Stopping chronic pain before it starts: Surprising biological pathway may play key role
Researchers at UC Irvine have identified a biological pathway in the spinal cord that may trigger chronic pain following an injury. By studying mice, the team discovered that oligodendrocytes malfunction after tissue damage, leading to the production of amyloid proteins similar to those found in Alzheimer's disease.
Why it matters
This discovery could shift the focus of pain management from treating symptoms to preventing the transition from acute injury to lifelong chronic pain.
edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source Peripheral injury disrupts axonal integrity in the spinal cord. Credit: Science Translational Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aea8738 Chronic pain is one of medicine's most stubborn puzzles. A sprained back, a surgical incision or a pinched nerve heals—and yet, for millions of people, the pain never fully goes away. Why some injuries fade into memory while others evolve into a lifelong condition has remained largely a mystery.
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