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España JC, Yasoda-Mohan A, Vanneste S. The Locus Coeruleus in Chronic Pain. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8636. [PMID: 39201323 PMCID: PMC11354431 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pain perception is the consequence of a complex interplay between activation and inhibition. Noradrenergic pain modulation inhibits nociceptive transmission and pain perception. The main source of norepinephrine (NE) in the central nervous system is the Locus Coeruleus (LC), a small but complex cluster of cells in the pons. The aim of this study is to review the literature on the LC-NE inhibitory system, its influence on chronic pain pathways and its frequent comorbidities. The literature research showed that pain perception is the consequence of nociceptive and environmental processing and is modulated by the LC-NE system. If perpetuated in time, nociceptive inputs can generate neuroplastic changes in the central nervous system that reduce the inhibitory effects of the LC-NE complex and facilitate the development of chronic pain and frequent comorbidities, such as anxiety, depression or sleeping disturbances. The exact mechanisms involved in the LC functional shift remain unknown, but there is some evidence that they occur through plastic changes in the medial and lateral pathways and their brain projections. Additionally, there are other influencing factors, like developmental issues, neuroinflammatory glial changes, NE receptor affinity and changes in LC neuronal firing rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Castejón España
- Lab for Clinical and Integrative Neuroscience, Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland; (J.C.E.); (A.Y.-M.)
- Compass Physio, A83 YW96 Enfield, Ireland
| | - Anusha Yasoda-Mohan
- Lab for Clinical and Integrative Neuroscience, Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland; (J.C.E.); (A.Y.-M.)
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sven Vanneste
- Lab for Clinical and Integrative Neuroscience, Trinity College Institute for Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland; (J.C.E.); (A.Y.-M.)
- Global Brain Health Institute, Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland
- Brain Research Centre for Advanced, International, Innovative and Interdisciplinary Neuromodulation, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Eccleston C, Begley E, Birkinshaw H, Choy E, Crombez G, Fisher E, Gibby A, Gooberman-Hill R, Grieve S, Guest A, Jordan A, Lilywhite A, Macfarlane GJ, McCabe C, McBeth J, Pickering AE, Pincus T, Sallis HM, Stone S, Van der Windt D, Vitali D, Wainwright E, Wilkinson C, de C Williams AC, Zeyen A, Keogh E. The establishment, maintenance, and adaptation of high- and low-impact chronic pain: a framework for biopsychosocial pain research. Pain 2023; 164:2143-2147. [PMID: 37310436 PMCID: PMC10502876 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Eccleston
- Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Psychology, The University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Emma Begley
- School of Psychology, Aston University, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Hollie Birkinshaw
- School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Ernest Choy
- Section of Rheumatology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Emma Fisher
- Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Gibby
- Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Rachael Gooberman-Hill
- Population Health Science Institute, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon Grieve
- School of Health and Social Wellbeing, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Amber Guest
- Aberdeen Centre for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Health (Epidemiology Group), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Abbie Jordan
- Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda Lilywhite
- Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Gary J. Macfarlane
- Aberdeen Centre for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Health (Epidemiology Group), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Candida McCabe
- School of Health and Social Wellbeing, University of the West of England, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - John McBeth
- Division of Musculoskeletal and Dermatological Science, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony E. Pickering
- Anaesthesia, Pain, and Critical Care Research, School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Tamar Pincus
- School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
| | - Hannah M. Sallis
- Centre for Academic Mental Health, Population Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Samantha Stone
- Population Health Science Institute, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Danielle Van der Windt
- Centre for Primary Care Versus Arthritis, School of Medicine, Keele University, Keele, United Kingdom
| | - Diego Vitali
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Elaine Wainwright
- Aberdeen Centre for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Health (Epidemiology Group), University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Colin Wilkinson
- Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Amanda C. de C Williams
- Research Department of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anica Zeyen
- Department of Strategy, International Business, and Entrepreneurship, School of Business and Management, Royal Holloway University of London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Edmund Keogh
- Centre for Pain Research, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
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Pain is Not a "thing": How That Error Affects Language and Logic in Pain Medicine. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2022; 23:1283-1293. [PMID: 35427806 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2022.03.235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Effectiveness in academic and clinical communication depends upon agreement on what words and concepts denote and on the consequent ability to argue logically and accurately. In the pain medicine literature there are many examples of imprecision and confusion in this respect, including misnomers and fallacies in reasoning. This article firstly critically examines some of these misnomers. Identified themes include pain being conceptualised as a "thing," conflation between nociception and pain, and confusion between stimulus and response and between the perspectives of the experiencer and the observer of "pain." Secondly, fallacies in reasoning are identified that contribute to imprecision and confusion. These include reification of pain, attributing to the brain functions that belong to whole organisms, and the illusory truth effect. Thirdly, these themes are identified also in constructs that are shown to be based more on speculation than on fact. Taken together, these observations reveal a need to review and, where necessary, modify terminology and concepts used in Pain Medicine. PERSPECTIVE: This article examines a number of words and constructs commonly found in the pain literature from the perspective of accuracy in terms of their consistency of usage, concordance with fact, degree of speculation and logical argument. A common major theme is the error of considering pain as a "thing" that has agentive properties. A need to clarify much of the language used in Pain Medicine is identified.
