Nav1.7 Protein Found On Pain-Sensing Nerves Plays Dual Role As Pain Promoter And Pain Reliever

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Body's reflex actions are quite rapid. In fact, it just takes few microseconds to process the reflex action whenever human body encounters sensation of fire or pain or so. Speaking about pain, the human body is complex and so are the pain-sensing nerves which detect pain and send the signal to the brain that triggers further actions. A Recent study suggests that the pain-sensing nerves are also released the pain-relieving molecules. 

Citing a research made by Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, Munmun Chattopadhyay, a neuroscientist, stated that this research is interesting. Further, a protein called as Nav1.7 is the pain which senses out pain and sends red signals to the brain via pain-sensing nerves, it also acts as producer for pain-relieving molecules that is it has dual roles.

Previous discoveries led to the conclusion that Nav1.7 is the protein which causes the sensation of pain and hence, it pharmaceutical companies and researchers could stash some agent or drug and block its flow can subside the pain. However, the reality is different as people can feel pain even after consuming these drugs.  

Later in 2016, a research published in Nature came to the conclusion that those with non-functioning Nav1.7 no longer feel the sensation of pain and they also received naturally generated pain-relieving molecules in a higher concentration. The study reported by John Wood of University College London states that when they injected opioids-blocker naloxone to a woman having mutant Nav1.7 gene, she felt pain as per reported by Science News.

A neuroscientist at University Hospital Cologne in Germany, Tim Hucho stated the working of Nav1.7 protein which triggers the pain-sensing nerve cells to send signals to the brain notifying it about the pain, however, in mutant Nav1.7 gene or a non-functioning Nav1.7, the protein sent the signals for production of opioids to relax the pain thereby flipping the actual process. 

Opioids can relax the sensation of pain, however, people do get used to opioids leading to harmful after effects. As per the research, it was concluded that rather than injecting opioids externally, triggering the in-house opioid production and taking drugs with Nav1.7 blocker help in further manipulation of pain thereby treating people suffering from pain.