• Rev Rhum Engl Ed · May 1996

    Review

    Recent data on the pathophysiology of nerve root compression and pain.

    • P Boulu and M Benoist.
    • Neurology Department, Beaujon Teaching Hospital, Clichy, France.
    • Rev Rhum Engl Ed. 1996 May 1; 63 (5): 358-63.

    AbstractBoth mechanical and biochemical factors are involved in the pathophysiology of nerve root compression. Chronic compression produces severe demyelination and fibrosis of the nerve root. Similar lesions can result from exposure to irritant substances released from the nucleus pulposus. Pain sensations arise from the peripheral nervous system as a result of structural radicular damage and sensitization. Structural nerve root changes (deafferentation, formation of ephapses or microneuromas) increase the sensitivity of the spinal nociceptive neurones. Algogenic substances are released that lower the activation threshold of nociceptors, producing peripheral sensitization. In the central nervous system, neuroplasticity and increased transmission of nociceptive signals in the spinal cord result in permanent excitation and sensitization of the spinal convergent neurones. The practical implications of these data are discussed.

      Pubmed     Copy Citation     Plaintext  

      Add institutional full text...

    Notes

     
    Knowledge, pearl, summary or comment to share?
    300 characters remaining
    help        
    You can also include formatting, links, images and footnotes in your notes
    • Simple formatting can be added to notes, such as *italics*, _underline_ or **bold**.
    • Superscript can be denoted by <sup>text</sup> and subscript <sub>text</sub>.
    • Numbered or bulleted lists can be created using either numbered lines 1. 2. 3., hyphens - or asterisks *.
    • Links can be included with: [my link to pubmed](http://pubmed.com)
    • Images can be included with: ![alt text](https://bestmedicaljournal.com/study_graph.jpg "Image Title Text")
    • For footnotes use [^1](This is a footnote.) inline.
    • Or use an inline reference [^1] to refer to a longer footnote elseweher in the document [^1]: This is a long footnote..

    hide…