They find a protein that prolongs pain

• May 4, 2024

Researchers of the Medical School of the University of Arizona have come to the conclusion that the protein kinase M zeta , also known as PKMzeta and discovered in 1993, is responsible for that, after suffering a blow or a wound, pain and sensitivity are prolonged over time.

The new study, published in the magazine The Journal of Neuroscience, specifies that this analysis could lead to new treatments to alleviate chronic and severe pain, because the PKMzeta protein could also be related to the syndrome posttraumatic stress and with addictions .

The research makes clear that scientists already knew that when humans experience pain, the neurons that carry the painful signals develop stronger connections, especially in the spine, and that something similar happens in the brain when we learn something new. Therefore, they came to the conclusion that the PKMzeta intervenes in both processes.

In 2009, scientists in New York demonstrated that by injecting into the brain ZIP rodents, an inhibitor of the enzyme PKMzeta, it was possible to selectively erase memories, for example associated with unpleasant and painful experiences. (With information from Muyinteresante.com )  

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