MIGHT GLIA BE THE CULPRIT CAUSING FIBROMYALGIA PAIN?
In chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia, the assumption that is classically made is that neurons cause the problem. That is, the uncontrolled pain must be due to malfunctioning neurons in the pain pathway. I will offer a radically different view. That is, that non-neuronal cell types called glia may be the root of the problem. Spinal cord glia (astrocytes and microglia) are immune-like cells which release an array of neuroexcitatory substances when these cells are triggered to activate. Key among these spinally-released substances are the proinflammatory cytokines: interleukin-1 (IL1), interleukin-6 (IL6) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Evidence accruing across multiple laboratories over the past decade provide compelling support that activated glia, and their proinflammatory cytokine products, are key players in the creation and maintenance of diverse pathological pain states. This profile suggests novel approaches to pain control where spinal cord glia and their proinflamma
