Understanding the genetic basis of congenital insensitivity to pain.

Abstract

Congenital Insensitivity to Pain (CIP) is caused by extremely rare Mendelian genetic disorders. CIP individuals demonstrate the unexpectedly severe consequences of painlessness. Whilst only a small number of causative conditions and genes are known, most have led to profound insights into human nociception. CIP gene discovery is catalysing the manufacture of completely new classes of analgesics; and these are needed as alternatives to synthetic highly potent opioids, which in the USA especially has led to an “epidemic” of dependant users and deaths following overdose.