Glymphatic function in chronic neuropathic pain
Chronic pain persists long after the initial injury is healed, impairing quality of life of approximately 30-60% of the US population. Together with Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, our research tests the interaction between neuroinflammation and glymphatic function in chronic pain. We hypothesize that reduced glymphatic function is a hallmark of a stressed brain, and may serve as a target for complementary therapeutic approaches (including melatonin, exercise, and acupuncture). This research project will utilize glymphatic function as a biomarker to establish the efficacy of alternative medical treatments in murine models of chronic neuropathic pain.
Glymphatic influx along the middle cerebral artery of CSF-localized tracer can be measured using macroscopic imaging