Targeting pain where it resides ... In the brain.

Abstract

Chronic pain is estimated to be the third most prevalent health problem in the world. Although scientists have made great strides in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms through which chronic pain develops, this knowledge has not been translated into new therapies. In this issue of Science Translational Medicine, Wang and colleagues report on the development of a selective antagonist of type 1 adenylate cyclase (AC1), which is induced in subsets of neurons in the central nervous system during the development of neuropathic pain. Blockade of AC1 significantly alleviates the mechanical hypersensitivity that occurs in a mouse model of neuropathic pain without affecting acute pain responsiveness or cognitive and motor function. These features make AC1 a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain.