Future painkillers may take on different kinds of pain

Pain-sensing nerves seem to work in more specific ways than previously thought, according to research from University College London. The discovery could lead to the development of treatments that tackle more precise types of pain.

The study

Pain-sensing neurons in mice were genetically marked to give off a fluorescent glow when activated. The animals were then exposed to a small pinch, hot water or cold water stimulus on one of their paws to see which neurons were activated. Over 85% of pain-sensing neurons were specific to one type of pain and did not react to others.

While most of the neurons were specific to one type of pain, the scientists believe they can become universal pain sensors when the tissue is damaged, which is why this discovery was not made when more invasive approaches have been used.

It is hoped that the findings could make it possible for scientists to develop new painkillers that target different pain conditions specifically.

The implications

“We hope to identify the different neurons through which chronic pain can develop, so that focused treatments can be developed,” comments senior author, Prof John Wood. “We use ‘chronic pain’ to describe all sorts of pain conditions with different causes, but we now need to differentiate them so that we can develop new specific treatments.”

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