Abstract
Neuropathic pain remains a difficult clinical treatment dilemma. Despite numerous therapeutic approaches which have been developed, many patients continue to suffer. One difficulty which may lead to suboptimal neuropathic pain treatment outcomes is that of not being able to match particular therapeutic approaches to important nociceptive specific mechanisms/processes involved in a particular patient with pain.
It is theorized that the phenomenon of apoptosis and/or its associated signaling pathways-may at least partly contribute to hyperalgesia and/or pain states in certain circumstances. The term algoptosis is coined to refer to phenomena in which neuronal (and/or glial) apoptosis and its associated cellular/molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways-contribute to the modulation of nociceptive processes (i.e., processes leading to potential cell death. It is conceivable that certain pain states may exist in which apoptosis contributes to nociception-thus, it would be conceivable that treatment strategies designed to limit and/or reverse apoptotic processes-may possess analgesic and/or antihyperalgesic qualities.