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A Light Touch
03 June 2018

A Light Touch

For patients suffering from neuropathic pain, even the slightest touch can cause terrible suffering. Thankfully, recent research has identified neurons in the skin responsible for this sensation, and a possible means to deactivate them. Mice suffering from neuropathic pain no longer seemed to experience pain after gentle touches when a specific population of neurons was eliminated: in the mouse skin pictured, these cells are shown in green, surrounding the hair follicles (visible as light green streaks). Researchers also developed a light-sensitive chemical that specifically binds to these cells and, when illuminated with a laser, destroys them. Without altering other sensations, this technique prevented mice from feeling pain after light touches for several weeks, until the nerve endings regenerated. Although still far from similar trials in humans, these discoveries pave the way for a greater understanding of the neuronal pathways underpinning neuropathic pain, and suggest a new possibility for future therapies.

Written by Emmanuelle Briolat

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BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

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