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“Papers of the Week” – Postponed Until 3 February 2023

We want to inform our valued readers that the 21 January-27 January 2023 edition of “Papers of the Week” has been postponed until 3 February 2023.

by PRF Team on 27 Jan 2023

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Pain Research Forum is currently reconfiguring its backend to address particular “Papers of the Week” functionalities. We apologize for the inconvenience and will be sure to publish a double…

Research

Pragmatic Trials versus Randomized Controlled Trials

A session at the 2022 North American Pain School raised the important question of whether real-world data can replace randomized controlled trials.

By Don Daniel Ocay on 20 Jan 2023

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Editor’s note: The North American Pain School (NAPS) took place 19-24 June 2022, in Montebello, Québec City, Canada.

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Amazing Images of the Nervous System Receive Awards from Nikon

Seven images from four different countries depicting three separate species were recognized in Nikon’s 2022 Photomicrography Competition.

by PRF Team on 6 Jan 2023

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Each year since 1975, Nikon’s Small World has celebrated images captured by light microscope. In their 2022 Photomicrography Competition, seven images representing the dynamism of the nervous system across…

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The Most Popular Content of PRF in 2022

PRF readers found an opinion on the term "central sensitization," a paper exploring how neutrophil activation protects against chronic pain development, and neuropathic pain seminars the most engaging in 2022.

by PRF Team on 21 Dec 2022

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The year 2022 saw many of us finally reconnecting in person once again, highlighted by the IASP 2022 World Congress on Pain! While we all continue to adapt to…

Drug Development

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From Macrophages with Love: How Mitochondria Transfer to Nociceptors Resolves Inflammatory Pain

New animal model data show that resolution of inflammatory pain is an active process driven by macrophages donating healthy mitochondria to dorsal root ganglia neurons.

By Fred Schwaller on 17 Oct 2022

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It’s been assumed for decades that inflammatory pain passively resolves itself once inflammation fades away. Anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen or aspirin, work on this principle – helping to reduce…

Research

The North American Pain School Debates: Controversies in Pain Research

From animal models in research to potential opioid bans, controversies in pain research took center stage during the 2022 NAPS debates.

By Jessica Archibald on 14 Oct 2022

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Editor’s note: The North American Pain School (NAPS) took place 19-24 June 2022 in Montebello, Québec City, Canada.

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Psychedelics: A Notable Absence in Chronic Pain Management?

Psychedelics have experienced an increase in research interest, particularly in mental health, during the past decade. Despite promising results on the positive impact of psychedelics for chronic pain management, research in this context has been slow.

By Catherine Paré on 30 Sep 2022

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The chronic pain crisis in North America persists and continues to be exacerbated by the opioid epidemic. As such, there is a great need for new and efficacious treatments…

Research

Central Sensitization and the Curse of Ambiguous Terminology: An Opinion

Terminology in scientific research matters. Especially, when we collectively misuse a term like “central sensitization” when disseminating our findings.

By Laura Sirucek on 16 Sep 2022

Terminology matters. More astutely, precise terminology matters. In research, it's essential to define precise research questions, to precisely describe the methods used in a study, and to disseminate scientific…

Research

Introducing the 5th Cycle of IASP-PRF Virtual Correspondents

The newest IASP-PRF Virtual Correspondents are excited to provide coverage of the IASP 2022 World Congress on Pain for our readers.

by PRF Team on 15 Sep 2022

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The IASP-PRF Virtual Correspondents Program is a unique scientific communication training program that provides early-career pain investigators with the knowledge, skills, and best practices needed to communicate science effectively…

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Placebo: It’s All in Your Head … and Expectations, and Mood, and Previous Drugs, and Dogs on Television

A session at the 2022 North American Pain School discussed controversies involving the mechanisms, research, and ethics of placebos.

By Joseph Lesnak on 2 Sep 2022

Comment

Editor’s note: The North American Pain School (NAPS) took place 19-24 June 2022 in Montebello, Québec City, Canada.

