Imagine that the movement of a single hair on your arm causes severe pain. For patients with neuropathic pain \u2013 a chronic illness affecting 7 to 8% of the European population, with no effective treatment \u2013 this can be a daily reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scientists from EMBL Rome have now identified a special population of nerve cells in the skin that are responsible for sensitivity to gentle touch. These are also the cells that cause severe pain in patients with neuropathic pain. The research team, led by EMBL group leader Paul Heppenstall, developed a light-sensitive chemical that selectively binds to this type of nerve cell. By first injecting the affected skin area with the chemical and then illuminating it with near-infrared light, the targeted nerve cells retract from the skin\u2019s surface, leading to pain relief. Nature Communications<\/em> publishes the results on 24 April 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By clipping off the nerve endings with light, the gentle touch that can cause severe pain in neuropathic patients is no longer felt. \u201cIt\u2019s like eating a strong curry, which burns the nerve endings in your mouth and desensitizes them for some time,\u201d says Heppenstall. \u201cThe nice thing about our technique is that we can specifically target the small subgroup of neurons causing neuropathic pain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are many different types of nerve cells in your skin, which make you feel specific sensations like vibration, cold, heat, or normal pain. These cells are not affected by the light treatment at all. The skin is only desensitized to the gentlest touch, like a breeze, tickling, or an insect crawling across your skin.<\/p>\n\n\nStrong curry<\/h2>\n\n\n\n