Neurofibromatosis and the Painful Neuroma; Annual rept. 1 Jan 2007-31 Dec 2008

摘要

Pain is a common and distressing symptom that impacts the quality of life of many patients with neurofibromatosis. The pain is often due to the formation of a neuroma. To understand better how neuromas cause pain and what treatments may be provided, we have developed an animal model of a painful neuroma. The tibial neuroma transposition (TNT) model has been confirmed as a model of neuropathic pain. The TNT model has been established as reliable and valid (Specific Aim 1). In the TNT model, the neuroma test-site mechanosensitivity is dependent on neural input from the tibial neuroma. In the TNT model, hindpaw mechanical hyperalgesia is independent of input from the tibial neuroma. We have altered the formation of a neuroma by applying a toxin that Pain is a common and distressing symptom that impacts the quality of life of many patients with neurofibromatosis. The pain is retrogradely transported (suicide transport) leading to neuronal death and axonal death (Specific Aim 2). This technique is now being refined using target-specific toxins and examining subsequent pain behaviour (Specific aim 3).