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Chronic Pain Consultation: Behind the Scenes

A workshop at the 2022 North American Pain School explored the importance of relationship building during patient-doctor consultations.

By Danielle Perro on 1 Sep 2022

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Editor’s note: The North American Pain School (NAPS) took place 19-24 June 2022 in Montebello, Québec City, Canada.

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Why Does Sex Matter in Pain Research?

A session at the 2022 North American Pain School presented strong evidence for why we should consider sex as a biological variable in pain research and, for that matter, in all biomedical related research.

By Jessica Archibald on 24 Aug 2022

Comment

Editor’s note: The North American Pain School (NAPS) took place 19-24 June 2022, in Montebello, Québec City, Canada.

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The Last of the “Unplucked” Gems: Targeting Nav1.7 for Chronic Pain

A session at the 2022 North American Pain School discussed how alternatively targeting Nav1.7, a voltage-gated sodium ion channel, may provide a new avenue for pain relief.

by Feni Kadakia on 12 Aug 2022

Comment

Editor’s note: The North American Pain School (NAPS) took place 19-24 June 2022, in Montebello, Québec City, Canada.

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Sex Differences in the Contextual Control of Conditioned Pain Tolerance

Recent work suggests context contributes to pain perception when experiencing or anticipating pain, and endogenous opioid systems are involved in a sex-specific manner.

by Lincoln Tracy on 5 Aug 2022

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The exact process underlying the transition from acute to chronic pain is unknown, but the persistence or strengthening of acute pain memories has been hypothesized to contribute to the…

Research

IASP-PRF Virtual Correspondents Program

The call for applications for the fifth cycle of the IASP-PRF Virtual Correspondents Program

by PRF Team on 3 Aug 2022

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Editor's update: The call for applications for this fifth cycle of the IASP-PRF Virtual Correspondents Program has now closed. We thank everyone who applied for the program and plan…

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All That Glitters Is Gold: Can Gold Treat Osteoarthritis Pain?

Injecting gold microparticles into the knee joint of osteoarthritis patients may reduce inflammation and provide pain relief.

by Lincoln Tracy on 21 Jul 2022

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The use of gold and gold-containing compounds in medicine can be traced back thousands of years in certain cultures. Gold salts have previously been shown to reduce pain, swelling,…

Research

Are We One Step Closer to Precision Pain Medicine?

New single-cell transcriptomics analysis of human DRG neurons opens doors for pain medicine and research.

by Fred Schwaller on 15 Jul 2022

Comment

How many potential analgesic drug targets identified in animal research have failed to reach clinical use? It’s an answer that’s hard to estimate, but the problem of mistranslation of…

Research

A New Neuromodulatory Device That Blocks Chronic Pain at the Source

Ultra low frequency nerve stimulation effectively blocks nerve conduction, causing a remarkable reduction in chronic pain in patients with low back pain.

by Fred Schwaller on 31 May 2022

Comment

Editor’s note: Stephen McMahon, PhD FMedSci (1954-2021), was a world-class researcher, lecturer, and inspiration to many. “Mac” worked relentlessly, and his last electrophysiology paper, presented within this news article,…

Research

Neutrophils Put the Brakes on Acute Pain Becoming Chronic

Neutrophils help prevent the transition from acute to chronic pain after injury. Dampening their activity with anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen or diclofenac, can prolong pain duration.

by Fred Schwaller on 25 May 2022

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In the last few weeks, several news outlets like The New York Times and The Guardian have published provocative stories warning their readers that taking analgesics, like ibuprofen, can…

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How Does Dopamine in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Impact Chronic Pain?

The anterior cingulate cortex drives top-down pain control via dopaminergic modulation of a subset of pyramidal cells.

by Charlie Kwok on 19 May 2022

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Activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a region of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), has been reported to be involved in pain processing both in human and animal…

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The Unlikely Increase of Dopaminergic Signaling in Depression Associated With Chronic Pain

Recent work suggests that the Sp5C-LPBN-VTA pathway is activated during chronic neuropathic pain and results in the increased firing of VTA dopaminergic neurons, leading to depression-like behavior.

