Open Peer Commentary Controversies in Neuroscience V: Persistent pain
The neural basis of chronic pain, its plasticity and modulation
Misha-Miroslav Backonja a1 a1 Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin-Madison Medical School, Madison, WI 53792-5132
backonja@neurology.wisc.edu
Abstract
Dysfunction or injury of pain-transmitting primary
afferents' central pathways can result in pain. The organism
as a whole responds to such injury and consequently many symptoms
of neuropathic pain develop. The nervous system responds to painful
events and injury with neuroplasticity. Both peripheral sensitization
and central sensitization take place and are mediated by a number
of biochemical factors, including genes and receptors. Correction
of altered receptors activity is the logical way to intervene
therapeutically. [berkley; blumberg et al.; coderre & katz;
dickenson; mcmahon; wiesenfeld-hallin et al.]
