Scientists have discovered approaches to treating pain, as studies show that "mirror box therapy" can help reduce arthritis-related pain, and that an opioid-like drug may be able to relieve acute pain without the euphoric effects that can lead to dependency.

Additional research also identified the possible neurobiological source of common side effects of morphine— itch and headache—may be due to the drug’s activation of immune cells in the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

Mirror box therapy, a visual feedback technique, can help alleviate hand pain in patients with arthritis. In an animal study, a novel drug relieved acute pain without the dangerous side effects associated with opioid painkillers such as morphine.

In another study,  a gene therapy treatment reduced pain in 10 people in a Phase 1clinical trial that tested for treatment safety. A naturally occurring protein that supports the survival and growth of neurons in the brain and spinal cord may be a potential therapeutic intervention to prevent chronic pain following spinal cord injuries, according to animal research.

"Pain is one of the most intransigent and difficult symptoms to treat," says Allan I. Basbaum, PhD, FRS, of the University of California, San Francisco. "These studies and others are helping us better understand the complex neural pathways involved in pain and the long-term consequences of injury. With this, researchers will be better poised to develop approaches to alleviate pain and aid in recovery from injuries."

Release Date: Nov. 14, 2011
Source: Society for Neuroscience