Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Eva Widerstrom-Noga, Kimberly D. Anderson, Linda E. Robayo, Salome Perez, Alberto Martinez-Arizala, Lindsey Calle-Coule, Nicholas P. Cherup, Gabriel E. Fernandez
Summary: Many people with spinal cord injury (SCI) suffer from chronic pain, including neuropathic pain, which is often difficult to treat due to its complex nature. A multimodal approach, involving pharmacological treatments, physical rehabilitation, cognitive training, and pain education, may be the most effective strategy for managing pain in this population. This study developed an educational resource called SeePain, which was evaluated and modified based on stakeholder input, including SCI patients, their loved ones, and healthcare providers. The final resource is a comprehensive guide intended to improve health literacy and enhance communication between SCI patients and their healthcare providers. Future research will validate the effectiveness of SeePain using a large sample of SCI patients.
FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH
(2023)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Sajad Fakhri, Fatemeh Abbaszadeh, Masoumeh Jorjani
Summary: This study discusses the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets for post-SCI pain, focusing on critical signaling pathways that could provide new insights into the clinical treatment of post-SCI pain.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Giuseppe Forte, Valentina Giuffrida, Angelica Scuderi, Mariella Pazzaglia
Summary: Neuropathic pain is a common chronic condition that severely affects patients with spinal cord injuries. Current treatment options are limited, but nanomedicine shows potential for improving therapeutic efficacy. However, its application in treating neuropathic pain following spinal cord injuries still needs further improvement.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Fangliang Guo, Xiaolong Zheng, Ziyu He, Ruoying Zhang, Song Zhang, Minghuan Wang, Hong Chen, Wei Wang
Summary: The study found that long-term treatment with NMD helps to improve locomotion, pain-related behaviors, and spasticity-like symptoms in rats with SCI, but has less effect on open-field activity, hind limb grip strength, and bladder function. Additionally, NMD-treated rats showed greater tissue preservation, reduced lesion areas, and increased perilesional neuronal sparing, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy for SCI treatment.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Zhihao Zhang, Zhijie Zhu, Xiaoshuang Zuo, Xuankang Wang, Cheng Ju, Zhuowen Liang, Kun Li, Jiawei Zhang, Liang Luo, Yangguang Ma, Zhiwen Song, Xin Li, Penghui Li, Huilin Quan, Peipei Huang, Zhou Yao, Ning Yang, Jie Zhou, Zhenzhen Kou, Beiyu Chen, Tan Ding, Zhe Wang, Xueyu Hu
Summary: This study investigated the mechanisms of photobiomodulation (PBM) in relieving neuropathic pain (NP) after spinal cord injury (SCI). It was found that PBM therapy inhibited the activation of microglia and astrocytes, decreased the expression of CXCL10 in glial cells, and mediated the NF-κB signaling pathway.
CNS NEUROSCIENCE & THERAPEUTICS
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
William Raffaeli, Giorgio Felzani, Michael Tenti, Luca Greco, Maria Pia D'Eramo, Stefania Proietti, Giovanni Morone
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effect of NACVAN (R) as an adjuvant treatment to gabapentinoids on pain symptomatology in CNP patients. Preliminary results showed significant reductions in pain intensity, neuropathic symptoms, and evoked pain with NACVAN (R) treatment, while other neuropathic pain dimensions and quality-of-life did not significantly improve.
Review
Neurosciences
Chang Sun, Junhao Deng, Yifei Ma, Fanqi Meng, Xiang Cui, Ming Li, Jiantao Li, Jia Li, Pengbin Yin, Lingjie Kong, Licheng Zhang, Peifu Tang
Summary: This article presents a comprehensive overview of recent advances in understanding the role of microglia in the development of neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury (SCI). It delves into the detrimental and protective effects of microglia on neuropathic pain following SCI, as well as the mechanisms underlying their interconversion. The article also provides a thorough overview of potential avenues for future research in this area.
