About this Research Topic
Chronic pain, a prevalent and costly disease (~$600 billion annually in the US), is managed primarily with drugs, the most widely used being opioids and their derivatives, which affect both peripheral and central nervous systems (PNS, CNS) leading to adverse side effects like sedation, dependence, and addiction. Despite advances in targeting pharmacology, management of the chronic pain state remains challenging. Neuromodulation as a nondrug alternative can, to varying degrees, manage chronic pain phenotypes in humans and animal, e.g., spinal cord stimulation (SCS), peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation in the treatment of low back, neuropathic, and complex regional pain syndromes.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address advances in this modality by bringing together a collection of papers reflecting research focusing on mechanisms and applications achieving increased regulation of nociceptive processing.
We specifically invite submission of manuscripts reflecting research focusing on the following topics:
• Innovative stimulating electrode design promoting increased targeting selectivity of different neural tissues:
(1) Electrode array targeting spinal cord stimulation (SCS)
(2) Electrode array targeting DRG stimulation
(3) Electrode array targeting peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS)
• Novel stimulation protocols, including but not limited to creative stimulating modality (e.g. continuous, burst or temporally interfering), unique stimulating waveform, specific ranges of stimulating intensity, frequency and pulse width.
• Novel mechanisms and targets: e.g., direct and indirect circuit activation versus inhibition and the role of multiple targets in afferents, DRG, dorsal horn and ascending links.
The goal of this Research Topic is to address advances in this modality by bringing together a collection of papers reflecting research focusing on mechanisms and applications achieving increased regulation of nociceptive processing.
We specifically invite submission of manuscripts reflecting research focusing on the following topics:
• Innovative stimulating electrode design promoting increased targeting selectivity of different neural tissues:
(1) Electrode array targeting spinal cord stimulation (SCS)
(2) Electrode array targeting DRG stimulation
(3) Electrode array targeting peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS)
• Novel stimulation protocols, including but not limited to creative stimulating modality (e.g. continuous, burst or temporally interfering), unique stimulating waveform, specific ranges of stimulating intensity, frequency and pulse width.
• Novel mechanisms and targets: e.g., direct and indirect circuit activation versus inhibition and the role of multiple targets in afferents, DRG, dorsal horn and ascending links.
Keywords: Neuromodulation, somatic pain, visceral pain, chronic pain
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
