THALAMIC MECHANISMS OF PAIN

描述：这些研究的总体目标是阐明丘脑 疼痛刺激和慢性疼痛感知的潜在机制。 这些新颖的研究之所以可行，是因为提供了一个独特的机会 我们在功能性立体定向神经外科手术中能够记录 神经元电活动的变化及微刺激的影响 唤醒有运动障碍或慢性疼痛的患者。的主要目标是 该项目的目的是：证明伤害性神经元的存在 在人的Vc(腹基复合体；VB)中，描述他们的反应， 确定这些部位的微刺激是否会引起疼痛 并检查是否阻断了这一区域神经元的活动 区域将导致疼痛感知的改变II：执行类似的操作 但研究对象是位于下丘脑腹侧后部的神经元 Vcpc/VMpo.执行与上述I和II中类似的研究，但 神经元位于丘脑内侧。IV：为了分析发病率， 爆裂细胞的位置和放电模式(建议有助于 丘脑内侧和外侧的慢性疼痛)，并确定 阻断他们对慢性疼痛的活动。这些目标将通过一个 微刺激诱发的细胞外神经元记录的组合 清醒状态下短暂阻断神经元活动的感觉和影响 病人。拟议的研究将检验以下假设：VC、Vcpc/VMpo、 内侧丘脑参与了疼痛的各个方面的调节 经验和细胞自发地以爆发式模式激发可能是 与慢性疼痛有关。这些新颖而独特的研究结果 应该会极大地促进我们对丘脑在脑内 慢性和急性疼痛，并可能提供一个激进的新概念 丘脑疼痛机制的框架。加深对丘脑的认识 急性和慢性疼痛的机制可能导致新的 治疗方法。

DESCRIPTION: The overall goal of these studies is to elucidate the thalamic mechanisms underlying the perception of painful stimuli and chronic pain. These novel studies are made feasible by the unique opportunity afforded to us during functional stereotactic neurosurgery when we are able to record the activity of neurons and determine the effects of microstimulation in awake patients with movement disorders or chronic pain. The major aims of the project are to I: Demonstrate the existence of nociceptive neurons within human Vc (the ventrobasal complex; VB), characterize their responses, determine whether microstimulation at such sites gives rise to painful sensations and examine whether blocking the activity of the neurons in this region will result in alteration of pain perception II: Perform similar studies but for neurons located ventroposterior to Vc in a region termed Vcpc/VMpo. III. Perform similar studies as in I and II above but for neurons located in medial thalamus. IV: To analyze the incidence, locations and firing patterns of bursting cells (proposed to contribute to chronic pain) in medial and lateral thalamus and determine the effects of blocking their activity on chronic pain. These goals will be achieved by a combination of extracellular neurons recordings, microstimulation-evoked sensations and effects of temporary block of neuronal activity in awake patients. The proposed studies will test the hypotheses that Vc, Vcpc/VMpo, and medial thalamus are involved in mediating various aspects of the pain experience and that cells firing spontaneously in a bursting pattern may be related to chronic pain. The results of these novel and unique studies should considerably advance our understanding of the role of thalamus in both chronic and acute pain and could provide a radical new conceptual framework of thalamic pain mechanisms. Improved understanding of thalamic mechanisms of acute and chronic pain may lead to the development of new therapeutic approaches.