By Courtney Bannerman on 4 May 2022

Comment

Clinicians have observed the coexistence of chronic pain and depression for many years, and the two can often respond similarly to drug treatments. As in pain research, many papers…

Research

Chilean Collaboration Aims to Find New Targets for the Treatment of Pain

A newly established pain consortium aims to investigate the cellular and molecular basis of pain.

by Lincoln Tracy on 31 Mar 2022

Comment

Chronic pain, typically defined as pain lasting more than three months, is a public health issue that impacts the lives of millions of people across the world. It is…

Research

Cytokine Signaling Comes to the Fore in Inflammatory Itch Disease

New evidence shows that the cytokine oncostatin M (OSM) potentiates itch signaling in neurons and is a key mediator of inflammatory itch disease in humans. Blocking OSM signaling could be an exciting new treatment for chronic itch.

by Fred Schwaller on 24 Feb 2022

Comment

In the classically aloof terminology of his time, 17th-century German physician Samuel Hafenreffer described pruritis, or itch, as an “unpleasant sensation that elicits the desire or reflex to scratch.”…

Research

Have Some Sympathy for Spontaneous Pain

Old ideas combine with new techniques to show that ectopic DRG neuron activity is a key source of spontaneous pain after nerve injury, and sympathetic sprouting into the DRG amplifies this source.

by Fred Schwaller on 28 Jan 2022

Comment

Spontaneous pain is notoriously difficult to treat. It can manifest in waves, seemingly at random, and is one of the most disruptive aspects of neuropathic pain conditions. In part,…

Research

Stunning Image of a Dorsal Root Ganglion Receives Honors From Nikon and Nature

The image, captured by Paula Diaz using fluorescence microscopy, was recognized as one of the best science images of 2021.

by PRF Team on 11 Jan 2022

Comment

Each year since 1975, Nikon’s Small World has celebrated images captured by the light microscope. In their 2021 Photomicrography Competition, Nikon awarded fourth place to Paula Diaz, a PhD…

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How Does Pain Lead to a Decrease in Brain Dopamine Levels?

Incoming pain signals from the spinal cord reach the lateral parabrachial nucleus in the brainstem, and a subpopulation of its projection neurons acts to inhibit dopamine release from neurons in the midbrain.

by Charlie Kwok on 7 Jan 2022

Comment

In addition to reward and motivational processing, dopamine (DA) dysfunction is also associated with many chronic pain conditions.

Research

The Most Popular Content of PRF in 2021

A news story on the sex-specific differences in a pain mechanism, a paper exploring how spinal macrophages suppress pain hypersensitivity, and a seminar about a neurocultural model of pain led the pack.

by PRF Team on 23 Dec 2021

Comment

The year 2021 required pain researchers to continue to adapt to the myriad of challenges presented by the ongoing pandemic. Through the increased utilization of hybrid approaches, interdisciplinary collaboration,…

Drug Development

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STING Immunotherapy: A Complementary Approach to Treating Bone Cancer Pain

Two studies indicate that activation of the pattern recognition receptor STING not only reduces bone tumor growth, but also reduces pain through complementary mechanisms

by Erika Harding on 17 Dec 2021

Comment

Cancer is a leading cause of death in North America, and extracts a highly damaging personal and economic toll on those who suffer from it. Many common cancers, including…

Research

Nonpeptidergic Neurons Work to Suppress Mast Cells in the Skin

This study identified a communication network among Langerhans cells, MrgprD-expressing neurons, and mast cells, and how this communication works to maintain skin homeostasis.

by Courtney Bannerman on 3 Dec 2021

Comment

Research published in Cell on April 15, 2021, found that a specific subset of neurons, MrgprD-expressing neurons, suppress mast cell hyperresponsiveness in the skin and work to maintain skin…

Research

Sex-Specific Differences in Pain Mechanism

Female-specific mechanical pain is driven through macrophage-neuron crosstalk and the IL-23/IL-17A/TRPV1 axis.

by Francie Moehring on 12 Nov 2021

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A plethora of epidemiological studies demonstrate that chronic pain conditions are more common in women than in men. Women are also at a greater risk for developing common chronic…

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What Do Patients Want to Know About Pain?

