Molecular and Cell Biology of Pain

Pain is the number one reason that people seek medical attention but pain is still under- and poorly-treated world-wide. The purpose of this book is to give an up to date picture of what causes pain, how pain becomes chronic and what pharmacological targets might be manipulated to alleviate acute and chronic pain. The book will cover a wide array of topics from gene polymorphisms to voltage-gated ion channels moving from cellular biology to whole animal physiology.

1. An Introduction to Pain Pathways and Pain “Targets”
   Vaskar Das
2. Peripheral Scaffolding and Signaling Pathways in Inflammatory Pain
   Nathaniel A. Jeske
3. Contribution of Mechanosensitive Ion Channels to Somatosensation
   Reza Sharif-Naeini
4. Sensory TRP Channels: The Key Transducers of Nociception and Pain
   Aaron D. Mickle, Andrew J. Shepherd and Durga P. Mohapatra
5. The Contribution of Mitochondria to Sensory Processing and Pain
   Sarah J. L. Flatters
6. Regulation of Gene Expression and Pain States by Epigenetic Mechanisms
   Sandrine M. Géranton and Keri K. Tochiki
7. Translation Control of Chronic Pain
   Ohannes K. Melemedjian and Arkady Khoutorsky
8. MicroRNA Biology and Pain
   Marguerite K. McDonald and Seena K. Ajit
9. Role of Extracellular Damage-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules (DAMPS) as Mediators of Persisitent Pain
   Jungo Kato and Camilla I. Svensson
10. mGluRs Head to Toe in Pain
    Benedict J. Kolber
11. Non-neuronal Central Mechanisms of Pain: Glia and Immune Response
    E. Alfonso Romero-Sandoval and Sarah Sweitzer
12. Synaptic Inhibition and Disinhibition in the Spinal Dorsal Horn
    Steven A. Prescott
13. Dendritic Spine Dysgenesis in Neuropathic Pain
    Andrew Michael Tan
14. Commonalities between Pain and Memory Mechanisms and their Meaning for Understanding Chronic Pain
    Theodore J. Price and Kufreobong E. Inyang
15. Dietary Influence on Pain via the Immune System
    Stacie K. Totsch, Megan E. Waite and Robert E. Sorge
16. Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
    Jill C. Fehrenbacher
17. Stress and Chronic Pelvic Pain
    Angela N. Pierce and Julie A. Christianson
18. Meningeal Afferent Signaling and the Pathophysiology of Migraine
    Carolina Burgos-Vega, Jamie Moy and Greg Dussor
19. Chronic Pain Syndromes, Mechanisms, and Current Treatments
    Justin Sirianni, Mohab Ibrahim and Amol Patwardhan