Mol Pain
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Naltrexone during pain conditioning: A double-blind placebo-controlled experimental trial.
Naltrexone reversibly blocks the effects of opioids and has been shown to decrease placebo analgesia. However, it is not clear (1) to what extent naltrexone affects pain modulation in a nontreatment context, for example, in response to pain cues or (2) how naltrexone given prior to pain-cue learning shapes pain responses. In a double-blind procedure prior to pain-cue conditioning, 30 healthy participants were randomized to receive an oral dose of naltrexone (50 mg) or inert pill. ⋯ Here, we demonstrate comparable learning of pain responses in participants treated with naltrexone or inert pill. The results point to the possibility that associative learning, and conditional responding to pain cues, is not dependent on endogenous opioids. Our results, using pain-cue conditioning to create reduced pain responses, contrast previous studies where opioid antagonists significantly reduced the placebo effect in treatment of pain.
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Trigeminal neuralgia is a common neuropathic pain in the head and face. The pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia is complex, and so far, the pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia involving peripheral and central nervous inflammation theory has not been explained clearly. The loss of dopamine neurons in striatum may play an important role in the development of trigeminal nerve, but the reason is not clear. ⋯ When treated with imatinib mesylate (STI571), a specific c-Abl family kinase inhibitor, the p38 expression was decreased and the loss of dopaminergic neurons was reduced. The mechanical pain threshold of rats was also improved. In conclusion, c-abl-p38 signaling pathway may play an important role in the pathogenesis of trigeminal neuralgia, and it is one of the potential targets for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.
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HIV-associated neuropathic pain (HNP) is a common complication for AIDS patients. The pathological mechanism governing HNP has not been elucidated, and HNP has no effective analgesic treatment. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a member of the neurotrophic factor family related to the plasticity of the central nervous system. ⋯ BDNF immunoreactivity was colocalized with spinal microglial cells, which were activated in HNP mice. Inhibition of spinal microglial cell activation by minocycline relieved mechanical allodynia in HNP mice. This study helped to elucidate the role of the Wing-Int/β-catenin/BDNF signaling axis in HNP and may establish a foundation for further research investigating the Wing-Int/β-catenin/BDNF signaling axis as a target for HNP treatment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Oxytocin and positive couple interaction affect the perception of wound pain in everyday life.