pain Archives
Predicting postop opioid use
Aug. 24, 2023—VUMC study finds that preoperative patient characteristics can predict daily opioid use at six months after surgery, suggesting opportunities for development of electronic risk-stratification algorithms.
Genetics and chronic pain
Apr. 20, 2023—Polygenic risk scores — scores that reflect the influence of common genetic variants — could be used to predict the likelihood of developing chronic overlapping pain conditions and guide biomarker and targeted prevention efforts.
Study finds aerobic exercise spurs endorphins, relieves low back pain
Aug. 5, 2020—Six weeks of aerobic exercise can lead to sustained increases in endogenous opioid function and significant relief for chronic low back pain, according to a randomized controlled trial by Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Stephen Bruehl, PhD, and colleagues, reported in Pain.
Loss of ‘Jedi’ alters neuron activity
Mar. 10, 2020—This is not the Jedi you're thinking of. This Jedi is a receptor that helps clear away dead neurons during development, and its loss changes the activity of dorsal root ganglia neurons, which could have implications for treating chronic pain.
Personalized pain management
Feb. 28, 2019—Understanding how natural brain chemicals with pain-relieving properties interact with administered opioids may guide personalized approaches for pain management.
Gender, pain and dementia
Oct. 16, 2017—Understanding sex differences in pain perception could lead to more targeted and effective pain assessment and management strategies in older adults with Alzheimer’s disease.
Pain and Alzheimer’s disease
Sep. 5, 2017—Clinicians should use a structured interview in people with Alzheimer’s disease to identify pain that might be otherwise overlooked.
New pain medicine from a fungus?
May. 13, 2016—Collybolide – a natural product isolated from a mushroom – is a promising candidate for the development of non-addictive pain medicines.
The yin and yang of COX-2
Oct. 2, 2015—New findings add to the understanding of how the enzyme COX-2 works, which is critical to the development of COX-2-targeted anti-inflammatory drugs.
How the cell makes morphine
Aug. 25, 2015—Vanderbilt investigators have discovered how mammals, including humans, produce the painkiller morphine.
New apps increase efficiency and safety for anesthesiologists
Jun. 25, 2015—Vanderbilt’s Department of Anesthesiology and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA) have teamed to provide anesthesiologists with new applications to improve workflow and safety practices.
A pain in the … genes
Jan. 10, 2014—Vanderbilt researchers have discovered that variation in the gene encoding the potassium channel GIRK1 plays a role in modulating human pain perception.
