Neuropathic pain study: Scripps Research Institute
 

I came across this report on ScienceDaily.com this evening. Here's the link:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0122152447.htm

The upshot: A small molecule, dimethylsphingosine (DMS), appears not only to be overabundant in rats with induced nerve damage, it also appears to cause pain in healthy rats when it is injected.

DMS is "...an apparent byproduct of cellular reactions involving sphingomyelin, a major building block for the insulating sheaths of nerve fibers."

It may induce pain "...by stimulating the release of pro-inflammatory molecules from neuron-supporting cells called astrocytes."

So does this molecule aid in regenerating nerves then? If so, sign me up!

kvan1917, I think the article indicates that the DMS molecule is a byproduct of nerve sheathe growth -- like smoke is a product of fire, I suppose.

For us, perhaps what the study leads toward might be therapies aimed at managing the byproduct in such a way that it reduces or eliminates the neuropathic pain it causes. Like using a woodstove but managing the smoke so it doesn't choke you.

A better metaphor might be the soreness one gets after exercising hard. The muscles are growing but during the process they tend to hurt a bit. If we could have the growth without the hurt it would be better...!

That's where I think the DMS - neuropathic pain link is. The DMS doesn't help nerves grow, but it's a product of increased nerve growth. And it causes pain. So if we could have the regrowth without the pain -- by blocking the effects of the DMS -- then it may ease neuropathic symptoms? Maybe?

Ah, that makes more sense now, thanks. I don't really have any pain, just numbness. That's good news for people with pain, though.

While these research articles are interesting...getting a viable
treatment could take eons IMO to reach patients!

And many times no solutions are found.

It does point however, to mechanisms of pain. Which you may be able to affect.

what is sphingomyelin?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingomyelin

Sphingolipids:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sphingolipid