Focus on Pain

Pain, from bench to bedside

There has been substantial progress in understanding the neurobiological basis of pain, but these advances have yet to translate into new and improved analgesics.

Published online: 14 October 2010 | doi:10.1038/nm1110-1236

Abstract - | Full Text - Pain, from bench to bedside | PDF (60 KB) - Pain, from bench to bedside

Focus on Pain

Animalgesic effects

Elie Dolgin

Published online: 14 October 2010 | doi:10.1038/nm1110-1237

Animal experiments have produced an explosion of information about pain, but this knowledge has failed to yield new painkillers for use in humans. This abysmal track record has led to calls to overhaul the design of preclinical studies. Elie Dolgin goes to great pains to learn how monitoring rodents' facial expressions and brain activity might offer a more effective and humane way to test drug candidates.

Abstract - | Full Text - Animalgesic effects | PDF (1,380 KB) - Animalgesic effects

Focus on Pain

Advances in clinical research methodology for pain clinical trials

John T Farrar

Published online: 14 October 2010 | doi:10.1038/nm.2249

Abstract - | Full Text - Advances in clinical research methodology for pain clinical trials | PDF (382 KB) - Advances in clinical research methodology for pain clinical trials

Focus on Pain

Nociceptor sensitization in pain pathogenesis

Michael S Gold & Gerald F Gebhart

Published online: 14 October 2010 | doi:10.1038/nm.2235

Abstract - | Full Text - Nociceptor sensitization in pain pathogenesis | PDF (1,776 KB) - Nociceptor sensitization in pain pathogenesis

Focus on Pain

Central mechanisms of pathological pain

Rohini Kuner

Published online: 14 October 2010 | doi:10.1038/nm.2231

Abstract - | Full Text - Central mechanisms of pathological pain | PDF (1,352 KB) - Central mechanisms of pathological pain

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Interactions between the immune and nervous systems in pain

Ke Ren & Ronald Dubner

Published online: 14 October 2010 | doi:10.1038/nm.2234

Abstract - | Full Text - Interactions between the immune and nervous systems in pain | PDF (1,414 KB) - Interactions between the immune and nervous systems in pain

Focus on Pain

Getting the pain you expect: mechanisms of placebo, nocebo and reappraisal effects in humans

Irene Tracey

Published online: 14 October 2010 | doi:10.1038/nm.2229

Abstract - | Full Text - Getting the pain you expect: mechanisms of placebo, nocebo and reappraisal effects in humans | PDF (664 KB) - Getting the pain you expect: mechanisms of placebo, nocebo and reappraisal effects in humans

Focus on Pain

Overcoming obstacles to developing new analgesics

Clifford J Woolf

Published online: 14 October 2010 | doi:10.1038/nm.2230

Abstract - | Full Text - Overcoming obstacles to developing new analgesics | PDF (559 KB) - Overcoming obstacles to developing new analgesics