Mechanisms of Pain Development and Treatment Strategies
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 53
Special Issue Editor
Interests: chronic pain; fibromyalgia; long COVID; ER stress; chaperone; opioid tolerance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Pain is a complex and heterogeneous pathological condition arising from diverse molecular and cellular processes in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Recent advances in research have revealed that neuroimmune signaling, intracellular stress responses, mitochondrial dysfunction, ion channel dysregulation, neuron–glial interactions, and maladaptive synaptic plasticity play important roles in the onset and persistence of chronic pain. Furthermore, the impact of changes in functional connectivity in the central nervous system resulting from these pathological conditions is also becoming clearer.
These mechanisms are particularly important in neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, and long COVID/post-COVID-19 sequelae, post-viral fatigue/pain syndrome, suggesting the sharing of crucial pathophysiological pathways.
This Special Issue focuses on the molecular mechanisms of chronic pain onset and the resulting changes in neural networks, with particular attention paid to fibromyalgia, long COVID, post-viral fatigue/pain syndrome and neuropathic pain. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, neuroinflammation, glial cell activation, intracellular stress signaling, mitochondrial and metabolic dysfunction, small fiber neuropathy, synaptic plasticity, central sensitization, alterations in neural networks, opioid tolerance and novel therapeutic approaches targeting these mechanisms.
This Special Issue welcomes submissions of original research papers, reviews, and hypotheses related to basic molecular and cellular research, animal models, translational research, and clinical research. The aim of this Special Issue is to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms of pain disorders and to promote the development of more effective, mechanism-based therapeutic strategies.
Prof. Dr. Tomohiko Aoe
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- chronic pain
- fibromyalgia
- long COVID
- post-viral fatigue/pain syndrome
- neuropathic pain
- neuroinflammation
- stress responses
- opioid tolerance
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