title: Translational investigation and treatment of neuropathic pain.
abstract: Neuropathic pain develops from a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system. Translational investigations of neuropathic pain by using different animal models reveal that peripheral sensitization, spinal and cortical plasticity may play critical roles in neuropathic pain. Furthermore, descending facilitatory or excitatory modulation may also act to enhance chronic pain. Current clinical therapy for neuropathic pain includes the use of pharmacological and nonpharmacological (psychological, physical, and surgical treatment) methods. However, there is substantial need to better medicine for treating neuropathic pain. Future translational researchers and clinicians will greatly facilitate the development of novel drugs for treating chronic pain including neuropathic pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Giannina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Descalzi
authors.forename: Hai-Rong
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhuo
authors.forename: Ying-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics