Primary sensory neurons respond to peripheral stimulation and project to the spinal cord. Specifically, the population of neurons which respond to damaging stimuli terminate in the superficial layers of the dorsal horn. Therefore, the dorsal horns constitute the first relay site for nociceptive fibre terminals which make synaptic contacts with second order neurons. It has recently become clear that the strength of this first pain synapse is plastic and modifiable by several modulators, including neuronal and non-neuronal regulators, and studies on the fundamental processes regulating the plasticity of the first pain synapse have resulted in the identification of new targets for the treatment of chronic pain. This book will be of interest to a wide readership in the pain field.

Focuses on emerging areas of synaptic plasticity and pain

Anatomical Plasticity of Dorsal Horn Circuits.- Changes in NK1 and Glutamate Receptors in Pain.- Trophic Factors and Their Receptors in Pain Pathways.- Fast Synaptic Transmission in the Dorsal Horn.- Fast Inhibitory Transmission of Pain in the Spinal Cord.- Synaptic Transmission of Pain in the Developing Spinal Cord.- Slow Synaptic Transmission in the Dorsal Horn.- BDNF and TrkB Mediated Mechanisms in the Spinal Cord.- Dorsal Horn Substance P and NK1 Receptors: Study of a Model System in Spinal Nociceptive Processing.- Opioidergic Transmission in the Dorsal Horn.- CGRP in Spinal Cord Pain Mechanisms.- Amplification of Pain-Related Information.- Long-Term Potentiation in Superficial Spinal Dorsal Horn: A Pain Amplifier.- Modulation of Long-Term Potentiation of Excitatory Synaptic Transmission in the Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn.- Windup in the Spinal Cord.- Mechanisms and Targets for Chronic Pain.- Pain from the Arthritic Joint.- Spinal Mechanisms of Visceral Pain and Hyperalgesia.- Descending Modulation of Pain.- Cannabinoid Receptor Mediated Analgesia: Novel Targets for Chronic Pain States.- Spinal Dynorphin and Neuropathic Pain.- Microglia, Cytokines and Pain.- The Role of Astrocytes in the Modulation of Pain.- Spinal Cord Phospholipase A2 and Prostanoids in Pain Processing.- MAP Kinase and Cell Signaling in DRG Neurons and Spinal Microglia in Neuropathic Pain.- Microglia and Trophic Factors in Neuropathic Pain States.- The Cathepsin S/Fractalkine Pair: New Players in Spinal Cord Neuropathic Pain Mechanisms.