复旦大学新论文登上Cell头条

Core Viewpoint - The recent study from Fudan University reveals the neural mechanisms behind transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for neuropathic pain relief, providing insights for optimizing pain treatment and developing new analgesic drug targets [5][9]. Group 1: Research Background - Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the global population, significantly diminishing patients' quality of life. Current medications and therapies often have limited efficacy and notable side effects, highlighting the need for better pain relief options, including non-drug therapies [6]. - TENS is a physical therapy that alleviates pain by delivering specific frequency pulse currents through the skin to stimulate nerves [6]. Group 2: Mechanism of Action - The study found that repeated application of TENS during the early stages of nerve injury in mice activates the dorsal column nucleus (DCN)-thalamus-cortex pathway, resulting in sustained analgesic effects. This pathway is responsible for transmitting vibratory, discriminative touch, and proprioceptive sensations [6]. - Mechanistically, TENS activates low-threshold mechanoreceptors (Aβ-LTMR) in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), selectively activating glutamatergic neurons in the DCN. These neurons project to specific glutamatergic neurons in the ventral posterolateral nucleus (VPL) of the thalamus, which differ from neurons receiving spinal dorsal horn inputs. VPL neurons form monosynaptic connections with layer 5 neurons in the somatosensory hindlimb cortex (S1HL), mediating the analgesic effects induced by TENS [7].