Analyzing the interaction between transmission and inhibition systems of pain at the single neuron level

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20598
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Surgical dentistry
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University
• Principal Investigator: Ohno Sachi 鹿児島大学, 医歯学域鹿児島大学病院, 助教 (00535693)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 三叉神経脊髄路核 / 疼痛 / 疼痛抑制 / 日内変動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

"pain" is a warning sign that informs the damage of the living body, and it is a necessary sensation for us. However, the "pain" that remains after playing a role limits normal activities and is detrimental to survival. In addition, previous studies have reported diurnal variations in pain, suggesting that the trigeminal system targeted in this study may also have diurnal variations in pain transmission and inhibition. We made a model of acute persistent pain by subcutaneously injecting formalin into the upper lip of mice and examined diurnal variation of pain. As a result, it was revealed that the pain was increased in the dark period in the mouse. Furthermore, it is considered that the cause is that there is a diurnal variation in the expression level of transducers involved in pain transmission.

Free Research Field

歯科麻酔学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究より、口腔・顔面領域の痛みの感じ方には日内変動があること、日内変動を生み出す原因物質の存在が解明されつつある。今回の結果は、痛みの研究全般における最もベーシックな知見の１つであるとともに、今後の痛みの基礎研究にも影響を与え得るものでもあり、その学術的意義はとても大きいと考えられる。