This study aims to improve our understanding of how the nerves that detect and transmit pain signals work in humans. Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and can be difficult to treat because the biological mechanisms underlying pain are not yet fully understood. By gaining a better understanding of the human pain system, this research may help guide the development of more effective and personalised treatments for chronic pain in the future.

The study will investigate sensory neurons, which are specialised nerve cells that detect sensations such as touch, temperature, and injury. We will examine both how these nerve cells respond to stimulation and the genes they express. By linking the activity of individual nerve cells with their molecular characteristics, we hope to identify specific types of sensory neurons that may contribute to chronic pain conditions.

To achieve this, we will use a technique called microneurography. This involves inserting a very fine recording electrode into a peripheral nerve to measure the activity of individual nerve fibres directly in the body. These recordings will be performed in healthy volunteers and in patients. The information obtained will be combined with laboratory-based studies conducted by collaborators in Germany and France, allowing us to relate detailed biological findings to the experience of pain in humans.

The results of this research will provide a detailed map of the human sensory nervous system and improve our understanding of how pain-signalling neurons function in health and disease. This knowledge may support the development of future treatments for chronic pain.