Addressing the Usage of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation as a Treatment Option for Neuropathic Pain
Addressing the Usage of Peripheral Nerve Stimulation as a Treatment Option for Neuropathic Pain
Nonionotropic NMDA receptor activity enables reversal of pathological pain in mice
Current treatments for chronic pain tend to conceal and dampen nociceptive processing rather than target its root causes.
Non-pharmacological Skill-Based Invention as an Alternative to Reduce Opioid Use in Chronic Pain
Opioids are often used to treat non-malignant pain. However, it has been suggested that opioids are not any more effective than non-opioid treatments and could potentially be harmful in the short- and long-term.
Assessing the potential use of chairside ultrasonography in diagnosing masticatory myofascial pain syndrome
Masticatory myofascial pain syndrome is characterized by localized musculoskeletal pain in orofacial muscles such as the masseter and temporalis. In this pain syndrome, hyper-irritated nodules referred to as myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) cause local pain and mimic odontogenic pain when palpated.
The impact of cannabis industry sponsorship on the research process
The “funding effect” is an empirically biased effect in which industry-funded research is more likely to produce favourable results and conclusions that benefit industry sponsors. The underlying mechanisms that encourage the funding effect may include publication bias and selective methodology/experimental design.
Neurons in the somatosensory cortex encode multiple features of vibrotactile signals using firing frequency
To assess how pyramidal neurons encode features of vibrotactile sensations delivered by primary afferents, UTCSP member Dr. Steven Prescott and colleagues created computational simulations and performed electrophysiological recordings on slices of these neurons in S1 to explore individual and population-level coding.
In vivo construction of the central amygdala and trigeminal motor nucleus white matter pathway in humans using 7T and 3T Diffusion Weighted Imaging
The mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve controls muscles of mastication through an area of the pontine brainstem called the trigeminal motor nucleus (5M). In rodents, 5M motor neurons have been shown to be involved in various circuits that contribute to jaw functions. Mapping these circuits in humans has been challenging because of the complex structure of the brainstem, the prevalence of crossing fibers, and the need for high-resolution technology to unravel these circuits.
Impairments in the temporal organization of neural activity in patients with neuropathic pain
Treating neuropathic pain, often characterized by intense shooting, stabbing, or burning pain, is a major healthcare challenge. It is thought that the dynamic organization of neural networks is affected in patients with chronic pain.
Brain-age gaps as a biomarker for pain treatment in certain pain conditions
Chronic pain can impact many different parts of the body, leading to serious structural and functional effects on the nervous system. Chronic pain and its burden on the brain becomes more prevalent in older adults. In addition, grey and white matter reorganization in the brain is thought to be accelerated in those with chronic pain.