Introduction to Pain and its relation to Nervous System Disorders

This book presents current research in progress on pain. Different philosophical/scientific perspectives can be adopted while studying the functioning of the nervous system especially taking into account in the first place what can be considered a normal/healthy vs. an unhealthy nervous system. The field of pain and its inter-relationship with well-known human nervous system disorders such as Alzhemiers, Parkinsons and MS is huge. Battaglia does not aim to provide an in depth, encyclopedic reference to pain but will instead, help non-experts, including advanced undergraduate and new postgraduate students, become broadly familiar with the current, wide-ranging areas of research that cover every aspect of the field from chronic and inflammatory pain to neuropathic pain and biopsychosocial models of pain, functional imaging and genetics. The aim is to prompt the readers to become critical and independent thinkers and motivate them to do further reading on these topics. Chapter contributions from leading experts in their field, including members from the Institute of Psychiatry at King s College London, will provide both factual information and critical points of view on their approach to the subject matter and the theoretical framework behind their choices.