Scientists discover a brain “brake” that can shut down chronic pain
Researchers at Washington University have identified a specific brain mechanism that acts as a 'brake' on chronic neuropathic pain. By targeting receptors in the locus coeruleus, scientists hope to develop more precise pain treatments that avoid the side effects of traditional opioids.
Why it matters
This could lead to non-addictive, targeted therapies for millions of people suffering from chronic pain caused by nerve damage.
Deep inside the brain, a small group of nerve cells helps control how strongly pain signals are felt. Under normal conditions, this system can suppress pain traveling through the spinal cord. After nerve damage, however, the same circuitry can become overactive and help sustain chronic pain.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have now identified a mechanism that helps explain this switch and may offer a way to reverse it. In mice, they found that receptors on cells in the brain's main alert and stress center can act as biological brakes that restrain pain. These receptors were already known for their role in stress, but the new findings suggest they can also quiet a pain-producing circuit and reduce chronic neuropathic pain caused by nerve injury.
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