A novel mixed-methods study shows that patients value learning that pain does not equal damage, that there are multifactorial influences on pain, and that pain is a heightened protective response that can be changed.

by Kai Karos on 15 Oct 2021

Comment

Pain education is an integral part of interventions to alleviate pain, with the goal of helping people with pain reconceptualize what pain actually is. Several campaigns such as Pain…

Research

Dose Tapering in Patients Prescribed Long-Term Opioids: More Harm Than Good?

A new retrospective cohort study reveals an increased risk of overdose and mental health crises among taperers.

by Lincoln Tracy on 8 Oct 2021

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Opioids are a complex and controversial topic in the pain field. Debate surrounding use of these drugs has intensified over the last decade because of increases in opioid-related morbidity…

Research

The Pain Research Forum Welcomes Gregory Carbonetti and Thanks Neil Andrews for His Outstanding Service

After leading PRF for nearly a decade, Neil Andrews pursues new projects while Gregory Carbonetti assumes the role of PRF senior manager.

by PRF Team on 7 Oct 2021

Since joining PRF in February 2012, Neil Andrews has devoted himself to the development and continued excellence of the Pain Research Forum. PRF, which began as a joint project…

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David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian Awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Both researchers were appointed as Nobel Prize laureates for their discoveries of key mechanisms responsible for sensing temperature and touch.

by Gregory Carbonetti on 5 Oct 2021

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On October 4, 2021, the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet jointly awarded David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their independent discoveries of…

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Antibodies From Patients Cause Fibromyalgia Symptoms in Mice

IgG antibodies from fibromyalgia patients activate satellite glial cells to drive nociceptive hypersensitivity in mice.

by Francie Moehring on 1 Oct 2021

Comment

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is one of the most common chronic pain conditions, and yet the underlying mechanisms driving it have remained elusive. Previous work has started to build a…

Research

You Feel What You Eat: ω-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Drive Painful Neuropathy in Mice

A similar mechanism may be at play in people with diabetic neuropathy, suggesting the translational potential of the new findings.

by Fred Schwaller on 20 Sep 2021

Comment

In The Physiology of Taste, a classic first published in 1825, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote: “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.”

Research

Nociceptors Regulate the Innate and Adaptive Immune Response to Viral Infection

Sensory neurons play a role in the immune response to HSV-1 infection through effects on T cells.

by Larissa de Clauser on 14 Sep 2021

Comment

Researchers know that infectious agents can lead to pain either through direct or indirect activation of nociceptors. Nociceptors then release neuropeptides from their peripheral terminals, which in turn can…

Research

The Vitamin D-Opioid Addiction Link

A new translational study reveals a correlation between opioid use and vitamin D deficiency in humans; mouse models suggest that restoring vitamin D signaling can normalize responses to opioids and improve opioid addiction.

by Charlie Kwok on 7 Sep 2021

Comment

Millions of people continue to misuse opioids each year, pointing to the need for an improved understanding of the determinants of these painkillers' detrimental effects. A recent study now…

Research

Substituting Cannabidiol for Pain Medications: An Experiment Well Underway in Fibromyalgia Patients

A new survey study shows that people living with fibromyalgia are already substituting CBD for opioids and other pain drugs, despite what the clinical trial evidence says.

by Kayt Sukel on 30 Aug 2021

Comment

Fibromyalgia is a common condition characterized by widespread pain and accompanying symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and cognitive issues. The few medications available to treat fibromyalgia, including the antidepressants…

Drug Development

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The Naked Mole-Rat: A Curious Creature With Many Lessons for Pain Researchers

A recent IASP Pain Research Forum virtual seminar delved into capsaicin and acid insensitivity in these unusual animals.

