Recent advances in the pharmacology of nerve-injury pain

Nerve injury pain remains a complex clinical challenge. Although the develo pment of animal models of nerve injury pain has aided our understanding of potential pathophysiologic mechanisms for this condition, effective treatme nt still remains beyond our reach. Several classes of agents appear to bloc k pain behavior in these animal models and humans, but they are often limit ed in their: use by low efficacy, or undesirable side-effects. A prerequisi te for the improvement of nerve injury pain includes the development of cli nically-relevant animal models in which therapeutic targets can be identifi ed.