Sensitization of supra-threshold pain responses-Translational aspects and mechanisms

Abstract

A substantial translational gap in pain research has been reflected by a mismatch of relevant primary pain assessment endpoints in preclinical vs. clinical trials. Since activity-dependent mechanisms may be neglected during reflexive tests, this may add as a confounding factor during preclinical pain assessment. In this perspective, we consider the evidence for a need for supra-threshold pain assessment in the pain research literature. In addition to that, we focus on previous results that may demonstrate an example mechanism, where the detection of neuron-glial interactions on pain seems to be substantially depending on the assessment of pain intensity beyond threshold levels.

Keywords: dose-response relationship; glutamic acid; negative results; ongoing pain; predictive validity; short-term plasticity; supra-threshold pain; synaptic transmission.