Translational Research in Neuropathic Pain

Chronic neuropathic pain is a pathological syndrome that follows injury, dysfunction, or dysregulation of the somatosensory system. While estimated to affect 7-8% of the general population, neuropathic pain is thought to be increasing in prevalence given overall increases in survivorship, including those persons with commonly implicated conditions like diabetes mellitus and cancer. Unfortunately, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying neuropathic pain have yet to be clearly elucidated. Clinical management of affected patients can be challenging, with many persons refractory to standard of care treatment strategies.

Although preclinical studies exploring neuropathic pain mechanisms and interventions have been robust in recent years, advances in clinical care are relatively lacking. While manifold, this disparity is largely a product of limited well-designed translational pain studies. Given challenges and limitations of animal models and measures of pain, translational studies are a vital avenue for directing future clinical studies. Additionally, these studies also serve to facilitate understanding of deficits in preclinical models. This research topic aims to provide a forum for translational research in neuropathic pain. Given recent advances in fields as varied as neuroimaging, neuromodulation, neuroimmunology, and many others, there exists much opportunity for translational studies exploring neuropathic pain pathophysiology, sequela, and interventions.

This research topic will consider any manuscripts that investigate novel pain mechanisms, interventions, or patient phenotypes via translational models. Studies may be theoretical, empirical, or proof of concept studies in a patient population. Studies exploring the following neuropathic pain syndromes are welcome:
-neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury
-painful diabetic neuropathy
-chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy
-cervical or lumbar radiculopathy
-phantom limb pain
-peripheral polyneuropathy
-entrapment neuropathies
-post-viral neuralgia (including postherpetic neuralgia, HIV neuropathy, etc.)
-autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc.)
-neuropathic pain after brain injury (stroke, TBI, multiple sclerosis, etc.)
-hereditary neuropathies (Charcot Marie Tooth, etc.)
-other populations or pain syndromes will be considered if within the research topic scope

Keywords: neuropathic pain, chronic pain, dysesthesia, allodynia, dorsal root ganglia, spinal cord injury, diabetic neuropathy, peripheral polyneuropathy, chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.