Abstract: Pain is classically viewed as being mediated solely by neurons. This view is dramatically changing by new research that spinal cord glial cells amplify pain. Recognition that glial activation is a powerful driving force for exaggerated pain opens up new ways to approach effective clinical pain control. The authors reviewed spinal cord glial cells and cytokines as key players in the creation and maintenance of neuropathic pain.

Key words: pain, glial cell, immunity