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What causes chronic pain? New study identifies key culprit in the brain

Researchers have discovered a neural circuit hidden in an understudied region of the brain plays a critical role in turning temporary pain into chronic pain. Silencing this pathway can prevent or halt chronic pain, offering new hope for treating severe chronic pain with injections or infusions targeting specific brain cells.

SourceUniversity of Colorado at Boulder·JournalNeuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 27, 2026

High-fat diet can provoke pain sensitivity without obesity, diabetes

A new study in mice suggests that a short-term high-fat diet can induce hyperalgesic priming and allodynia, even in the absence of injury or preexisting conditions like obesity or diabetes. Researchers found that palmitic acid, a type of saturated fatty acid, binds to nerve cells, causing inflammation and mimicking injury to neurons.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Dallas·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 14, 2022

Predictors of chronic migraine

A recent meta-analysis published in Cephalalgia highlights the predictors of chronic migraine, including depression, which increases the risk by 58%, and high-frequency attacks, which raises a permanent debate surrounding the diagnostic criteria. The study also found medication overuse to increase the odds of developing chronic migrain...

SourceInternational Headache Society·JournalCephalalgia·DateJan 7, 2020

Study identifies gene that makes gentle touch feel painful after injury

Researchers identified PIEZO2 as a gene controlling tactile allodynia, a form of pain caused by gentle touch after injury. The study found that PIEZO2 plays an essential role in the nervous system's reaction to injury and inflammation, making it a target for developing precise treatments for relieving painful skin injuries.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke·JournalScience Translational Medicine·DateOct 10, 2018