Listening and talking to neurons: implications of immune activation for pain

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Brain Res Rev. 2007 Nov;56(1):148-69.

" Listening " and " talking " to neurons: implications of immune

activation for pain control and increasing the efficacy of opioids.

Watkins LR, Hutchinson MR, Milligan ED, Maier SF.

Department of Psychology and Center for Neuroscience, University of

Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, USA.

It is recently become clear that activated immune cells and immune-

like glial cells can dramatically alter neuronal function. By

increasing neuronal excitability, these non-neuronal cells are now

implicated in the creation and maintenance of pathological pain, such

as occurs in response to peripheral nerve injury. Such effects are

exerted at multiple sites along the pain pathway, including at

peripheral nerves, dorsal root ganglia, and spinal cord. In addition,

activated glial cells are now recognized as disrupting the pain

suppressive effects of opioid drugs and contributing to opioid

tolerance and opioid dependence/withdrawal. While this review focuses

on regulation of pain and opioid actions, such immune-neuronal

interactions are broad in their implications. Such changes in

neuronal function would be expected to occur wherever immune-derived

substances come in close contact with neurons.