Publications by authors named "Lina Naso"

Background: As the development of neuropathic symptoms contributes to pain severity and chronification after surgery, their early prediction is important to allow targeted treatment.

Objectives: We longitudinally investigated trajectories of signs and symptoms in patients undergoing thoracotomy and assessed whether and at which time they were related to the development of neuropathic pain symptoms 6 months after surgery.

Methods: Presurgical and 6 monthly postsurgical assessments included questionnaires for mental and physical well-being (e.

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Although the pathological changes in osteoporotic bones are well established, the characterization of the osteoporotic pain and its appropriate treatment are not fully elucidated. We investigated the behavioral signs of cutaneous and deep musculoskeletal pain and physical function; time-dependent changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and the emergence of the behavioral phenotype; and the effects of pharmacological interventions having different mechanisms of action (chronic intraperitoneal administration of pamidronate [0.25 mg/kg, 5x/week for 5 weeks] versus acute treatment with intraperitoneal morphine [10 mg/kg] and pregabalin [100 mg/kg]) in a mouse model of ovariectomized or sham-operated mice 6 months following surgery.

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Despite considerable advances in understanding mechanisms involved in chronic pain, effective treatment remains elusive. Comorbid conditions including anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment further impact quality of life. Chronic pain is associated with reversible changes in brain anatomy and function and with long-term changes in gene expression.

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Opioid and α2-adrenoceptor (AR) agonists are analgesic when administered in the spinal cord and show a clinically beneficial synergistic interaction when co-administered. However, α2-AR antagonists can also inhibit opioid antinociception, suggesting a complex interaction between the two systems. The α2A-AR subtype is necessary for spinal adrenergic analgesia and synergy with opioids for most agonist combinations.

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Human chronic pain sufferers frequently report problems with attention and concentration that affect daily functioning and quality of life. Chronic pain is also commonly associated with anxiety and depression. It is currently not known if the pain causes these co-morbidities, or if they are pre-disposing risk factors for the development of chronic pain.

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Chronic low back pain (LBP) is a complex, multifactorial disorder with unclear underlying mechanisms. In humans and rodents, decreased expression of secreted protein acidic rich in cysteine (SPARC) is associated with intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and signs of LBP. The current study investigates the hypothesis that IVD degeneration is a risk factor for chronic LBP.

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Chronic pain is associated with reduced brain gray matter and impaired cognitive ability. In this longitudinal study, we assessed whether neuroanatomical and functional abnormalities were reversible and dependent on treatment outcomes. We acquired MRI scans from chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients before (n = 18) and 6 months after (spine surgery or facet joint injections; n = 14) treatment.

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Objective: We investigated potential analgesics for chemotherapy-evoked neuropathic pain using rats treated with paclitaxel.

Design: Drugs were tested in a repeated dosing paradigm (four daily injections). Topiramate was tested with a long-term treatment paradigm (12 days).

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