Neuropathic pain characterization

Wallace VC, Blackbeard J et al (2007a) Pharmacological, behavioural and mechanistic analysis of HIV-1 gpl20 induced painful neuropathy. Pain 133(l-3) 47-63 Wallace VC, Blackbeard J et al (2007b) Characterization of rodent models of HIV-gpl20 and anti-retroviral-associated neuropathic pain. Brain 130(Pt 10) 2688-2702 Wechsler AF, Ho DD (1989) Bilateral Bell s palsy at the time of HIV seroconversion. Neurology 39(5) 747-748... 

In the peripheral nervous system (PNS), HIV-1 infection and its treatment using HAART are associated with the development of neuropathic pain syndromes characterized by severe lancinating pain as well as parathesias and burning pain in the extremities. Damage to peripheral nerves has been associated with these syndromes. HIV-1-associated polyneuropathy has become the most common neurological complication of HIV-1 infection (Pardo et al. 2001). More than half of individuals with... 

Valentin G, Haas P, Gilmour D (2007) The chemokine SDFla coordinates tissue migration through the spatially restricted activation of Cxcr7 and Cxcr4b. Curr Biol 17 1026-1031 Wallace VC, Blackboard J, Segerdahl AR, Hasnie F, Pheby T, McMahon SB, Rice AS (2007) Characterization of rodent models of HlV-gpl20 and anti-retroviral-associated neuropathic pain. Brain 130(Pt 10) 2688-2702... 

Clinical pain is characterized by the presence of spontaneous pain or hypersensitivity to pain-provoking stimuli. Hypersensitivity includes pain produced by low-intensity stimuli that normally only elicit an innocuous sensation (allodynia), or an exaggerated response to a noxious stimulus (hyperalgesia). There are two distinct forms of clinical pain, the pain that occurs after tissue injury or inflammatory diseases (inflammatory pain) and the pain associated with a lesion or disease of the nervous system (neuropathic pain). Although the mechanisms responsible for the initiation and maintenance of these pains differ, they are both characterized by heightened... 

Experimental models of neuropathic pain caused by repeated systemic treatment of vincristine were established to clarify therapeutic targets and potential therapeutic agents (Authier etal, 1999 Tanner etal, 1998). Studies characterized neuropathic pain caused by vincristine, and indicated that the involvement of inflammatory cytokines was similar to neuropathic pain induced by nerve injury (Kiguchi et al., 2008a,b). 

Theoretically, could be useful for any condition characterized by moderate overactivation of NMDA glutamate receptors (possibly neurodegenerative conditions or even bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or chronic neuropathic pain), but this is not proven... 

Some of the most commonly and frequently used spices throughout the world are hot peppers of the Capsicum family, of which capsaicin 23 is the major pungent ingredient. Because of its analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities, topical application of capsaicin has been used for the treatment of a variety of neuropathic pain conditions. Autoradiographic visualization of a tritiated resiniferatoxin probe in tissues of various species identified the vanilloid receptor (VR) as a molecular target [73, 74]. Additionally, capsaicin was used as a molecular probe to isolate the first nociceptive receptor, VR1 [75], Characterization of VR1 revealed it to be a member of the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) ion channel family and a nonselective cation channel activated by capsaicin or elevated temperatures. 

Pomonis JD, Harrison JE, Mark L, et al. (2003) N-(4-Tertiarybutylphenyl)-4-(3-cholorphyridin-2-yl)tetrahydropyrazine-l(2H)-carbox-amide (BCTC), a novel, orally effective vaniUoid receptor 1 antagonist with analgesic properties. 11. In vivo characterization in rat models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 306 387-393 Premkumar LS, Ahem GP (2000) Induction of vanilloid receptor channel activity by protein kinase... 

Neuropathic pain is a spontaneous persistent pain characterized by a range of abnormally evoked responses, e.g., allodynia (pain evoked by normally non-noxious stimuli) and hyperalgesia (an increased response to noxious stimuli). Neuropathic pain following SCI is usually present at or below the level of injury (Yiu and He, 2006). The molecular mechanism associated with neuropathic pain is not fully understood. However, recent studies indicate the involvement of interactions... 

Somatic pain responds well to NSAIDs and narcotics. Visceral pain, deep and poorly localized, caused by irritation of the serous or distension or ischemic tissue (for example pain associated with nephrolithiasis or pancreatitis) responds better to narcotics. In some cases, however, the narcotics themselves can exacerbate the problem (for example in case of bile duct obstruction). Neuropathic pain is characterized by excruciating burning pain, and is frequently associated with hypersensitivity. It maybe more responsive to anticonvulsants and antidepressants than to opioids. 

Because of sensory neuropathy, deep pain is often experienced by patients given vincristine. Through involvement of the glossopharyngeal nerve, throat pain may occur, as may deep pain of almost any other area of the body (31,32). Neuropathic changes are not always peripheral. Hallucinations and overall mental status changes, such as depression and/or psychosis, are also rarely reported (31,32). Another CNS effect is the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, which is a well-characterized side effect of vincristine (31,32). 

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