This volume provides a comprehensive accounting of pain and its relation to neurology. It is dedicated entirely to the mechanisms and clinical aspects of the subject, and provides a wealth of information on the latest neurobiological and clinical data surrounding the topic. From discussions of the physiology and pathology of the pain pathways from signaling, via spinal cord and supraspinal processing to endogenous pain modulation, users will gain an invaluable reference that provides a new understanding of pain related topics, including cytokines, sex differences, and the autonomic nervous system. Practicing clinicians, internists, surgeons, and those in the fields of psychiatry and gerontology will gain a greater understanding of this challenging topic with chapters that deal extensively with peripheral and central pain conditions, including specific disorders such as fibromyalgia, whiplash, psychiatric diseases, dementia, and even cancer. In addition, treatments for neuropathic pain are also thoroughly presented and discussed.

Table of Contents:
Section 1 Pain and neurology 1. Pain and hyperalgesia: definitions and theories. R.-D. Treede (Mainz, Germany) 2. Pain as a disease. J.D. Loeser (Seattle, WA, USA) Section 2 The neurobiology of pain Peripheral signaling of pain 3. Nociceptors: neurogenic inflammation. H. O. Handwerker (Nürnberg, Germany) 4. Primary hyperalgesia and nociceptor sensitization. L. Johanek, B. Shim and R.A. Meyer (Baltimore, MD, USA) 5. Molecular mechanisms of nociception and pain. J.N. Wood (London, UK) Spinal cord processing 6. Anatomy and neurochemistry of the dorsal horn. A.J. Todd (Glasgow, UK) 7. Pain and the spinal cord. F. Cervero (Montreal, Canada) 8. Ascending nociceptive pathways. L. Villanueva, A. Lopez-Avila and L. Monconduit (Clermont-Ferrand, France) 9. Spinal mechanisms of hyperalgesia, K.N. Westlund (Galveston, TX, USA) Supraspinal processing 10. Brain stem and thalamic relays. J.O. Dostrovsky (Toronto, Canada) 11. Subcortical processing of nociceptive information: basal ganglia and amygdala. V. Neugebauer (Galveston, TX, USA) 12. Cortical mechanisms mediating acute and chronic pain in humans. K. Casey and T.D. Tran (Ann Arbor, MI, USA and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) Endogenous pain modulation 13. Descending inhibitory systems. A.Pertovaara and A.Almeida (Helsinki,Finland and Braga,Portugal) 14. Descending excitatory systems. M.H. Ossipov and F. Porreca (Tucson,AZ,USA) 15. Descending pain modulation as a component of homeostasis. P. Mason (Chicago,IL,USA) Section 3 The pathophysiology of pain 16. Pathological changes in the nociceptor: alterations in TRPV1 activity and Expression. M. Caterina (Baltimore, MD, USA) 17. Cytokinins and pain. C. Sommer (Würzburg, Germany) 18. Itch and cold allodynia. M. Schmelz (Mannheim, Germany) 19. Pathophysiology of nerve injury, M. Devor (Jerusalem, Israel) 20. Central sensitization following nerve injury: molecular mechanisms. K. Noguchi (Hyogo, Japan) 21. Pain following spinal cord injury: central mechanisms. R. Yezierski (Gainsville, FLA, USA) 22. Contribution of glia to pain processing in health and disease. L. Watkins, J. Wiesler-Frank, E. D. Milligan, I. Johnston and S. F. Maier (Boulder, CO, USA) 23. Sex, gender and pain. J. S. Mogil (Montreal, Canada) 24. Referred pain from internal organs. M.A. Giamberardino, G. Affaitati and R. Constantini (Chieti, Italy) 25. The