A new study involving our Biosciences department has revealed a previously unknown pain pathway in the human nervous system, reshaping our understanding of how chronic pain functions.
Traditionally, chronic pain has been seen as simply a longer-lasting version of acute pain.
However, new research shows it is a fundamentally different process involving separate biological mechanisms.
Unlike acute pain, which occurs as a direct response to injury or overuse and can often be treated effectively with standard painkillers, chronic pain does not respond in the same way.
This is particularly significant for people living with conditions such as fibromyalgia, where pain is widespread, persistent, and often poorly understood.
Identifying a unique pathway means that scientists can now begin to develop therapies that specifically target chronic pain without relying on conventional treatments that often prove ineffective.
Dr Robert Banks, visiting researcher in our Biosciences department made a vital contribution to the research.
Alongside Dr Guy Bewick from the University of Aberdeen, Dr Banks had previously studied how nerves in muscles respond to movement.
Their research found that sensory nerve endings in muscles release a chemical called glutamate during activity, which helps the nerves adjust and respond appropriately to changes in muscle position.
This foundational work helped establish how glutamate, under certain conditions, can trigger nearby pain-sensitive nerves and keep them active.
These insights led to a collaboration with Professor Chih-Cheng Chen in Taiwan, where the team discovered that this glutamate pathway plays a central role in the type of pain that persists long after any injury has healed.
The research team demonstrated that by blocking this unusual glutamate pathway, it is possible to prevent the activation of chronic pain signals.
This finding, published in Science Advances, provides a crucial step towards developing new pain relief treatments for conditions that have long resisted traditional medication.
This research brings new hope for millions of people whose lives are affected by chronic pain.
Our Department of Biosciences is ranked fifth in the UK in the Complete University Guide 2025. Visit our Biosciences webpages for more information on our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.
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