Human correlates of animal models of chronic pain.

Abstract

Neuropathic pain is defined by International Association for the Study of Pain as "pain initiated or caused by a primary lesion or dysfunction in the nervous system which can persist long after the initial injury has healed". Given the complexity of neuropathic pain ("lesion or dysfunction" encompasses a wide variety of disease states, ranging from trauma through neurotoxins and infections to metabolic disturbances), it is hardly surprising that an array of models has been developed for this pain condition, many of which are described in this volume. This chapter addresses the clinical correlates of these pain models.