Molecular Mechanisms of Pain and Analgesia
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: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 10656
Special Issue Editors
Interests: synaptic transmission and plasticity in the spinal dorsal horn and the spinal trigeminal nucleus; glutamate receptors and ion channels; mechanisms of pain including orofacial pain; brain circuitry modulating pain signals
Interests: acupuncture; visceral organ; mechanical stimulation; mesolimbic dopamine system
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Pain, an intricate and pervasive phenomenon, remains one of the most difficult challenges in human health. This unwelcome guest can linger, intrude, and disrupt the essence of our lives. Despite its omnipresence, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms orchestrating pain perception and our quest for effective analgesic interventions continue to evolve, pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge.
The scope of this special issue includes, but is not limited to: molecules that play roles in pain sensation, transmission, and perception, such as structural proteins, signaling proteins, transcriptional factors, receptors, ion channels, genes, and so on. The scope also includes altered neural circuitries and abnormal peripheral and central nervous system functions that contribute to the modulation of normal sensory transmission and integration. In addition, relationships of pain with other abnormal brain diseases, such as psychiatric (e.g., anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and addiction) and neurodegenerative (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson's disease) diseases, are included. Therefore, We invite researchers, clinicians, and scientists to submit manuscripts (original research or review) on the following topics, but not limited to:
- Molecular pathways involved in nociception, inflammatory pain, and neuropathic pain.
- Neurotransmitters and receptors in pain signaling.
- Genetics and epigenetics of pain susceptibility.
- Novel drug targets for analgesia.
- Emerging technologies in pain research.
- Alternative and complementary approaches to pain relief.
Dr. Dong-Ho Youn
Dr. Hee Young Kim
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- pain
- analgesia
- sensory transmission and integration
- molecular pathways
- pain genes
- drug targets
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