Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2024 Oct 1;30(5):1381-1396.
doi: 10.1212/CON.0000000000001490.

Central Neuropathic Pain

Charles E Argoff
Review

Central Neuropathic Pain

Charles E Argoff. Continuum (Minneap Minn). .

Abstract

Objective: This article provides an approach to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of central neuropathic pain.

Latest developments: Recent studies of the pathophysiology of central neuropathic pain, including evidence of changes in the expression of voltage-gated sodium channels and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, may provide the basis for new therapies. Other areas of current research include the role of cannabinoid-receptor activity and microglial cell activation in various animal models of central neuropathic pain. New observations regarding changes in primary afferent neuronal activity in central neuropathic pain and the preliminary observation that peripheral nerve blocks may relieve pain due to central neuropathic etiologies provide new insights into both the mechanism and treatment of central neuropathic pain.

Essential points: In the patient populations treated by neurologists, central neuropathic pain develops most frequently following spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, or stroke. A multimodal, individualized approach to the management of central neuropathic pain is necessary to optimize pain relief and may require multiple treatment trials to achieve the best outcome.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Jensen TS, Baron R, Haanpää M, et al. A new definition of neuropathic pain. Pain 2011;152(10):2204–2205. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2011.06.017 - DOI
    1. Widerström-Noga E, Loeser JD, Jensen TS, Finnerup NB. AAPT diagnostic criteria for central neuropathic pain. J Pain 2017;18(12):1417–1426. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2017.06.003 - DOI
    1. Gurba KN, Chaudhry R, Haroutounian S. Central neuropathic pain syndromes: current and emerging pharmacological strategies. CNS Drugs 2022;36(5):483–516. doi:10.1007/s40263-022-00914-4 - DOI
    1. Watson JC, Sandroni P. Central neuropathic pain syndromes. Mayo Clin Proc 2016;91(3):372–385. doi:10.1016/j.mayocp.2016.01.017 - DOI
    1. Waxman SG, Hains BC. Fire and phantoms after spinal cord injury: Na + channels and central pain. Trends Neurosci 2006;29(4):207–215. doi:10.1016/j.tins.2006.02.003 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources