A Proposed Molecular Mechanism for Physical Analgesia in Chronic Pain
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- Norio Saito
- Research Institute for Elderly Health, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikashima, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-1192, Japan
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- Rei Shima
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
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- Yurika Yamada
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
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- Masaru Nagaoka
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
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- Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
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- Tohru Yoshioka
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Sanmin, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
説明
<jats:p>Although pain is indispensable for survival, chronic pain places a heavy burden on humans. As the efficacy of opioid treatment is limited, the development of alternative methods of pain relief without medication is desirable. Recently, we have developed a novel method of physical analgesia using an adhesive “pyramidal thorn patch.” When we apply about 3 trials of these patches on the skin of a pain region, the pain region moves toward the spinal cord like a “cutaneous rabbit,” and finally, the pain vanishes. In the present review, we propose a molecular mechanism for this analgesic method or pain relief following application of the pyramidal thorn patch where firstly the mechanoreceptors and their related nerves under the skin are activated in response to touch. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels serve as mechanosensitive channels within these mechanoreceptors. We further propose that activation of the nerves connected with the mechanoreceptors releases oxytocin, which has an antinociceptive function and activates TRP channels to hyperpolarize the pain signal nerves. We believe that our system will pave the way for alternative pain treatment.</jats:p>
収録刊行物
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- Neural Plasticity
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Neural Plasticity 2018 1-8, 2018-05-20
Wiley