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Hanatleh OM, Kofahi NK, Aburahma SK, Bintareef EM, Al-Bashtawy M, Alkhawaldeh A, Ibnian AM. A 5-Year-Old Palestinian Bedouin Girl with Repeated Self-Induced Injuries to the Digits, a Diagnosis of Congenital Insensitivity to Pain, and Anhidrosis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CASE REPORTS 2021; 22:e933486. [PMID: 34732685 PMCID: PMC8579061 DOI: 10.12659/ajcr.933486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), also referred to as hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type IV, is a rare autosomal recessive disease caused by mutations in the NTRK1 gene. The inability to feel pain and temperature often leads to repeated severe and unintentional self-inflicted injuries; these can result in severe complications, as patients heal slowly from skin and bone injuries. This case report describes a 5-year-old Palestinian girl with self-inflicted injury to the digits, a dislocated distal inter-phalangeal joint of the left big toe, and a diagnosis of CIPA. CASE REPORT A 5-year-old girl, a daughter of related Palestinian Bedouin parents, presented with a chronic unhealed wound over the planter surface of the left foot. Painless repetitive minor traumata over the same area badly affected wound healing and this led to wound dehiscence and dislocation of the distal inter-phalangeal joint of the left big toe. Surgical fixation of the dislocated joint along with intravenous antibiotics and close follow-up resulted in eventual improvement and near complete wound healing despite the obviously slow healing process. The girl also displayed evidence of unintentional self-inflicted injury, which within the overall clinical context warranted a clinical suspicion of CIPA. This was confirmed by genetic testing for the presence of a homozygous frameshift mutation in the NTRK1 gene (c.1842_1843insT; p.Pro615Serfs*12). CONCLUSIONS This case report shows that a physician should have a low threshold of suspicion to investigate for CIPA when managing children with multiple unintentional self-inflicted injuries, anhidrosis, and pain insensitivity, mainly through genetic testing to detect mutations in the NTRK1 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar M Hanatleh
- Department of Orthopedics, Al-Safa Specialized Hospital, Jarash, Jordan
| | - Noran K Kofahi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Samah K Aburahma
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | | | | | | | - Ali M Ibnian
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
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Gledhill LJ, Babey AM. Synthesis of the Mechanisms of Opioid Tolerance: Do We Still Say NO? Cell Mol Neurobiol 2021; 41:927-948. [PMID: 33704603 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-021-01065-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of morphine as a first-line agent for moderate-to-severe pain is limited by the development of analgesic tolerance. Initially opioid receptor desensitization in response to repeated stimulation, thought to underpin the establishment of tolerance, was linked to a compensatory increase in adenylate cyclase responsiveness. The subsequent demonstration of cross-talk between N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors and opioid receptors led to the recognition of a role for nitric oxide (NO), wherein blockade of NO synthesis could prevent tolerance developing. Investigations of the link between NO levels and opioid receptor desensitization implicated a number of events including kinase recruitment and peroxynitrite-mediated protein regulation. Recent experimental advances and the identification of new cellular constituents have expanded the potential signaling candidates to include unexpected, intermediary compounds not previously linked to this process such as zinc, histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 1 (HINT1), micro-ribonucleic acid (mi-RNA) and regulator of G protein signaling Z (RGSZ). A further complication is a lack of consistency in the protocols used to create tolerance, with some using acute methods measured in minutes to hours and others using days. There is also an emphasis on the cellular changes that are extant only after tolerance has been established. Although a review of the literature demonstrates a lack of spatio-temporal detail, there still appears to be a pivotal role for nitric oxide, as well as both intracellular and intercellular cross-talk. The use of more consistent approaches to verify these underlying mechanism(s) could provide an avenue for targeted drug development to rescue opioid efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Gledhill
- CURA Pharmacy, St. John of God Hospital, Bendigo, VIC, 3550, Australia
| | - Anna-Marie Babey
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
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