Scientists Identify Mechanism for Chronic Pain Relief - Mace

[Guest guest]

, I just did a search on the homepage on "Gaba Receptors" - is this what you meant? ChelleScientists Identify

Mechanism for Chronic Pain Relief

Posted by admin in January 27th

2008 & nbsp;

Pain

Therapy Tags: Benzodiazepines, Brain Receptors, Nerve

Cells, Pain Therapy, Spinal Cord Pain

Some of the specific receptors located in our skin, joints, and other

internal organs are responsible for sensing the painful stimuli in our bodies.

Receptive signals are relayed by these specialized nerve fibers relay which are

generated at the periphery of the brain. Here the pain turns in to conscious

stage. Hanns Ulrich Zeilhofer, Professor at the ‘Institute of Pharmaceutical

Sciences’ at ETH Zurich, and at the ‘Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology’

of the ‘University of Zurich’ The spinal cord is placed at such a position that works as a pain filter. It

assures that the pain is not felt just by feeble stimuli like touching. The

‘inhibitory nerve cells’ that are located in the spinal dorsal horn perform

this function. The spinal dorsal horn releases the’ molecule-amino butyric acid

(GABA)’at the points of contacts between the specialized nerve cells. It is

also called the “synapses”.GABA subsequently causes activation

in the chloride channels over these cells and these nerve cells then start

relaying the ‘pain signals’ to the brain. This inhibiting action of GABA gets substantially suppressed in case of the

presence of a chronic inflammatory disease like the ‘rheumatoid arthritis’ or

the stage of nerve damage by any type of injury. In such a situation the brain

starts receiving unfiltered pain signals. Benzodiazepine like valium, the sedative drug, stimulates the activity of

GABA and helps in reducing the acute pain. It acts when the drug is

supplemented directly in to the spinal cord with an injection in to the spinal

canal. However such treatment is very much specific. Benzodiazepines are generally prescribed and administered systemically in

tablet form. It makes an impact in the spinal cord and also in the brain and

could cause some adverse effects for the patients. The drugs cause sedation,

impair memory, and can even lead to addiction. It has also been observed that

the prolonged use of this drug develops immunity with time. Scientists

therefore generally advise to avoid this medication in chronic pain conditions. Although the importance of GABA as a potential function has long been known

in the pain control but the study made by Ulritch Zeilhofer has researched out

that there are four different sub-types of GABA on which the benzodiazepines

act. These receptors though known, but were almost neglected till recently as a

potential targets for pain treatments. Ulritch Zeilhofer’s research team could identify two distinct sub-types of

GABAA receptors that play a role of mediator in the spinal pain control.

Results of various experiments conducted revealed that “the pharmacological

enhancement of spinal GABA receptor function inhibits the relay of pain signals

to the brain”. Researchers feel that designing a drug that specifically address the two

sub-types of GABAA receptors will be a big leap in the pain therapy. If this

happens in near future then it will be possible to treat chronic pain with

minimum or no side effects. “The challenge is now for pharmaceutical companies

to develop drugs that specifically target these receptors in humans”, says

Ulritch Zeilhofer. SOURCE: http://www.healthpm.com/scientists-identify-mechanism-for-chronic-pain-relief.html

[Guest guest]

Yes, that's perfect! Thank you so much, Chelle! It's the next thing

I'm going to try.

>

>

> , I just did a search on the homepage on " Gaba Receptors " - is

this what you meant?

> Chelle

>

> Scientists Identify

> Mechanism for Chronic Pain Relief

>

> Posted by admin in January 27th

> 2008

>

>