Brain imaging allows for the interrogation of CNS circuits affected by analgesics. Analgesia is defined as loss of pain without loss of consciousness. At the present time, there are no objective methods for defining analgesia. The use of imaging in understanding the functional effects on brain circuitry may significantly contribute to drug discovery and development by understanding how specific chemical agents/entities affect specific CNS circuits involved in pain and analgesia.

current programs

• linear/non-linear statistical analysis
• trigeminal system imaging
• diffusion tensor imaging
• anatomical imaging

relevant p.a.i.n. group publications