USC research on cold sensitivity could help control pain in future

Researchers at USC have made mice insensitive to near-freezing temperatures by deactivating select neurons, a development that could one day lead to new treatments for pain in humans.

In a study published Tuesday in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers used a bacterial toxin to kill neurons equipped with so-called TRPM8 channels, cellular structures that help relay sensations of cold. (The pathway is also responsible for sensing menthol, the cooling component of mint.) Neurons that sense heat and mechanical pain were left intact, however

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-cold-sensation-20130212,0,5137235.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angels Times-Science Now by Monte Morin