes.
Conclusions:
- Neuroimaging offers a promising approach to understand the biological underpinnings of chronic pain.
- Identifying genetic influences on pain through neuroimaging could facilitate targeted therapeutic strategies.
- Neuroimaging endophenotypes may serve as valuable biomarkers for developing novel chronic pain treatments.
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