Abstract
Inflammation of the colon is well-established as an initiating factor in the development of chronic visceral pain. Colitis induces sensitisation at peripheral and central sites of the sensory afferent pathways that relay nociceptive signals into the brain. Sensitisation within the spinal cord is an important mechanism maintaining chronic visceral pain beyond colitis resolution and facilitates the development of cross-organ sensitization. This minireview summarises what is currently known from animal acute and post-colitis models on spinal sensitisation and the plasticity involved. These mechanisms have relevance to human inflammatory and functional bowel disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). These prevalent conditions afflict millions of people globally and yet adequate treatments for the chronic visceral pain associated with these disorders are lacking.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Visceral Pain |
Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
Pages | 183-196 |
Number of pages | 14 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9783031257025 |
ISBN (Print) | 9783031257018 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published or Issued - 1 Jan 2023 |
Keywords
- Colitis
- Colon
- Dorsal horn and chronic visceral pain
- Nociception
- Rectum
- Spinal cord
- Visceral afferent pathways
- Visceral pain
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine
- General Neuroscience