Therapeutic potential of group III metabotropic glutamate receptor ligands in pain

Abstract

Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) modulate neurotransmission all along the pain neuraxis. While the involvement of group I and group II mGluRs in pain is well documented, information has only just started to emerge concerning the role and contribution of group III mGluRs subtypes to pain modulation. Recent data suggest that these receptors reduce symptoms in animal models of chronic pain, as well as regulate neurotransmission at different levels of ascending and descending pain pathway, suggesting that group III mGluRs may be interesting therapeutic targets for the development of analgesics.