Long-term pain causes humane and functional challenges and imposes economic burdens. The pain signals travels from the peripheral parts of the body to the pain areas of the brain along the spinal cord pain pathway. Long-term pain can be caused by, for example, osteoarthritis or neuropathic pain due to nerve damage. Pain treatment methods focus on correcting the cause of pain or modifying the pain signal with various treatment methods, such as medication or electrical stimulation of the spinal cord. The aim of the study is to investigate the genetic factors associated with chronic pain and the protein changes caused by different types of pain in the cerebrospinal fluid that surround the brain and spinal cord. The relationship between the observed genomic and proteomic changes will be compared to clinical pain treatment responses. The aim is to gain clarity on the mechanisms of pain persistence, to find biological markers indicating pain and to assess their suitability for patient care.

2025

2029