EXPERIMENTAL NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Luciana Mendonca Barbosa, Fernanda da Valerio, Samira Luisa Apostolos Pereira, Valquiria Aparecida da Silva, Antonia Lilian de Lima Rodrigues, Ricardo Galhardoni, Lin Tchia Yeng, Jefferson Rosi Jr, Adriana Bastos Conforto, Leandro Tavares Lucato, Marcelo Delboni Lemos, Manoel Jacobsen Teixeira, Daniel Ciampi de Andrade
Summary: This study examined the relationships between symptoms and somatosensory profiles in patients with central neuropathic pain (CNP) caused by different types of lesions to the central nervous system. The results suggest that CNP of different etiologies may have different pain descriptors and somatosensory profiles, likely due to differences in lesion locations.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Dominika Mech, Katarzyna Korgol, Antonina Kurowska, Bartlomiej Adamski, Malgorzata Miazga, Grazyna Biala, Marta Kruk-Slomka
Summary: Spinal cord injury is a neurological condition that causes significant motor dysfunction, and current treatments only provide moderate efficacy, leaving patients with long-term disabilities. A scientific review is needed to summarize recent developments in therapeutic methods for SCI. This review focuses on pharmacological treatments and the challenges faced by patients depending on the location of the injury, addressing issues such as spasticity, neuropathic pain, neuroprotection, neurotransmission, and oxidative stress.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yvonne Tran, Philip Austin, Charles Lo, Ashley Craig, James W. Middleton, Paul J. Wrigley, Philip Siddall
Summary: This study investigated the use of virtual reality head-mounted devices as a novel therapeutic intervention for neuropathic pain in people with spinal cord injury. The findings showed increased delta activity and decreased theta activity in the frontal regions during the use of 3D VR. The use of 2D screen and 3D VR was also associated with a decrease in relative alpha band activity and an increase in low gamma power, along with reduced self-reported pain. The complexity of brain activity increased during the use of 2D screen and 3D VR. These findings have implications for using VR applications in the treatment of neuropathic pain in people with spinal cord injury.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jay Karri, Shengai Li, Yen-Ting Chen, Argyrios Stampas, Sheng Li
Summary: Central neuromodulation targeting the Pain Neuromatrix-Central Autonomic Network interface produced parasympathetic changes and pain relief in SCI + NP persons, while increasing pain threshold in AB persons without affecting autonomic function. This suggests different responses to neuromodulation between individuals with spinal cord injury and chronic neuropathic pain and able-bodied controls.
Article
Neurosciences
Eric Brown, Ayma F. Malik, Elizabeth R. Moese, Abigail F. McElroy, Angelo C. Lepore
Summary: Neuropathic pain (NP) is a common and debilitating comorbidity of spinal cord injury (SCI). This study investigates the neural activity changes in the pain circuitry following cervical spinal cord injury. The findings reveal complex changes in neuronal activation, with increased activation in some neurons and decreased activation in inhibitory neurons.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Rehabilitation
Xiaoyi Zhou, Shaofeng Chen, Yajun Cheng, Kai Chen, Ming Li, Yushu Bai, Xianzhao Wei
Summary: The study aimed to adapt the SCIPI into a simplified Chinese version and examine its reliability and validity in screening for neuropathic pain in SCI patients. The results showed that the SC-SCIPI demonstrated good internal consistency, reliability, and construct validity, indicating its applicability in clinical practice for neuropathic pain screening.
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Simona Capossela, Gunther Landmann, Mario Ernst, Lenka Stockinger, Jivko Stoyanov
Summary: This study evaluates the feasibility of using a multimodal pain assessment protocol for patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) during rehabilitation. The protocol combines clinical workup, quantitative sensory testing, and psychosocial factors, along with molecular blood biomarkers. The findings reveal different pain trajectories, inflammatory responses, and potential biomarkers associated with SCI. The study also highlights the importance of considering recruitment settings and protocol adjustments to improve the feasibility of multimodal pain evaluation studies in SCI patients. It provides insights into early adaptive mechanisms in SCI pathophysiology and the need for further exploration of prognostic and preventive strategies for chronic pain in the SCI population.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Jing Zhu, Fei Huang, Yonglin Hu, Wei Qiao, Yingchao Guan, Zhi-Jun Zhang, Su Liu, Ying Liu
Summary: Secondary chronic neuropathic pain (NP) after spinal cord injury (SCI) significantly reduces quality of life. The mechanisms of NP in SCI have been studied, and reducing neuroinflammation has shown potential for improving NP-related behaviors. Non-coding RNAs have been found to play important roles in SCI, regulating gene expression, inhibiting inflammation, and influencing the prognosis of NP.
