Involvement of glia-neuron functional interaction in intractable trigeminal neuropathic pain

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24659832
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Functional basic dentistry
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: IWATA Koichi 日本大学, 歯学部, 教授 (60160115)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): KOBAYASHI Masayuki 日本大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (00300830) ; NAKANISHI Hiroshi 九州大学, 歯学研究科(研究院), 教授 (20155774) ; SHINODA Masamichi 日本大学, 歯学部, 准教授 (20362238)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 歯科基礎医学 / 神経科学 / 三叉神経 / 疼痛制御 / グリア細胞 / 三叉神経脊髄路核 / 神経障害性疼痛 / 異所性痛覚過敏

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We focused on neuron-glial cell interaction in the trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) and tried to clarify the mechanisms underlying orofacial extraterritorial pain associated with trigeminal nerve injury or orofacial inflammation. Astroglial and microglial cell activation occurs in the Vc following trigeminal nerve injury or orofacial inflammation via chemokine-immune-cell system and further enhancement of Vc neuronal activity caused by MAP kinase cascade, resulting in the extraterritorial orofacial pain or enhancement of the orofacial motor function.

Free Research Field

歯学