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Mechanisms of craniofacial pain
Juliana Geremias Chichorro1, Frank Porreca2, Barry Sessle3,4
11 Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Parana - UFPR Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Curitiba, PR, Brasil.
Cephalalgia : an International Journal of Headache
|April 26, 2017
Summary
Understanding craniofacial pain mechanisms is key. Peripheral and central adaptations in the trigeminal system can lead to chronic pain states like migraine and temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
- Craniofacial Biology
Background:
- Craniofacial pain is common, affecting teeth, jaw, and head muscles.
- Chronic conditions like migraine and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) present significant clinical challenges.
- Acute pain is manageable, but chronic craniofacial pain requires deeper understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To overview mechanisms of craniofacial pain.
- To highlight adaptations promoting pain chronification in conditions like migraine and TMD.
- To synthesize current knowledge on trigeminal system pain processing.
Main Methods:
- Review of preclinical and clinical investigations.
- Analysis of anatomical and physiological mechanisms of nociception.
- Examination of central and peripheral adaptations in chronic pain states.
Main Results:
- Preclinical studies illuminate trigeminal nociceptive signal initiation and modulation.
- Chronic pain involves changes in brain afferent inputs, structure, and modulatory pathways.
- These changes amplify nociception, sustaining craniofacial chronic pain.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced understanding of trigeminal nociception offers new perspectives on acute and chronic craniofacial pain.
- Identified peripheral and central adaptations are crucial for pain chronification.
- This knowledge can improve current treatments and guide novel analgesic therapy development.
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