The journal of headache and pain
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Previous studies have reported that electrical stimulation of the motor cortex is effective in reducing trigeminal neuropathic pain; however, the effects of optical motor cortex stimulation remain unclear. ⋯ Our findings suggest that optical motor cortex stimulation can alleviate pain behaviors in a rat model of trigeminal neuropathic pain. Transmission of trigeminal pain signals can be modulated via knock-down of α-CGRP and optical motor cortex stimulation.
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Different pain syndromes may be characterized by different profiles of mediators reflecting pathophysiological differences, and these alterations may be measured in a simple saliva sample. The aims of the current study were to compare concentration of glutamate, serotonin (5-HT), nerve growth factor (NGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and substance P (SP) in saliva and plasma from a well-defined group of patients with chronic temporomandibular disorders myalgia (TMD-myalgia) with a group of pain-free controls, and further investigate the relationship between these markers and clinical characteristics. ⋯ The higher levels of salivary and plasma glutamate in patients with TMD-myalgia compared to controls strengthens its importance in the pathophysiology of TMD-myalgia. However, the lack of correlation to pain levels question its role as a putative biomarker. Patients with TMD-myalgia further had lower levels of salivary NGF and BDNF, but higher plasma BDNF. These results and their correlations to psychological distress warrant further investigations.
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An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
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Neuropathic pain (NP) is a sustained and nonreversible condition characterized by long-term devastating physical and psychological damage. Therefore, it is urgent to identify an effective treatment for NP. ⋯ Gut microbiota is considered as a pivotal regulator in immune, neural, endocrine, and metabolic signaling pathways, which participates in forming a complex network to affect the development of NP directly or indirectly. In this review, we conclude the current understanding of preclinical and clinical findings regarding the role of gut microbiota in NP and provide a novel therapeutic method for pain relief by medication and dietary interventions.
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Most patients treated with erenumab in clinical practice have chronic migraine (CM). We assessed the rate and possible predictors of conversion from CM to episodic migraine (EM) in a real-life study. ⋯ In our study, two thirds of patients with CM converted to EM during 6 months of treatment with erenumab. MHDs, acute medication use, and headache intensity decreased regardless of conversion from CM to EM.