This archive report was first published on 20 August 2019.
Published on August 20, 2019, a groundbreaking study in the journal Science revealed the existence of a previously unknown pain-sensing mechanism in the skin.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, identified a network of glial cells that form a mesh-like structure between the skin's inner and outer layers, dubbed the nociceptive glio-neural complex.
These glial cells, which protect and support the body's nerve cells, have long tentacle-like protrusions that extend into the outer layer of the skin, making them highly sensitive to mechanical stimuli.
According to the study, activation of this new pain-sensitive organ results in electrical impulses in the nervous system, leading to reflex reactions and the experience of pain.
Professor Patrik Ernfors, a researcher at Karolinska Institutet, noted that this discovery challenges the long-held understanding of pain sensitivity, which was previously thought to occur only in the skin's nerve fibers.
The study's findings have significant implications for the understanding and treatment of chronic pain, a condition affecting nearly one in five people worldwide.
