Exploring the underlying mechanisms of pain circuits. This was the mission of some 90 participants at the International Conference on Pain Circuits, a high-level scientific event that brought together neuroscience experts from around the world from July 17 to 19 at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM). Organized by a committee of specialists, including Dr. Artur Kania, the meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of recent advances in understanding the neural circuits involved in pain, and to share the best of knowledge in the field.
C'était la troisième édition, et tous les participant·es ont convenu qu'il s'agissait de la meilleure conférence sur la douleur de cette série ! Nous avons également été agréablement surpris par la forte participation de nos collègues américain ·es, confronté·es à de nombreuses difficultés financières et logistiques. – Dr Artur Kania
For three days, the IRCM's Jacques-Genest auditorium vibrated to the rhythm of presentations, exchanges and impassioned discussions. While the discoveries presented testify to remarkable progress, they also serve as a reminder that science still has a great deal to explore in order to penetrate the deeper mechanisms of pain and better control it..
This conference not only highlighted the excellence of current research, but also the importance of continuing efforts to bring lasting relief to millions of people living with chronic pain.
According to the official definition of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), "pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with or described in terms of actual or potential tissue damage".
About Dr. Artur Kania
Dr. Artur Kania, Director of the Neural Circuit Development Research Unit at IRCM, focuses on the molecular and genetic mechanisms that shape the neuronal connections responsible for pain perception. His team is particularly interested in the neurons of the anterolateral system, which transmit nociceptive signals from the spinal cord to the brain. By identifying specific biomarkers of these neurons in mice and humans, Dr. Kania is seeking to better understand how different aspects of pain - such as its intensity, localization or aversiveness - are encoded. This research paves the way for more targeted therapeutic approaches to chronic pain, based on a detailed understanding of the development of sensory circuits.
