Independent contributions of alcohol and stress axis hormones to painful peripheral neuropathy.

ABSTRACT: Painful small-fiber peripheral neuropathy is a debilitating complication of chronic alcohol abuse. Evidence from previous studies suggests that neuroendocrine mechanisms, in combination with other, as yet unidentified actions of alcohol, are required to produce this neuropathic pain syndrome. In addition to neurotoxic effects of alcohol, in the setting of alcohol abuse neuroendocrine stress axes release glucocorticoids and catecholamines. Since receptors for these stress hormones are located on nociceptors, at which they can act to cause neuronal dysfunction, we tested the hypothesis that alcohol and stress hormones act on the nociceptor, independently, to produce neuropathic pain. We used a rat model, which allows the distinction of the effects of alcohol from those produced by neuroendoc

SUBMITTER: Ferrari LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3544550 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature