Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lamberta Ghaly, Vincent Bargnes, Sadiq Rahman, George-Abraam Tawfik, Sergio Bergese, William Caldwell
Summary: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare and debilitating chronic pain disorder characterized by persistent pain that is disproportionate to any preceding injury. It can significantly impact a person's quality of life, resulting in disability and psychological distress. Despite being recognized for over a century, finding effective treatment for CRPS remains challenging.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Tomas Hoikkanen, Mette Nissen, Tiina-Mari Ikaheimo, Henna-Kaisa Jyrkkanen, Jukka Huttunen, Mikael von Und Zu Fraunberg
Summary: A retrospective study on 35 consecutive CRPS patients undergoing SCS treatment found that 70% continued using the SCS device over an 8-year follow-up period, but some patients experienced device explantation or complications, with no significant change in medication use.
Article
Anesthesiology
Daniel S. Harvie, Tasha R. Stanton, Hannah Kennedy, Michel W. Coppieters
Summary: This case report examines visually evoked pain in a patient with complex regional pain syndrome type II, using virtual reality (VR) and graded exposure. The study found that VR exposure resulted in a significant reduction in visually evoked pain, but transfer of these improvements to the real world was limited. Further research is needed to understand how improvements gained in VR can be better applied to real-world situations.
Article
Neurosciences
Suzanna Shermon, Kimberly M. Fazio, Richard Shim, Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Chong H. Kim
Summary: The objective of this study was to evaluate discrepancies in prescription trends for analgesic medications in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) patients based on recommendations in the literature. The study design was a retrospective case-control study, with 2510 CRPS patients and 2510 demographic-matched controls participating. The results showed a divergence between some published recommendations and actual practice.
Article
Anesthesiology
Wataru Nemoto, Dalia Kozak, Susana G. Sotocinal, Shannon Tansley, Kirsty Bannister, Jeffrey S. Mogil
Summary: Descending control of nociception (DCN) is a reversible biomarker of chronic pain and can be manipulated through neurochemical modulation. This research provides insight into potential pharmacological strategies for preventing persistent pain.
Article
Anesthesiology
Giulia Mesaroli, Fiona Campbell, Amos Hundert, Kathryn A. Birnie, Naiyi Sun, Kristen M. Davidge, Chitra Lalloo, Cleo Davies-Chalmers, Lauren Harris, Jennifer Stinson
Summary: The objective of this research was to develop and establish the content validity of a screening tool for pediatric NP and CRPS. The research used a phased approach, involving surveys, consensus conferences, and cognitive interviews with children. The study resulted in the creation of a comprehensive screening tool that underwent rigorous development and testing.
CLINICAL JOURNAL OF PAIN
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Myeounghoon Cha, Kyung Hee Lee, Minjee Kwon, Bae Hwan Lee
Summary: The study compared the pain relief effects of different drugs in a rat model of chronic post-ischemic pain-induced CRPS, finding that these drugs effectively alleviated CRPS-induced mechanical allodynia, improved mechanical sensitivity, and reduced the expression of inflammatory factors.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Priscila L. Santos, Thallita K. Rabelo, Joao P. S. C. F. Matos, Klecia S. Anjos, Marlange A. O. Melo, Yasmim M. B. G. Carvalho, Bruno S. Lima, Paula P. Menezes, Adriano A. S. Araujo, Laurent Picot, Jackson R. G. S. Almeida, Renan G. Brito, Lucindo J. Quintans-Junior
Summary: This study investigated the effects of beta-Citronellol (beta CT) and beta-Citronellol/beta-cyclodextrin (beta CT-beta CD) complex on Complex Regional Pain Syndrome type 1 (CRPS-1) using an animal model. The results demonstrated that beta CT-beta CD could be a promising treatment for CRPS-1, with enhanced anti-hyperalgesic effects compared to beta CT alone.
FOOD AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Axel D. Vitterso, Gavin Buckingham, Antonia F. Ten Brink, Monika Halicka, Michael J. Proulx, Janet H. Bultitude
Summary: This study found no evidence of impaired strategic control or sensorimotor realignment in individuals with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). However, there was some indication that there could be a greater propensity for sensorimotor realignment in the CRPS-affected arm when using the affected hand.
Review
Biology
Matilda Gibbons, Sajedeh Sarlak, Lars Chittka
Summary: Based on behavioral, neuroscientific and molecular evidence, this article discusses the potential existence of descending controls for nociception in insects. It is suggested that insects can modulate nocifensive behavior and that the central nervous system plays a role in this modulation. The article also explores alternative molecular mechanisms for the insect descending nociception controls, considering the absence of endogenous opioid peptides and receptors found in mammals.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Anesthesiology
Krista Baerg, Susan M. Tupper, Luan Manh Chu, Nicole Cooke, Bruce D. Dick, Marie-Joelle Dore-Bergeron, Sheri Findlay, Pablo M. Ingelmo, Christine Lamontagne, Giulia Mesaroli, Tim F. Oberlander, Raju Poolacherla, Adam Oscar Spencer, Jennifer Stinson, G. Allen Finley
Summary: This study describes the minimum incidence, clinical features, and recommended treatments of pediatric complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) in Canada. The study found that CRPS has a higher incidence in girls aged 12 and older, with most cases involving the lower limbs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and acetaminophen were the most commonly prescribed treatments, and there is a need for increased promotion of pain education.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Richa Pande, Ayush Parikh, Botros Shenoda, Sujay Ramanathan, Guillermo M. Alexander, Robert J. Schwartzman, Seena K. Ajit
Summary: CRPS is a chronic pain condition characterized by inflammation and debilitating pain. Downregulation of miR-605 may exacerbate inflammation and affect the expression of CXCL5. Further studies suggest that miR-605 may regulate inflammation by modulating CXCL5 in patients with poor response to ketamine.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Martin Domin, Sebastian Strauss, James H. McAuley, Martin Lotze
Summary: Research on CRPS patients revealed alterations in gray matter volume, with CRPS patients showing decreased GMV in the bilateral medial thalamus. Associations were found between GMV in ACC and insula with clinical and behavioral data, indicating a negative relationship between GMV in ACC and pain intensity/CRPS duration, and in the left posterior insula with sensorimotor performance.
FRONTIERS IN NEUROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Janet H. Bultitude, Karin Petrini
Summary: The study found that individuals with CRPS can optimally integrate visual and self-motion cues under some conditions, despite their lower reliability, and use different strategies compared to controls.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Matthias Wiemann, Nikolas Zimowski, Sarah-Luis Blendow, Elena Enax-Krumova, Steffen Naegel, Robert Fleischmann, Sebastian Strauss
Summary: This study found clinically relevant associations between MIG/TAC and CRPS that cannot be explained by chance. Patients with MIG/TAC were more likely to develop CRPS earlier in life, have a central CRPS phenotype, and experience allodynia. These patients also had higher pain levels and more severe CRPS, which worsened with an increasing number of headache days. Patients receiving monoclonal antibody treatment targeting the CGRP pathway for headaches reported positive effects on CRPS symptoms.
JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anesthesiology
J. Brown, F. K. A. Gregson, A. Shrimpton, T. M. Cook, B. R. Bzdek, J. P. Reid, A. E. Pickering
Summary: The study found that extubation generates more detectable aerosol than intubation but still falls below the current criteria for designation as a high-risk aerosol-generating procedure. These novel findings provide a quantitative methodology for risk assessment and suggest the need to reassess what constitutes an aerosol-generating procedure and the associated precautions for routine anaesthetic airway management.
Article
Clinical Neurology
Erzsebet Mehesz, Hajer Karoui, Paul H. Strutton, Sam W. Hughes
Summary: The study demonstrated that exposure to an immersive virtual reality environment can modulate perceptual correlates of endogenous pain modulation and secondary hyperalgesia in a human surrogate pain model. These findings suggest that virtual reality may offer a novel mechanism-driven analgesic strategy in patients with altered central pain processing.
Article
Biology
Robert A. R. Drake, Kenneth A. Steel, Richard Apps, Bridget M. Lumb, Anthony E. Pickering
Summary: The loss of cortical control over the descending pain modulatory system after nerve injury contributes to the expression of neuropathic sensitisation.
