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A Commemorative Special Issue in Honor of Prof. Dr. Luigi Fabrizio Rodella: The Founder of the Italian Society of Orofacial Pain

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 5464

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The pain arises as a direct consequence of any lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system.

Two years since the death of  Prof. Dr. Rodella, the founder of the Italian Society of Orofacial Pain (SISDOhttp://www.sisdo.it), his name emphasizes his critical spirit in addressing this specific topic as a major challenge in various fields, ranging from basic science to clinical diagnoses and treatments.

Orofacial pain refers to pain associated with the soft and hard tissues of the head, face and neck, along with the area’s complex innervation, and accounts for a wide range of diagnostic possibilities in patients compliant with this pain. The potential origin of orofacial pain includes pulpal and periodontal, vascular, gland, muscle, bone, sinus and joint structures, such as the temporomandibular joint. Trigeminal nerve injury is one of the causes of chronic orofacial pain. Patients suffering from this condition have a significantly reduced quality of life. It is very difficult to obtain human samples for exploring basic mechanisms; thus, animal pain models are required, including acute, chronic, inflammatory, cancer, joint, visceral, neuropathic pain and other disease models.

This Special Issue, dedicated to the founder of SISDO, aims to honor his memory, providing the latest findings concerning the basic mechanisms (genetic, molecular biology, electrophysiology or imaging) and medical treatments of several pain models. Original research articles, reviews and case reports discussing experimental studies, diagnostic purposes, as well as different therapies are welcome. Moreover, papers dealing with various types of pathology that mimic orofacial pain crucial for timely diagnosis, treatment and improved prognosis, will be considered.

Prof. Dr. Rita Rezzani
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • orofacial pain
  • basic pain mechanisms
  • management methodology
  • pathophysiology
  • neuropathic pain
  • neurovascular pain
  • burning mouth syndrome
  • myofascial pain

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

28 pages, 5888 KiB  
Review
Involvement of Oxidative Stress and Nutrition in the Anatomy of Orofacial Pain
by Marzia Gianò, Caterina Franco, Stefania Castrezzati and Rita Rezzani
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(17), 13128; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241713128 - 23 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2989
Abstract
Pain is a very important problem of our existence, and the attempt to understand it is one the oldest challenges in the history of medicine. In this review, we summarize what has been known about pain, its pathophysiology, and neuronal transmission. We focus [...] Read more.
Pain is a very important problem of our existence, and the attempt to understand it is one the oldest challenges in the history of medicine. In this review, we summarize what has been known about pain, its pathophysiology, and neuronal transmission. We focus on orofacial pain and its classification and features, knowing that is sometimes purely subjective and not well defined. We consider the physiology of orofacial pain, evaluating the findings on the main neurotransmitters; in particular, we describe the roles of glutamate as approximately 30–80% of total peripheric neurons associated with the trigeminal ganglia are glutamatergic. Moreover, we describe the important role of oxidative stress and its association with inflammation in the etiogenesis and modulation of pain in orofacial regions. We also explore the warning and protective function of orofacial pain and the possible action of antioxidant molecules, such as melatonin, and the potential influence of nutrition and diet on its pathophysiology. Hopefully, this will provide a solid background for future studies that would allow better treatment of noxious stimuli and for opening new avenues in the management of pain. Full article
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25 pages, 4018 KiB  
Review
Role of Neurotrophins in Orofacial Pain Modulation: A Review of the Latest Discoveries
by Francesca Bonomini, Gaia Favero, Stefania Castrezzati and Elisa Borsani
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(15), 12438; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241512438 - 4 Aug 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1884
Abstract
Orofacial pain represents a multidisciplinary biomedical challenge involving basic and clinical research for which no satisfactory solution has been found. In this regard, trigeminal pain is described as one of the worst pains perceived, leaving the patient with no hope for the future. [...] Read more.
Orofacial pain represents a multidisciplinary biomedical challenge involving basic and clinical research for which no satisfactory solution has been found. In this regard, trigeminal pain is described as one of the worst pains perceived, leaving the patient with no hope for the future. The aim of this review is to evaluate the latest discoveries on the involvement of neurotrophins in orofacial nociception, describing their role and expression in peripheral tissues, trigeminal ganglion, and trigeminal nucleus considering their double nature as “supporters” of the nervous system and as “promoters” of nociceptive transmission. In order to scan recent literature (last ten years), three independent researchers referred to databases PubMed, Embase, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science to find original research articles and clinical trials. The researchers selected 33 papers: 29 original research articles and 4 clinical trials. The results obtained by the screening of the selected articles show an interesting trend, in which the precise modulation of neurotrophin signaling could switch neurotrophins from being a “promoter” of pain to their beneficial neurotrophic role of supporting the nerves in their recovery, especially when a structural alteration is present, as in neuropathic pain. In conclusion, neurotrophins could be interesting targets for orofacial pain modulation but more studies are necessary to clarify their role for future application in clinical practice. Full article
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