Publication Date

Fall 12-2-2025

School

School of Health Sciences

Major

Biology: Biomedical Sciences

Keywords

Nociplastic pain, neuroinflammation, chronic pain, T cell senescence

Disciplines

Medical Immunology | Medical Neurobiology

Abstract

Nociplastic pain is a newly identified chronic pain phenotype characterized by widespread hyperalgesia and allodynia. Its etiological mechanisms are currently unknown, making medical intervention elusive. The proposed pathophysiological model connects immunosenescence with a degradation of the blood-brain barrier as a result of peripheral inflammation. Neuronal hyperexcitability and glial cell activation result, leading to nociplastic pain. It is currently thought that central sensitization is the key mechanistic driver of nociplastic pain, so this literature review seeks to expound on that. Based on this framework, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy and stem cell treatments are proposed therapeutic methodologies to be explored. By integrating immunological and neurobiological evidence, this review proposes a novel nociplastic pain etiology.

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