Letter
Anesthesiology
A. J. Shrimpton, J. M. Brown, T. M. Cook, A. E. Pickering
Article
Neurosciences
Michael Ambler, Timna Hitrec, Andrew Wilson, Matteo Cerri, Anthony Pickering
Summary: Recent research has discovered that the preoptic area of the hypothalamus and the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) are involved in the regulation of daily torpor in mice. Using activity-dependent genetic techniques, scientists were able to target and manipulate DMH neurons to promote or inhibit torpor. This study further supports the role of these neurons in controlling torpor.
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Anesthesiology
Kirsty Bannister, Sam Hughes
Article
Biology
Charlotte Lawrenson, Elena Paci, Jasmine Pickford, Robert A. R. Drake, Bridget M. Lumb, Richard Apps, Roy Sillitoe
Summary: The periaqueductal grey plays a pivotal role in fear learning and encodes fear memory through signaling. The cerebellum also contributes to fear memory processes and dysfunctional interactions in the cerebellar-survival network may underlie fear-related disorders and comorbidities.
Article
Anesthesiology
A. J. Shrimpton, C. E. D. Osborne, J. M. Brown, T. M. Cook, C. Penfold, L. Rooshenas, A. E. Pickering
Summary: This study aimed to explore the perceptions of practicing anaesthetists regarding aerosol-generating procedures. The survey results showed that most respondents and hospitals were aware of, supported, and adhered to the UK guidelines, but there were also substantial divergences from these guidelines at individual and hospital levels. Many participants perceived reduced efficiency, negative impact on teamworking, and had concerns about environmental impact and communication problems related to the use of respiratory protective equipment and fallow times.
Editorial Material
Anesthesiology
A. J. Shrimpton, A. E. Pickering
Article
Anesthesiology
A. J. Shrimpton, G. O'Farrell, H. M. Howes, R. Craven, A. R. Duffen, T. M. Cook, J. P. Reid, J. M. Brown, A. E. Pickering
Summary: Aerosol-generating procedures, such as awake tracheal intubation and nasendoscopy, can generate high concentrations of respiratory aerosols. Specific risks include lidocaine spray of the larynx, instrumentation of the vocal cords, procedural coughing, and deep breaths. Airborne infection control precautions are necessary for awake upper airway endoscopy if respirable pathogens cannot be confidently excluded.
Article
Anesthesiology
Pabitra Hriday Patra, Becks Tench, Timna Hitrec, Fiona Holmes, Robert Drake, Serena Cerritelli, David Spanswick, Anthony Edward Pickering
Summary: The nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) contains pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons that are one of the major sources of beta-endorphin in the brain. Activation of these neurons in the NTS produces analgesic effects and regulates cardiorespiratory function. These findings highlight the importance of NTS POMC neurons in endogenous analgesia and cardiorespiratory regulation.
Article
Neurosciences
Elena Paci, Bridget M. Lumb, Richard Apps, Charlotte L. Lawrenson, Rosalyn J. Moran
Summary: This study used dynamic causal models to investigate the effective connectivity between the cerebellar medial nucleus (MCN) and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) during conditioned fear extinction. The results showed that the strength of information flow from MCN to vlPAG was inversely related to freezing behavior during extinction. This suggests that the cerebellum plays a role in predictive processes that contribute to fear extinction.
FRONTIERS IN SYSTEMS NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Felyx Wong, Aditi Reddy, Yeanuk Rho, Jan Vollert, Paul H. Strutton, Sam W. Hughes
Summary: Topical application of capsaicin can induce ongoing pain state in healthy individuals. However, approximately one-third do not respond to the treatment. This study reveals that responders and nonresponders have different pain facilitation mechanisms.
Article
Physiology
Awais Younis, Lydia Hardowar, Sarah Barker, Richard Philip Hulse
Summary: Nociception is a fundamental acute protective mechanism that prevents harm to an organism. Disturbances in the blood spinal cord barrier may contribute to the onset of chronic pain.
CURRENT RESEARCH IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)