On-Off Switch for Chronic Pain
In studies of rats, Columbia University researchers have identified a molecular switch that turns off chronic pain. WebMD offers a good explanation of how it works:
“The switch is an enzyme called protein kinase G or PKG. When PKG gets stuck in the ‘on’ position, nerve cells keep sending pain signals — long after the injury that originally caused the pain has healed. Turning PKG off stops the pain, rats studies show.”
Better meds could be the eventual result of this exciting finding.
Last Updated on July 19, 2013 by Kerrie Smyres
