title: Experimental human pain models in gastro-esophageal reflux disease and unexplained chest pain.
abstract: Methods related to experimental human pain research aim at activating different nociceptors, evoke pain from different organs and activate specific pathways and mechanisms. The different possibilities for using mechanical, electrical, thermal and chemical methods in visceral pain research are discussed with emphasis of combinations (e.g., the multimodal approach). The methods have been used widely in assessment of pain mechanisms in the esophagus and have contributed to our understanding of the symptoms reported in these patients. Hence abnormal activation and plastic changes of central pain pathways seem to play a major role in the symptoms in some patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease and in patients with functional chest pain of esophageal origin. These findings may lead to an alternative approach for treatment in patients that does not respond to conventional medical or surgical therapy.
authors.affiliation: Center for Visceral Biomechanics and Pain, Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Aalborg University Hospital, DK-9000 Aalborg, Denmark. drewes@smi.auc.dk
authors.forename: Asbjørn Mohr
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Drewes
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arendt-Nielsen
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Funch-Jensen
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gregersen
mesh_terms: D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004943:Esophagogastric Junction / Q000294:innervation; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D019194:Ischemic Preconditioning; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical