For people with a type of chronic pain called trigeminal neuralgia, touch from everyday activities like face-washing, eating, or tooth-brushing can cause agonizing pain that can be hard to treat. Trigeminal neuralgia is a type of neuropathic pain, which is caused by damaged or irritated nerves. In this case, pain arises from insults to the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensations from the head, face, and oral cavity to the brain. Trigeminal nerves can be injured by a blood vessel pressing on the nerve, surgery, or diseases such as multiple sclerosis. A more complete understanding of the cellular and molecular basis of trigeminal neuralgia could help scientists find treatments that bring better relief to patients.
A recent NIDCR study provides new insight into the origins of the condition. A collaborative team led by NIDCR’s Nicholas Ryba, Ph.D., and Claire Le Pichon, Ph.D., of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, found that the gene changes typically seen after neuralgia-inducing damage to mouse trigeminal nerves may not be direct triggers of chronic pain, as scientists previously thought. Instead, the patterns of gene activity, or expression, in mouse trigeminal neurons suggest a role in wound healing after injury. Study results, published in eLife, may help scientists more precisely pinpoint targets for therapy.
