PAIN RESEARCH UPDATE FROM GENETIC POINT OF VIEW
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2005 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Pain Practice |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Physiology |
| Keywords | gene; polymorphism; pain; gene therapy; molecular biology |
| Description | Molecular biology investigates the genetic causes of many diseases. Currently, molecular biology in pain research lags behind the investigations of the molecular basis of mental disorders. A significant challenge in pain genetic research is the fact that pain involves emotional factors. Tools available for pain measurements and interindividual comparisons have been imperfect. Another problem relates to research ethics. Unlike animal studies, there is very limited ability to evoke experimental pain in a group of humans with precisely defined age, sex, medication and pain experience. Nevertheless, pain investigations at the gene level have commenced. Recent progress in molecular biology has enabled gene expression modulations in animal models using knock-out, oligo-antisense and viral vector techniques. These methods enable investigation, at molecular level, as to which of the approximate 30 thousand genes of the human genome might be involved in pain mediation, which of these are polymorphic and which polymorhisms are responsible for interindividual differences in pain perception. Recently, the genetic basis of familial hemiplegic migraine and congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis have been shown. In the last six years, genetic pain research has focused on potential gene therapy for patients with chronic pain. Results of these studies are encouraging and potentially applicable to clinical practice in the near future. |
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