by Francisco Isaac Fernandes Gomes on 11 Aug 2021

Of all the rodents used for pain research, the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) certainly stands out. This African animal, which can live for over 30 years and is resistant…

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Thinking Outside of the Box When Communicating About Pain

A session at the 2021 Australian Pain Society annual meeting highlighted the importance of effective science communication – and how to do it.

by Lincoln Tracy on 10 Aug 2021

Comment

Editor’s note: The 2021 Australian Pain Society 41st Annual Scientific Meeting was held virtually April 19-20. This report summarizes a session at the meeting that argued for outside-of-the-box thinking…

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Sinking the Inflammarafts in Spinal Microglia Calms the Storm of Neuropathic Pain

Depletion of cholesterol from TLR4-containing lipid rafts in spinal microglia reverses chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice.

by Fred Schwaller on 10 Aug 2021

Comment

Pain researchers are well aware that microglia play a critical role in pain sensitization after nerve injury. Known as the immune cells of the central nervous system, microglia drive…

Drug Development

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Responding Empathetically to Patient Distress

A recent IASP Pain Research Forum virtual seminar got to the heart of understanding and responding to patient distress during conversations about pain and pain management.

by Aidan Cashin on 3 Aug 2021

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People seeking treatment for pain are often emotionally distressed. It is important that clinicians recognize and respond appropriately to this distress that can shape patients’ experiences and expectations of…

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An Objective Measure of Itch

A new wireless sensor measures scratching while patients sleep.

by Kayt Sukel on 6 Jul 2021

Comment

A wide variety of medical conditions can lead to itchy skin. One of those conditions, atopic dermatitis (eczema), affects 10 million children in the US alone. Yet itch is…

Research

Octopuses Have Affective Pain Experience

Behavioral and electrophysiological findings support a complex picture of pain in invertebrates.

by Sarah D'Angelo on 1 Jul 2021

Comment

While it is generally recognized that invertebrates experience the nociceptive aspects of pain, in the form of reflexive responses to noxious stimuli, there has been much debate about whether…

Research

TRP Channels and Mechanical Pain: Starring TRPC5!

A new study uses a battery of pain models in mice to implicate TRPC5 in inflammatory mechanical and spontaneous pain; results from human tissue suggest translational potential.

by Neil Andrews on 22 Jun 2021

When pain researchers think about ion channels and mechanical pain, which specific channels first come to mind? PIEZO2 may sit near the top of the list for many investigators,…

Research

Painful Cold Sensing in Teeth: A New Role for a TRP Channel in a Well-Known Tooth Cell

New research proposes that the odontoblast, via TRPC5, serves as a primary sensory cell responsible for tooth cold pain.

by Neil Andrews on 22 Jun 2021

Comment

Which cells are responsible for painful cold sensing in teeth – the sensation that can accompany eating ice cream, drinking iced tea, or having an infected tooth? And which…

Research

Submit Your Abstract Proposal: Data Blitz Webinar Series for IASP’s Neuropathic Pain Special Interest Group -- Deadline 1 July

Be sure to submit your abstract via IASP's online submission system by July 1.

by PRF Team on 15 Jun 2021

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SUBMIT NOW IASP and Pain Research Forum invite IASP members and nonmembers to submit an abstract for the Data Blitz. A Data Blitz is:A series of five-minute talks covering an area of…

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Pain Ligand-Receptor “Interactome” Revealed

Computational tool built from existing RNA sequencing dataset to advance translational pain studies.

by Stephani Sutherland on 24 May 2021

Comment

Nociceptive sensory neurons innervate all the tissues of the body. Pain researchers have identified hundreds of receptors in such neurons over the past several decades, and these receptors are…

Drug Development

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IASP Pain Research Forum Virtual Correspondents Program

The call for applications for the fourth cycle of the PRF Virtual Correspondents Program is now closed.

by PRF Team on 17 May 2021

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The call for applications for the fourth cycle of the PRF Correspondents program is now closed. About the ProgramThe purpose of the PRF Correspondents program is to provide early-career pain investigators,…

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