Genetics more than any other biological approach can explain why some people experience more pain than others and receive less benefit from existing analgesics. Sixteen scholarly articles from international contributors describe the application of genetic techniques to the problem of pain and consider the knowledge that has so far resulted. Three themed sections review the techniques that are allowing the study of pain mechanisms at the genetic level; describe the progress being made in lab animals and humans in identifying the genes responsible for individual differences; and explore the practical and ethical issues that face pain researchers. The editor is associated with the Centre for Research on Pain, McGill U., Montreal. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

A thirty-year quest, from genes to pain-signaling neurons to people with a rare genetic disorder that makes them feel they are on fire. Two soldiers, both with wounds injuring the same nerve, show very different responses: one is disabled by neuropathic pain, unable to touch the injured limb because even the lightest contact triggers excruciating discomfort; the other notices numbness but no pain at all. Could the difference lie in their genes? In this book, described in the foreword by Nobel Laureate James Rothman as “so well written that it reads like a detective novel,” Stephen Waxman recounts the search for a gene that controls pain—a search spanning more than thirty years and three continents. The story moves from genes to pain-signaling neurons that scream when they should be silent to people with a rare genetic disorder who feel they are on fire. Waxman explains that if pain-signaling neurons are injured by trauma or disease, they can become hyperactive and send pain signals to the brain even without external stimulus. Studying the hyperactive mutant pain gene in man on fire syndrome has pointed the way to molecules that produce pain more broadly within the general population, in the rest of us. Waxman's account of the many steps that led to discovery of the pain gene tells the story behind the science, of how science happens.

Primum non nocere... The fact that a surgical procedure can leave any kind of pain casts a shadow over this tenet, which is seen as the basis of medical practice and anchor of its principle ethic... It is all the more surprising in that medicine has only paid attention to this paradoxical chronic pain situation for the past few years. Clarifying the knowledge acquired in this field has become all the more urgent for any care-giver today confronted by a legitimate request from patients: Why and how can a surgical procedure, which is supposed to bring relief, leave behind an unacceptable sequela? This is the approach which the contributors to this new subject of major clinical interest invite you to follow as you work your way through this book.

One of the Most Rapidly Advancing Fields in Modern Neuroscience The success of molecular biology and the new tools derived from molecular genetics have revolutionized pain research and its translation to therapeutic effectiveness. Bringing together recent advances in modern neuroscience regarding genetic studies in mice and humans and the practical

Since the first TRP ion channel was discovered in Drosophila melanogaster in 1989, the progress made in this area of signaling research has yielded findings that offer the potential to dramatically impact human health and wellness. Involved in gateway activity for all five of our senses, TRP channels have been shown to respond to a wide range of st

Pain Genetics: Basic to Translational Science is a timely synthesis of the key areas of research informing our understanding of the genetic basis of pain. The book opens with foundational information on basic genetic mechanisms underlying pain perception and progresses recently discovered complex concepts facing the field. The coverage is wide-ranging and will serves as an excellent entry point into understating the genetics of pain as well as providing a single resource for established researchers looking for a better understanding of the diverse strands of research going on in the area. With contributors painstakingly selected to provide a broad range of perspectives and research, Pain Genetics will be a valuable resource for geneticists, neuroscientists, and biomedical professionals alike.

Drug overdose, driven largely by overdose related to the use of opioids, is now the leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. The ongoing opioid crisis lies at the intersection of two public health challenges: reducing the burden of suffering from pain and containing the rising toll of the harms that can arise from the use of opioid medications. Chronic pain and opioid use disorder both represent complex human conditions affecting millions of Americans and causing untold disability and loss of function. In the context of the growing opioid problem, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched an Opioids Action Plan in early 2016. As part of this plan, the FDA asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to convene a committee to update the state of the science on pain research, care, and education and to identify actions the FDA and others can take to respond to the opioid epidemic, with a particular focus on informing FDA's development of a formal method for incorporating individual and societal considerations into its risk-benefit framework for opioid approval and monitoring.

This book explores the connection of functional pain syndromes (e.g., irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia) with anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, and posttraumatic stress disorder. The authors address possible common pathophysiologies and review a range of treatment options, from antidepressants to cognitive-behavioral therapy. Who should buy this book? Whether you are a general practitioner, specialist, or scientist, this book is essential reading. It sheds new light on the complex links between various painful syndromes and disorders.

This handbook is currently in development, with individual articles publishing online in advance of print publication. At this time, we cannot add information about unpublished articles in this handbook, however the table of contents will continue to grow as additional articles pass through the review process and are added to the site. Please note that the online publication date for this handbook is the date that the first article in the title was published online.

Chronic pain costs the nation up to $635 billion each year in medical treatment and lost productivity. The 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act required the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enlist the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in examining pain as a public health problem. In this report, the IOM offers a blueprint for action in transforming prevention, care, education, and research, with the goal of providing relief for people with pain in America. To reach the vast multitude of people with various types of pain, the nation must adopt a population-level prevention and management strategy. The IOM recommends that HHS develop a comprehensive plan with specific goals, actions, and timeframes. Better data are needed to help shape efforts, especially on the groups of people currently underdiagnosed and undertreated, and the IOM encourages federal and state agencies and private organizations to accelerate the collection of data on pain incidence, prevalence, and treatments. Because pain varies from patient to patient, healthcare providers should increasingly aim at tailoring pain care to each person's experience, and self-management of pain should be promoted. In addition, because there are major gaps in knowledge about pain across health care and society alike, the IOM recommends that federal agencies and other stakeholders redesign education programs to bridge these gaps. Pain is a major driver for visits to physicians, a major reason for taking medications, a major cause of disability, and a key factor in quality of life and productivity. Given the burden of pain in human lives, dollars, and social consequences, relieving pain should be a national priority.