Researchers discover molecular 'switch' that simultaneously manages touch and pain

A research team led by Prof.

Hyosang Lee of the Department of Brain Sciences at DGIST has identified TWIK-1, a type of potassium channel expressed in the spinal cord and peripheral sensory neurons of the somatosensory system, as a key molecular regulator of touch sensation and chronic pain.

The study is significant because it presents a new molecular mechanism in the spinal cord that regulates touch responses and reveals the cause of persistent neuropathic pain, an intractable disorder, as well as a therapeutic target.

The paper is published in the journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. ...