Newly discovered mechanism may exacerbate chronic pain

A researcher at the University of Texas at Dallas (TX, USA) has discovered a new neurological mechanism that appears to play a role in inhibiting pain. The study, recently published online in Pain, focused on the biochemical reactions that lead to a reduction in certain neurological activity such as pain. Previous research on inhibitory networks has focused on the activity of the GABA neurotransmitter that acts to inhibit neuronal activity. Strong evidence exists that suggests a process termed GABAergic plasticity is initiated when acute pain becomes chronic, causing GABA to lose its inhibitory function and so exacerbating the level of...