Nociception in vertebrates: key receptors participating in spinal mechanisms of chronic pain in animals

Abstract

Our view of vertebrate nociceptive processing is ever changing with the discovery of novel molecules that differentially affect sensory responses to noxious and innocuous stimulation and might be involved specifically in chronic pain states. In order to understand the physiology of nociception and design novel analgesics for intractable chronic pain, it is essential to uncover precisely what changes occur between a normal nociceptive processing state and hypersensitive chronic pain states in the spinal cord following different types of injury. An important area of focus for future work in this area will be the cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal plasticity that occur.