Naked Mole-rats Bare Pain Relief Clues

Who knew these critters even existed? The Dowbrigade must, however
contest the assertion that they are the only know cold-blooded mammals.
I believe
some
of the girls I dated in college, as well as the vice president, would qualify.
Good news, however, for chronic pain sufferers, although I’d hold onto
my Oxycontin until they work the kinks out of the naked mole-rat treatment.


East African naked mole-rats, the only known cold-blooded mammal, have
shown a rather heated response in lab tests that may have important implications
for treating chronic pain in humans.

The blind, furless creatures that live underground in colonies lack a body
chemical called Substance P, a neurotransmitter normally in the skin that
sends pain signals to the central nervous system. The rats feel no immediate
pain when cut, scraped or subjected to heat stimuli. They only feel some
aches. But when the rats get a shot of Substance P, pain signaling resumes
working as in other mammals.

from
the University of Illinois at Chicago