Re: Dee's email to neuropathic pain/slides

[Guest guest]

Dee, you are awesome! Thank you. Maybe this is another thing I should

try.

Love,

>

> HI nne, so glad to hear the Ativan helped so fast for you.

> Maybe this will help explain how the benzodiazepine, Ativan, works.

> (on the gaba receptors like Gabapentin)

>

> Dee

> =================================

>

> Scientists Identify Mechanism for Chronic Pain Relief

> Posted by admin in January 27th 2008

> 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.ht\

ml

>