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的感知机制。 这些新的研究是可行的独特的机会， 在功能性立体定向神经外科手术期间，当我们能够记录 神经元的活动，并确定微刺激的影响， 患有运动障碍或慢性疼痛的清醒患者。 的主要内容 该项目是为了I：证明伤害性神经元的存在 在人Vc（腹基底复合体; VB）中，表征它们的反应， 确定这些部位的微刺激是否会引起疼痛 感觉，并检查是否阻断神经元的活动，在这个 区域将导致疼痛感知的改变II：执行类似 但是对于位于Vc腹后区的神经元， Vcpc/VMpo。 三. 进行与上述I和II相似的研究，但 位于内侧丘脑的神经元。 第四，分析发病率， 爆发细胞的位置和放电模式（建议有助于 慢性疼痛）在内侧和外侧丘脑，并确定的影响 阻断了它们对慢性疼痛的反应 这些目标将通过一个 细胞外神经元记录的组合，微刺激诱发 清醒状态下暂时性神经元活动阻滞的感觉和效应 患者 拟议的研究将检验Vc，Vcpc/VMpo， 和内侧丘脑参与调节疼痛的各个方面 经验和细胞自发放电的爆发模式可能是 与慢性疼痛有关。 这些新颖独特的研究结果 这将大大促进我们对丘脑在 慢性和急性疼痛，可以提供一个全新的概念， 丘脑疼痛机制的框架。 提高对丘脑的认识 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.