Immune Mechanisms of Pain and Analgesia

Immune Mechanisms of Pain and Analgesia is the first volume to discuss a new concept of immune-neural interplays leading to pain or analgesia. It argues the classical view that pain and its control are restricted to the nervous system, offering a comprehensive overview of the emerging area of immune mechanisms in pain and its control. It challenges the traditional view that pain sensation or suppression is attributed exclusively to the nervous system and presents a critical analysis of this new concept. The book is written by an internationally recognized group of researchers and discusses complex and controversial issues such as cytokines and their pain-exacerbating but also analgesic effects, the production of opioids by immune cells, peripheral analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions of opioids, immunomodulatory effects of opiates, and immunosuppressive effects of pain.

Opioid receptors on immune cells.- Effects of opioids on the immune system: Experimental evidence for immunomodulatory effects of opioids.- Clinical relevance of immunomodulatory effects of opiates.- Opioid peptides in immune cells.- Opioid receptors on peripheral sensory neurons: Electrophysiology.- Opioid receptors on peripheral sensory neurons: Anatomical localization and analgesia.- Immune-suppressive effects of pain.- Opioids, immune system and pain in invertebrates.- Cytokines and centrally mediated pain.- Cytokines and peripherally mediated pain.- Cytokines and peripheral analgesia.- Functional evidence of pain control by the immune system.- Morphological correlates of immune-mediated peripheral opioid analgesia.- Anti-inflammatory effects of opioids.