Articles: chronic.
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Recent data show that the thoracolumbar fascia can be a source of pain. However, the spinal neuronal mechanisms underlying pain from a pathologically altered fascia are unknown. The present study aimed at finding out how dorsal horn neurons react to input from a chronically inflamed thoracolumbar fascia. ⋯ One of the prominent findings was the appearance of new receptive fields in deep tissues of the hindlimb. Together with the expansion of the spinal target region of fascia afferents into the segment L3, the appearance of new receptive fields is a possible explanation for the spread of pain in patients with non-specific low back pain.
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Sensory nerve fibers innervating the ocular anterior surface detect external stimuli producing innocuous and painful sensations. Protons are among the first mediators released by damaged cells during inflammation, tissue injury, or other chronic ophthalmic conditions. We studied whether acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are expressed in corneal sensory neurons and their roles in the response to moderate acidifications of the ocular surface and in pathologies producing ocular surface inflammation. ⋯ Our results show that, in addition to the established role of TRPV1, ASICs play a significant role in the detection of acidic insults at the ocular surface. The identification of ASICs in corneal neurons and their alterations during different diseases is critical for the understanding of sensory ocular pathophysiology. They are likely to mediate some of the discomfort sensations accompanying several ophthalmic formulations and may represent novel targets for the development of new therapeutics for ocular pathologies.