“Off switch” for pain discovered: Brain receptor could hold key to alleviating suffering in cancer patients

Published: 11:57 p.m., 28 November 2014.

Source: Sarah Griffiths for mailonline.

Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2852925/Off-switch-pain-discovered-Brain-receptor-hold-key-alleviating-suffering-cancer-patients.html

Science field: Medical field.

Summary:

Researchers from Saint Louis University in Missouri managed to block a pain pathway in rodents with chronic neuropathic pain, which develops due to nerve damage. They did this by turning on a receptor, known as A3, in an animal’s brain and spinal cord to counteract intense feelings of discomfort.

Glossary:

-          Pathway: a chain of reactions associated with a particular metabolic process.

-          Neuropathy: disease of the nervous system.

-          Counteract: to act in opposition to; frustrate by contrary action.

-          Rodent: any of the relatively small placental mammals that constitute the order Rodentia, having constantly growing incisor teeth specialized for gnawing. The group includes porcupines, rats, mice, squirrels, marmots, etc.

-          Diminish: to (cause to) seem smaller, decrease, or be reduced.

-          Relief: the ending or lessening of pain, distress, worry, fear, etc.; alleviation.

-          Tolerance: the capacity of an organism to endure the effects of a poison or other substance after it has been taken over a prolonged period.

Review:

Cancer is known as a malignant tumor, a disease that involves the abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. This disease affects a high percentage of the population in the world, affecting the patient and their families. Some cancers have a cure, but others don’t respond to any treatment. There exist many experimental cancer treatments that are currently studied under clinical trials. Most of these cancers develop stages that are extremely painful, for example bone cancer and treatment with chemotherapy. Some people need strong medications to diminish the pain, but these medications also produce many nasty side effects, addiction and increasing tolerance, meaning that the people have to take even higher and stronger doses of medication. These treatments for pain are problematic and difficult because they cause a diminished quality of life and do not sufficiently quell the pain. This “switch off” pain treatment solution is an innovative discovery, it would provide better options than current medication because it doesn’t have the side effects like addiction and increasing tolerance to drugs and it can alleviate the suffering of cancer patients. The main problem of this solution is that you create damage to nerves that in a future can’t be reversed or repaired. If you take this treatment would you be able to feel pain again, or is it a permanent state condition? Currently, this treatment it is only offered to patients who have extreme pains.

Written by Rebeca Mees