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Neuron-Microglia Dynamic Duo in Chronic Abdominal Pain

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Visceral Pain

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Abstract

Abdominal pain is one of the main symptoms of chronic gastrointestinal disorders including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The pathological mechanisms of chronic visceral pain have not been fully resolved. Pain management remains challenging and a source of frustration for health-care providers as current treatments are limited and lead to many side effects. Growing evidence indicates that functional changes in neuron-glia communication, at different levels of the gut-brain axis, contribute to visceral sensitization. In fact, a key role of spinal glial cells in the development and maintenance of hypersensitivity has been reported in several preclinical models of visceral pain. Here we provide an overview of the current knowledge on the factors, receptors, and transduction signaling pathways responsible for spinal neuron-glia interaction in chronic visceral pain.

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Funding

This work was supported by operating grants from the Crohn’s and Colitis Canada (CCC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). MD holds a fellowship from the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute (ACHRI). CA holds a Canada Research Chair in inflammatory pain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Manon Defaye & Christophe Altier

  2. Inflammation Research Network-Snyder Institute for Chronic Diseases, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Manon Defaye & Christophe Altier

  3. Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Manon Defaye & Christophe Altier

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  1. Manon Defaye
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  2. Christophe Altier
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Correspondence to Christophe Altier .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Visceral Pain Research Group, Hopwood Centre for Neurobiology, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), Adelaide, SA, Australia

    Stuart M. Brierley

  2. Visceral Neurophysiology Laboratory, College of Medicine and Public Health & Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia

    Nick J. Spencer

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Defaye, M., Altier, C. (2023). Neuron-Microglia Dynamic Duo in Chronic Abdominal Pain. In: Brierley, S.M., Spencer, N.J. (eds) Visceral Pain. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25702-5_15

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