JOURNAL OF INFLAMMATION RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Michael N. Vinkel, Gija Rackauskaite, Nanna B. Finnerup
Summary: The study provides an overview of pain conditions in children with CP using the ICD-11, discussing common causes of pain and less studied pain types. It proposes a Cerebral Palsy Pain Classification aligned with the ICD-11 to optimize registration and assessment of pain conditions in patients with CP.
DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE AND CHILD NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Karolina S. Khan, Kristian Overgaard, Hatice Tankisi, Pall Karlsson, Louise Devantier, Soren Gregersen, Troels S. Jensen, Nanna B. Finnerup, Rodica Pop-Busui, Ulrik Dalgas, Henning Andersen
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of progressive resistance training (PRT) on individuals with type 2 diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) and compare them with those without DPN and healthy controls. The results showed that PRT improved muscle strength and motor function, but had no effect on intraepidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD).
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sandra Sif Gylfadottir, Mustapha Itani, Alexander Gramm Kristensen, Pall Karlsson, Thomas Kroigard, David L. Bennett, Hatice Tankisi, Niels Trolle Andersen, Troels Staehelin Jensen, Soren Hein Sindrup, Nanna Brix Finnerup
Summary: This study characterized the predictors, symptoms, neuropathy severity, and impact of painful and dysesthetic diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN). The results showed a gradient of increasing sensory loss from DPN without pain or dysesthesia to dysesthetic DPN and to painful DPN, indicating a more severe neuropathy in dysesthetic patients compared to those without dysesthesia but less severe than those with painful DPN. Pain and dysesthesia were common in DPN and both significantly interfered with daily life. Therefore, considering dysesthesia is important in the diagnosis and treatment of neuropathy.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Zahra Nochi, Hossein Pia, Petra Bloms-Funke, Irmgard Boesl, Ombretta Caspani, Sonya C. Chapman, Francesca Fardo, Bernd Genser, Marcus Goetz, Anna V. Kostenko, Caterina Leone, Thomas Li, Andre Mouraux, Bernhard Pelz, Esther Pogatzki-Zahn, Andreas Schilder, Erik Schnetter, Karin Schubart, Alexandre Stouffs, Irene Tracey, Inaki F. Troconiz, Andrea Truini, Johannes Van Niel, Jose Miguel Vela, Katy Vincent, Jan Vollert, Vishvarani Wanigasekera, Matthias Wittayer, Hatice Tankisi, Nanna B. Finnerup, Keith G. Phillips, Rolf-Detlef Treede
Summary: This study aims to identify the effects of drugs on the nociceptive system through nerve excitability testing (NET) and use it as a biomarker for the development of analgesics. The study will evaluate the impact of different medications on large sensory and motor fibers, as well as small sensory fibers, and collect data and blood samples for analysis.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Sandra Sif Gylfadottir, Mustapha Itani, Alexander Gramm Kristensen, Hatice Tankisi, Troels Staehelin Jensen, Soren H. Sindrup, David Bennett, Jens Randel Nyengaard, Nanna Brix Finnerup, Pall Karlsson
Summary: This study investigated the skin markers of painful diabetic polyneuropathy (P-DPN) and found increased macrophage density, as well as increased length density of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), in patients with P-DPN, indicating a possible involvement of the innate immune system in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain in diabetic patients.
