Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 27, 2025
07:12
Chronic Post-Ischemia Pain Model for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type-I in Rats
Published on: January 21, 2020
7.8K
The link between epigenetics, pain sensitivity and chronic pain
Rocco Giordano1, Kristian Kjær-Staal Petersen1,2, Lars Arendt-Nielsen1,2,3
1Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), SMI, Department of Health Science and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
Scandinavian Journal of Pain
|September 23, 2022
Summary
Epigenetic modifications influence gene expression and may play a role in the development and persistence of clinical pain. Understanding these epigenetic changes is crucial for pain management.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Gene expression is increasingly linked to clinical pain.
- Epigenetic modifications regulate gene expression in response to stimuli.
- These modifications are implicated in pain development and chronicity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of epigenetic modifications in clinical pain.
- To understand how epigenetic changes affect pain perception and maintenance.
Main Methods:
- Review of preclinical and clinical studies.
- Analysis of gene expression data in pain models.
- Investigation of epigenetic mechanisms in pain pathways.
Main Results:
- Evidence supports a strong association between gene expression patterns and clinical pain.
- Epigenetic mechanisms are key regulators of gene expression relevant to pain.
- Studies indicate epigenetic involvement in the transition from acute to chronic pain.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic modifications are significant contributors to pain development and chronicity.
- Targeting epigenetic pathways may offer novel therapeutic strategies for pain management.
- Further research into epigenetic's role in pain is warranted.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Pain
576
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...
576
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
763
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...
763
01:44Nociception
29.2K
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.
29.2K
01:24Chronic Pancreatitis I: Introduction
139
The pancreas, an elongated and flat gland situated behind the stomach, serves a vital function in digesting food and managing blood sugar levels.
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs when the immune system becomes active and causes swelling, pain, and disruptions in organ function. Pancreatitis can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
Acute pancreatitis arises suddenly and lasts for a brief duration, while chronic pancreatitis is a long-term affliction...
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, which occurs when the immune system becomes active and causes swelling, pain, and disruptions in organ function. Pancreatitis can manifest as either an acute or chronic condition.
Acute pancreatitis arises suddenly and lasts for a brief duration, while chronic pancreatitis is a long-term affliction...
139
01:46Epigenetic Regulation
31.3K
Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
31.3K