The Differential Effect of Nociceptor Subtypes for Generating Chronic Pain

摘要

Unmyelinated afferent neurons are considerably heterogenous. These neurons differ in their neurotransmitter phenotype, their biophysical and receptive properties, and their central termination patterns. While psycho-physical experiments in conjunction with differential nerve blocks and reaction time measurements have shown that unmyelinated nociceptive afferent fibers signal pain in humans, our understanding of the relative contribution of the different subtypes of C-fiber nociceptors for pain perception and hyperalgesia is incomplete. However, recent research has begun to indicate that the different subtypes of nociceptors contribute differentially to the generation of pain and hyperalgesia.