NEUROLOGY-NEUROIMMUNOLOGY & NEUROINFLAMMATION
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Christopher Rohde, Nanna Brix Finnerup, Norbert Schmitz, Troels Staehelin Jensen, Reimar Wernich Thomsen, Soren Dinesen Ostergaard
Summary: This study found that individuals with diabetic neuropathy have a significantly higher risk of developing mental disorders compared to diabetes-duration-matched individuals without diabetic neuropathy.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Anesthesiology
Nanna B. Finnerup, Lone Nikolajsen, Andrew S. C. Rice
Article
Clinical Neurology
Kristine Bennedsgaard, Kasper Grosen, Nadine Attal, Didier Bouhassira, Geert Crombez, Troels S. Jensen, David L. Bennett, Lise Ventzel, Inge S. Andersen, Nanna B. Finnerup
Summary: This study investigated the symptoms, intensity, and interference of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in breast cancer survivors. It found that although less common, foot pain in patients who received chemotherapy was more intense and had a higher interference with daily life compared to pain in the surgical area.
SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF PAIN
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Johannes van Niel, Petra Bloms-Funke, Ombretta Caspani, Jose Maria Cendros, Luis Garcia-Larrea, Andrea Truini, Irene Tracey, Sonya C. Chapman, Nicolas Marco-Arino, Inaki F. Troconiz, Keith Phillips, Nanna Brix Finnerup, Andre Mouraux, Rolf-Detlef Treede
Summary: There is a need for improved analgesics, especially for neuropathic and chronic pain conditions. Many candidate drugs have failed in clinical trials despite promising preclinical results. A consortium of researchers from academia and the pharmaceutical industry was established to identify and validate functional biomarkers for assessing drug effects on pain processing. A systematic literature search was conducted to find pharmacological probes for validating these biomarkers. Once validated, these biomarkers combined with pharmacometric modelling are expected to accelerate analgesic drug development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Letter
Anesthesiology
Morten Hoegh, Annina B. Schmid, Per Hansson, Nanna Brix Finnerup
Article
Anesthesiology
Kanita Zubcevic, Merete Petersen, Flemming Winther Bach, Aksel Heinesen, Thomas Peter Enggaard, Thomas Peter Almdal, Jakob Vormstrup Holbech, Lene Vase, Troels Stahelin Jensen, Christian Stevns Hansen, Nanna Brix Finnerup, Soren H. Sindrup
Summary: This study aimed to examine the effect of two cannabinoids and their combination on peripheral neuropathic pain. The results showed that CBD, THC, and their combination did not relieve neuropathic pain.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PAIN
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Giovanni E. Ferreira, Christina Abdel-Shaheed, Martin Underwood, Nanna B. Finnerup, Richard Day, Andrew McLachlan, Sam Eldabe, Joshua R. Zadro, Christopher G. Maher
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of antidepressants for different pain conditions. The results show that antidepressants are effective in some pain conditions, particularly proton pump inhibitors, postoperative pain, neuropathic pain, and fibromyalgia. However, there is insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of antidepressants in other pain conditions. A more nuanced approach is needed when prescribing antidepressants for pain conditions.
BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Review
Anesthesiology
Annina B. B. Schmid, Brigitte Tampin, Ralf Baron, Nanna B. B. Finnerup, Per Hansson, Aki Hietaharju, Kika Konstantinou, Chung-Wei Christine Lin, John Markman, Christine Price, Blair H. H. Smith, Helen Slater
Summary: This article presents the outcomes of a working group commissioned by the Neuropathic Pain Special Interest Group (NeuPSIG) of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), which aimed to revise the use of terminology for classifying spine-related leg pain and propose a way forward on the identification of neuropathic pain in this context.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Eva Widerstrom-Noga, Fin Biering-Sorensen, Thomas N. Bryce, Diana D. Cardenas, Nanna B. Finnerup, Mark P. Jensen, J. Scott Richards, Jan Rosner, Julian Taylor
Summary: To update the International Spinal Cord Injury Pain Basic Data Set (ISCIPBDS version 2.0) and incorporate suggestions from the SCI pain clinical and research community, the study group revised the ISCIPBDS (Version 3.0) through expert opinion, feedback, revisions, and final consensus, making the dataset more flexible and useful.
Correction
Anesthesiology
Nanna B. Finnerup, Lone Nikolajsen, Andrew S. C. Rice