Regrettably, advances in clinical therapies for NP have not paralleled the significant advances in basic science. A myriad of associated functional, structural, and molecular changes in neurons, glial cells, and other non-neuronal cells (e.g., macrophages) from the periphery to the brain have been characterized in several preclinical models ( Figure 1, for review see references. Since the initial neurophysiologic evidence, nearly four decades ago, for an increase in excitability of CNS neurons after peripheral tissue injury in an animal model, much has been learned about the peripheral and central changes associated with persistent pain states, particularly NP. Therefore, developing new treatments for NP with minimal CNS-related adverse effects is a high research priority. The limited efficacy of the NP drugs may have also contributed, in part, to the increased use of opioids for treating this chronic pain disorder. Most drugs currently in use for NP bind to receptors that are widely expressed throughout the central nervous system (CNS), and hence are frequently associated with dose-limiting adverse effects (sedation, dizziness, cognitive dysfunction), addiction, and abuse. The burning, stinging, shooting, dysesthetic sensations associated with NP can be excruciating, markedly detract from quality of life, and lead to depression and even suicide. It is estimated that approximately 7–10% of the population and 25–30% of individuals with chronic pain suffer from NP. Neuropathic pain (NP) results from injury to or disease of the somatosensory system. In future drug development efforts, therapies directed at peripheral mechanisms may offer potential advantages over current CNS-penetrating drugs, including minimal adverse effects. We summarize work from our group and others that identifies potential peripheral drug targets, including peripheral opioid receptors, involved in the modulation of NP. Hyperexcitability of peripheral neurons may represent a “low-hanging target” in the development of safe therapies for a subset of patients with NP. Several potential peripheral “pain generator” sites have been identified, and defining their role in NP states of different etiologies is important for targeted therapy. We consider the relative importance of peripheral and central mechanisms and present several lines of clinical and preclinical evidence supporting the tenet that spontaneous and ectopic activity in primary afferent neurons plays a critical role in NP. Therefore, identifying key targets involved in the initiation and maintenance of NP in the periphery, with guidance from meticulous clinical evidence, merits renewed focus. Most drugs currently used for the treatment of NP bind to receptors that are widely expressed in the peripheral and central nervous systems, and hence are frequently associated with adverse effects. Disappointingly, advances in clinical therapies for NP have not paralleled the substantial advances in basic science. Preclinical and clinical studies have considerably advanced our understanding of the myriad peripheral and central changes in neuronal and non-neuronal cells associated with persistent pain states. Patrick McCormack told the Journal News.Īnyone with information is asked to call detectives at 91 or the SPCA's Animal Cruelty Hotline at 91.Neuropathic pain (NP) resulting from injury or disease of the somatosensory system is a common, debilitating chronic disorder that significantly undermines quality of life. There was no evidence the animals were used in any rituals, Lt. Given the sanitation schedule, the cats were hung in the woods within the past year. Officials are still working to determine whether all of the dead cats were feral. Animal autopsies are planned, according to the Journal News. Officials said it was too early to say whether someone killed the cats or was just disposing of their bodies. Most of the cats seemed to have been dead before being put into the bags, Lungaro told the Journal News. Wildlife appeared to have ripped open five or so bags, spilling the dead cats out, Lungaro said. "It's a lot of cats to be disposed of in a year."Įach bag appeared to have one cat inside, which varied in age and stage of decomposition. "It's something very odd," Ernest Lungaro, director of the SPCA of Westchester's Humane Law Enforcement Division, told the Journal News. The bags were neatly tied around the branches.Ĭity sanitation workers performing their annual cleanup of the woods discovered the bags. Watch Video: 25 dead cats found in bags hanging on treesĪbout 25 dead cats were found in plastic bags hanging from tree branches in the woods in Yonkers, N.Y., the Journal News reports.
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