autonomic nervous system and pain. R.Baron and J. Schattschneider (Kiel, Germany) Section 4 Pain assessment 26. Clinical examination. J. W. Scadding (London, UK) Neurophysiological examinations in neuropathic pain 27. Quantitative sensory testing. D. Yarnitsky and M. Granot (Haifa, Israel) 28. Brainstem reflexes and their relevance to pain. G. Cruccu, G.D. Iannetti and A. Truini (Rome, Italy and Oxford, UK) 29. Microneurography in the assessment of neuropathic pain. E. Jørum and M. Schmelz (Oslo, Norway and Mannheim, Germany) 30. Evoked potentials in the assessment of pain. L. Garcia Larrea (Lyon, France) 31. Neuropathological examination of peripheral nerves in painful neuropathies (neuralgias). A.L. Oaklander (Boston, MA, USA) 32. Brain imaging of pain. R. Kupers (Aarhus, Denmark) 33. Experimental human models of neuropathic pain. W. Magerl and T. Klein (Mainz, Germany) 34. Classification of neuropathic pain syndromes based on symptoms and signs. T.S. Jensen and P. Hansson (Aarhus, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden) Section 5 Pain conditions in neurology: peripheral neuropathies Pain after nerve injury 35. Complex regional pain syndrome. F. Birklein (Mainz, Germany) 36. Painful entrapment disorders. J. Serra (Barcelona Spain) 37. Pain after surgical interventions. P. Marchettini (Milan, Italy) Facial pain 38. Trigeminal neuralgia and other facial neuralgias. T. Nurmikko (Liverpool, UK) 39. Facial pain – atypical facial pain and burning mouth syndrome. H. Forssell and P. Svensson (Turku, Finland and Aarhus, Denmark) Polyneuropathies and pain 40 Painful diabetic neuropathies. A.J. Boulton ( Manchester, UK) 41. Painful small fiber neuropathies. C. Sommer and G. Lauria (Würzburg and Milan) 42. Specific painful neuropathies. L. Ginsberg (London, UK) 43. Acute herpes zoster pain. M. Haanpää (Helsinki, Finland) 44. Postherpetic neuralgia. C.P.N. Watson and A.L. Oaklander (Toronto, Canada and Boston, MA, USA) 45. Postamputation pain. L. Nikolajsen and B. Brandsborg (Aarhus, Denmark) Section 6 Pain conditions in neurology: central neuropathic pain 46. Pain following spinal cord injury. P. Siddall and N. Finnerup (Sydney, Australia and Aarhus, Denmark) 47. Pain in syringomyelia/bulbia. N. Attal and D. Bouhassira ( Boulogne-Billancourt and Saint-Quentin, France) 48. Central post stroke pain. J. Boivie (Linköping, Sweden) 49. Pain in multiple sclerosis. K.B. Svendson and F. Bach (Aarhus, Denmark) 50. Pain in Parkinson’s disease. G. Deuschl (Kiel, Germany) Section 7 Other pain conditions of neurological interest 51. Fibromyalgia. E. Kosek (Sweden) 52. Chronic low back pain. N. Bogduk ( Newcastle, Australia) 53. Whiplash injury. N. Bogduk (Newcastle, Australia) 54. Pain in somatisation disorders and psychiatric illness. H. Merskey (London, Canada) 55. Pain in dementia. E.J.A. Scherder and D. Swaab(Groningen and Amsterdam, the Netherlands) Section 8 Treatment of Neuropathic pain 56. The measurement and analysis of pain symptoms. J. Farrar (Philadelphia, PA, USA) 57. Principles of pharmacological treatment. S. Sindrup, N.B. Finnerup, M. Otto and T. S. Jensen (Odense and Aarhus, Denmark) 58. Cognitive behavioural approaches and neuropathic pain. H. C. Daniel and J.D. Van Der Merwe (London, UK) 59. Neurosurgical treatment of pain. F. A. Lenz (Baltimore, MD, USA) 60. Spinal cord stimulation of neuropathic pain. Y. Lazorthes, J.-C. Verdié and J.-C. Sol ( France) Subject index