Pain is a multimodal percept based on a complex signaling networks and interactions between different physiological systems. The development of computational power and sophisticated data analytics tools, together with technical advances in molecular biology, imaging, electrophysiology and wearable sensors, allows us to gain profound knowledge on different aspects of pain. Most research however concentrates only on one physiological sub-system. For instance, studies on microscale levels investigate ion channel function linked to pain using molecular and electrophysiological methods in single cells. On a more systemic level, there are attempts to employ wearable sensors to measure e.g. skin conductance to assess the feasibility of linking objective markers to self-reported pain. Brain imaging technologies such as fMRI help to better understand brain function and dysfunction in painful states. Since there have been excellent successes in each of these domains, there is now a strong need to improve the links between different domains of expertise. The phenomenon of pain must be studied as a whole system, where different aspects of pain signaling get connected to form a comprehensible picture out of single excellent jig saw puzzle pieces.
In this Research Topic, we are aiming to bring together publications which attempt to connect single findings for a better understanding of pain as a complex signaling network, which remains in interaction with many physiological systems. In particular, it is important to better understand the connections between peripheral pain encoding, information transfer to the spinal cord, further signal transmission to brain activity and the feedback to other physiological systems, such as the sympathetic nervous system. While it is difficult to start immediately with the complete pain network, our research topic aims at collecting research where any different aspects of pain studies are linked together to create a new scientific value. In addition to gathering relevant up-to-date research in one place, we aim to create an interdisciplinary research network and support the creation of new collaboration which will bring our understanding of pain to a new qualitative level.
We welcome manuscripts with a relation to the topic “pain” containing connections between different aspects of pain signaling in different physiological sub-systems or between pain signaling and other physiological systems. The research may be either experimental, computational, or a combination of both, but it must interconnect different physiological systems to provide a broader understanding of physiological networks in pain. E.g., combining molecular research on peripheral nociception with analysis of data from wearable sensors assessing the autonomic nervous system, or microbiome findings with fMRI results in patients with chronic pain or itch. Review papers and papers on conceptual development can be accepted, if they add value to the understanding of pain as a part of the physiological network.
Pain is a multimodal percept based on a complex signaling networks and interactions between different physiological systems. The development of computational power and sophisticated data analytics tools, together with technical advances in molecular biology, imaging, electrophysiology and wearable sensors, allows us to gain profound knowledge on different aspects of pain. Most research however concentrates only on one physiological sub-system. For instance, studies on microscale levels investigate ion channel function linked to pain using molecular and electrophysiological methods in single cells. On a more systemic level, there are attempts to employ wearable sensors to measure e.g. skin conductance to assess the feasibility of linking objective markers to self-reported pain. Brain imaging technologies such as fMRI help to better understand brain function and dysfunction in painful states. Since there have been excellent successes in each of these domains, there is now a strong need to improve the links between different domains of expertise. The phenomenon of pain must be studied as a whole system, where different aspects of pain signaling get connected to form a comprehensible picture out of single excellent jig saw puzzle pieces.
In this Research Topic, we are aiming to bring together publications which attempt to connect single findings for a better understanding of pain as a complex signaling network, which remains in interaction with many physiological systems. In particular, it is important to better understand the connections between peripheral pain encoding, information transfer to the spinal cord, further signal transmission to brain activity and the feedback to other physiological systems, such as the sympathetic nervous system. While it is difficult to start immediately with the complete pain network, our research topic aims at collecting research where any different aspects of pain studies are linked together to create a new scientific value. In addition to gathering relevant up-to-date research in one place, we aim to create an interdisciplinary research network and support the creation of new collaboration which will bring our understanding of pain to a new qualitative level.
We welcome manuscripts with a relation to the topic “pain” containing connections between different aspects of pain signaling in different physiological sub-systems or between pain signaling and other physiological systems. The research may be either experimental, computational, or a combination of both, but it must interconnect different physiological systems to provide a broader understanding of physiological networks in pain. E.g., combining molecular research on peripheral nociception with analysis of data from wearable sensors assessing the autonomic nervous system, or microbiome findings with fMRI results in patients with chronic pain or itch. Review papers and papers on conceptual development can be accepted, if they add value to the understanding of pain as a part of the physiological network.