Karavis Miltiades Y, Siafaka Ioanna, Vadalouca Athina, Georgoudis George
Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Research Laboratory, Department of Physiotherapy, University of West Attica, Athens, GRC.
1st Department of Anesthesiology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens, GRC.
Cureus. 2023 Aug 16;15(8):e43555. doi: 10.7759/cureus.43555. eCollection 2023 Aug.
Microglial cells are specialized macrophage cells of the central nervous system responsible for the innate immunity of the spinal cord and the brain. They protect the brain and spinal cord from invaders, microbes, demyelination, trauma and remove defective cells and neurons. For immune protection, microglial cells possess a significant number of receptors and chemical mediators that allow them to communicate rapidly and specifically with all cells of the nervous tissue. The contribution of microglia in neuropathic pain challenges conventional concepts toward neurons being the only structure responsible for the pathophysiological changes that drive neuropathic pain. The present study is a narrative review focusing on the literature concerning the complex interaction between neurons and microglia in the development of neuropathic pain. Injury in the peripheral or central nervous system may result in maladaptive changes in neurons and microglial cells. In neuropathic pain, microglial cells have an important role in initiating and maintenance of pain and inflammation. The interaction between neural and microglial cells has been proven extremely crucial for chronic pain. The study of individual mechanisms at the level of the spinal cord and the brain is an interesting and groundbreaking research challenge. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which neurons and immune cells interact, could constitute microglial cells a new therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
小胶质细胞是中枢神经系统中的特殊巨噬细胞，负责脊髓和大脑的固有免疫。它们保护大脑和脊髓免受入侵者、微生物、脱髓鞘、创伤的侵害，并清除有缺陷的细胞和神经元。为了进行免疫保护，小胶质细胞拥有大量的受体和化学介质，使它们能够与神经组织的所有细胞快速而特异性地进行通讯。小胶质细胞在神经性疼痛中的作用挑战了传统观念，即神经元是导致神经性疼痛的病理生理变化的唯一负责结构。本研究是一篇叙述性综述，重点关注有关神经性疼痛发生过程中神经元与小胶质细胞之间复杂相互作用的文献。外周或中枢神经系统损伤可能导致神经元和小胶质细胞发生适应性不良变化。在神经性疼痛中，小胶质细胞在疼痛和炎症的启动及维持中起重要作用。神经细胞与小胶质细胞之间的相互作用已被证明对慢性疼痛至关重要。在脊髓和大脑水平研究个体机制是一项有趣且具有开创性的研究挑战。阐明神经元与免疫细胞相互作用的机制，可能使小胶质细胞成为治疗神经性疼痛的新治疗靶点。
