Perspectives on neuroinflammation contributing to chronic cough

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Chronic cough is a significant clinical challenge.
• Current understanding links chronic cough to heightened neural pathway activity and sensitivity, akin to chronic pain.
• The precise mechanisms driving neural alterations and sensitization in chronic cough remain unclear, despite the suspected role of inflammation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential role of neuroinflammation, specifically glial cell involvement, in the pathogenesis of chronic cough.
• To draw parallels between the mechanisms of chronic pain and chronic cough.
• To propose glial cells as a novel therapeutic target for chronic cough.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing scientific literature on chronic cough, chronic pain, and neuroinflammation.
• Examination of the known functions of peripheral and central glial cells in pain pathways.
• Hypothesizing the involvement of glial cells in chronic cough based on shared pathogenetic mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests neuroinflammation, orchestrated by glial cells, may contribute to chronic cough.
• Glial cells play a well-established role in the development and maintenance of chronic pain.
• Significant commonalities exist between the pathogenesis and clinical presentation of chronic pain and chronic cough.

Conclusions:

• Glial cells are implicated in the neuroinflammatory processes underlying chronic cough.
• The shared mechanisms between chronic pain and cough suggest neuroinflammatory pathways are critical.
• Targeting glial cells represents a promising, yet underappreciated, therapeutic strategy for managing chronic cough.