Investigation with fMRI into the expression mechanism for acute pain in the central nervous system

Research Project

Project/Area Number	24791585
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Research Field	Anesthesiology/Resuscitation studies
Research Institution	University of Toyama
Principal Investigator	TAKEMURA Yoshinori 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 助教 (70624922)
Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha)	YAMAZAKI Mitsuaki 富山大学, 大学院医学薬学研究部(医学), 教授 (70158145) NARITA Minoru 星薬科大学, 大学院薬学研究科薬学専攻治療薬学領域薬理学, 教授 (40318613)
Project Period (FY)	2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
Budget Amount *help	¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000) Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000) Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000) Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
Keywords	fMRI / 急性痛 / 炎症性痛 / 神経障害性痛 / 疼痛発現機構 / 痛み関連脳領域 / pain matrix領域 / 術後慢性痛 / 吸入麻酔 / 疼痛制御機構
Outline of Final Research Achievements	It’s important to prevent acute pain from transiting into chronic pain. In this study we investigated, with fMRI, the expression mechanism for acute pain in the brain of mice. Firstly, we investigated the pain of acute pancreatitis, which is difficult to cure clinically. The investigation showed that the activating pathways for acute pain in the brain were different from the ones for chronic pain. Secondly, we investigated cases of inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain. In both cases, the investigation showed that the pain matrix of the brain related to chronic pain was activated. Moreover, the brain hyperactivities were suppressed by an analgesic and an analgesic adjuvant. In brief, the investigation indicated that, even if we were under general anesthesia, there is an increase in the transmission of pain in the brain by pain stimuli. Therefore, it is necessary to use enough quantity of analgesics for patients from the middle of operations.