(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Pain is often thought to be a debilitating symptom
of osteoarthritis. But new research suggests pain is more than a symptom, it’s a
damaging part of the disease itself.
According to a new study, pain signals originate in arthritic joints and the
biochemical processing of those signals as they reach the spinal cord actually
worsen and expand arthritis. Furthermore, researchers found that nerve pathways
that carry pain signals transfer inflammation from arthritic joints to the spine
and back again to the joint -- causing disease at both ends.
The process of pain signals being transmitted from the sight of origin to the
processing centers in the spinal cord and back is called nociception -- a type
of “crosstalk” within the body. According to the study, it’s this crosstalk that
enables joint arthritis and inflammation to be transmitted to the spinal cord
and brain and consequently spread throughout the central nervous system.
Researchers have identified likely drugs that can interfere with the crosstalk
of arthritis pain through inflammatory receptors on sensory nerve cells. This
could be an effective new approach to treating osteoarthritis -- a condition
that affects 21 million Americans.
“Until relatively recently, osteoarthritis was believed to be due solely to wear
and tear, and inevitable part of aging,” Stephanos Kyrkanides, D.D.S., Ph.D.,
associate professor of Dentistry at the University of Rochester Medical Center,
was quoted as saying. “Recent studies have revealed, however, that specific
biochemical changes contribute to the disease, changes that might be reversed by
precision-designed drugs. Our study provides the first solid proof that some of
those changes are related to pain processing, and suggests the mechanisms behind
the effect.”
Researchers also believe that if joint arthritis can have an effect on
neuro-inflamation, it could have a role in conditions like Alzheimer’s disease,
dementia and multiple sclerosis.
SOURCE: Arthritis and Rheumatism, 2008;58:3100-3109
