Neuronal mechanism for neuropathic pain

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Mol Pain. 2007; 3: 14.

2007 June 6. doi: 10.1186/1744-8069-3-14

Copyright © 2007 Zhuo; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Neuronal mechanism for neuropathic pain

Min Zhuo

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

Centre for the study of Pain, University of Toronto, 1 King's

College Circle, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada

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Abstract:

Among different forms of persistent pain, neuropathic pain presents

as a most difficult task for basic researchers and clinicians.

Despite recent rapid development of neuroscience and modern

techniques related to drug discovery, effective drugs based on clear

basic mechanisms are still lacking. Here, I will review the basic

neuronal mechanisms that maybe involved in neuropathic pain. I will

present the problem of neuropathic pain as a rather difficult task

for neuroscientists, and we may have to wait for a long time before

we fully understand how brain encode, store, and retrieve painful

information after the injury. I propose that neuropathic pain as a

major brain disease, rather being a clinic problem due to peripheral

injury.