Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2025
07:09
The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice
Published on: July 16, 2014
48.3K
Peripheral Neuroinflammation and Pain: How Acute Pain Becomes Chronic
1Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care and the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, California, 94143 USA.
Current Neuropharmacology
|August 10, 2023
Summary
Understanding how acute pain transitions to chronic pain is crucial for developing effective treatments. Signaling pathways in nerve inflammation modify sensory neuron function, leading to persistent pain through ion channel changes and gene expression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Chronic pain affects millions, with significant socioeconomic impact.
- Current treatments are limited by incomplete understanding of pain chronification.
- Peripheral nervous system inflammation plays a key role in developing persistent pain.
Approach:
- This review summarizes critical signaling pathways in neuroinflammation.
- It details how these pathways modify sensory neuronal function long-term.
- Focuses on the roles of nerve growth factor (NGF) and transcription factor Sp4.
Key Points:
- NGF lowers sensory neuron activation thresholds via TRPV1 and TRPA1 ion channel modification.
- NGF also increases TRPV1 expression through Sp4 recruitment.
- Sp4 modulates genes involved in pain transduction, including TRPA1.
Conclusions:
- Acute pain can become persistent through inflammation-induced modifications.
- Repeated cycles of TRP channel changes, Sp4 activity, and mediator production sustain chronic pain.
- This provides a model for understanding and potentially treating chronic pain.
Related Concept Videos
01:44Nociception
28.0K
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.
28.0K
01:25Analgesia and Pain Management
657
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...
657
01:24Chronic Pancreatitis I: Introduction
112
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...
112
01:20Pain
502
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...
502
01:30Inflammatory Response I: Vascular and Cellular
11.3K
The inflammatory response is the body's defense against infection, injury, or irritation from bacteria, trauma, toxins, or heat. Inflammation helps locate and destroy pathogens and remove damaged tissue elements to heal the body. During this initial phase, fluid, blood products, and nutrients migrate to the injured area, resulting in redness, heat, swelling, ache, and loss of function. Moreover, signs of systemic inflammation include fever, increased WBC count, malaise, anorexia, nausea,...
11.3K
01:38Inflammation
53.9K
Overview
53.9K