Pain is a major health concern and a growing field of research. Molecular biologists have made rapid progress in finding relationships between genetics and pain, and Molecular Pain is the first book specifically written to bring this research to doctors and pain scientists. Unlike traditional textbooks, this book utilizes basic neuroscience to explain the mechanisms of pain. It explores current pain medicine as well as alternative treatments for chronic pain, such as acupuncture. Edited by a leading neuroscientist and written by international experts, Molecular Pain is a concise and comprehensive review of recent progress in the field of pain.

Min Zhuo, PhD, is a Full Professor in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, and the Centre for the Study of Pain at the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is Canada Research Chair Tier 1 in Pain and Cognition and EJLB-CIHR Michael Smith Chair in Neurosciences and Mental Health. He is also the Changjiang Scholar at Fudan University in Shanghai, China. He acts ad Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Pain, the first online journal in the field (http://www.molecularpain.com).

PART 1: GENES, NEURONS AND NEUROTRANSMISSION.- Genes and Neurons.- Synapses: Coupling of Presynaptic Voltage-gated Ca2+ Channels to Vesicular Relase of Neurotransmitter.- Synaptic Vesicle Cycle at Nerve Terminals.- PART 2: GLUTAMATE, EXCITATORY TRANSMISSION AND PAIN.- Postsynaptic Excitatory Transmission.- Kainate Receptors.- Excitatory Amino Acid Neurotransmitter Regulation.- Spinal Glutamate Receptors. - Glutamate KA Recptor in Pain Transmission and Modulation.- PART 3: NEUROPEPTIDES, ATP, RETROGRADE MESSENGERS AND OPIOIDS.- Neuropeptides.- ATP and Its Receptors in Pain.- Opioid Receptors.- Retrograde Messengers.- PART 4: INHIBITORY TRANSMISSION AND PLASTICITY.- Inhibitory Transmission.- Plasticity of Inhibition: GABA/Glycine Systems.- PART 5: POSTSYNAPTIC SIGNALING AND GENE REGULATION.- Protein Kinases and Phosphatases.- Activity-dependent Gene Regulation: How do Synapses Talk to the Nucleus and Fine-tune Neuronal Outputs?.- Second Messenger Pathways in Pain.- Genetic Approaches for the Study of Pain.- PART 6: PERIPHERAL NOCICEPTOR, AMYGDALA AND FEAR.- Peripheral Nociceptors.- Amygdala--Pain Processing and Pain Modulation.- Fear Learning.- PART 7: SPINAL PLASTICITY, REORGANIZATION AND CHRONIC PAIN.- Silent Glutamergic Synapses and Long-term Facilitation in Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons.- Anatomical Changes in the Spinal Dorsal Horn After Peripheral Nerve Injury.- Spinal Microglia in Neuropathic Pain Plasticity.- PART 8: CORTICAL PLASTICITY, REORGANIZATION AND AMPUTATION.- ACC Plasticity.- Reorganization of the Sensorimotor System after Injury.- PART 9: ENDOGENOUS ANALGESIA AND OTHER FORMS OF ANALGESIA.- Endogenous Biphasic Modulation.- Paradoxical Analgesica nd Hyperalgesic Effects of Stress.- Acupuncture Analgesia.- Mechanisms of Opioid Tolerance.- PART 10: MODELS FOR STUDYING PAIN AND SEARCHING FOR PAIN KILLERS.- Models in Pain Research.- Models for Studying Pain and Searching for Pain Killers in Vitro Electrophysiological Studies of Pain.- Whole-cell Patch-Clamp Recording in Vivo.- Basic Mechanisms of Clinically Used Drugs.- References.- Appendix I: Units in Pain Research.- Appendix II: Useful Websites for the Study of Pain.- Appendix III: Lists of Scientific Journals Publishing Studies in Pain.- Appendix IV: Fundamental and Innovative Contributions to Understanding of Basic Mechanisms of Pain, Analgesia and Persistent Pain