A First Look into the Acute Effects of a Neonatal Inflammation Episode on the Nociceptive System

Abstract

Animal research has extensively shown that inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development of the nociceptive system. The recent article by Cobo et al. [10] constitutes a first look into the acute effects of a neonatal inflammation episode on pain sensitivity in human neonates. In response to a noxious and tactile stimulus, neonates with early-onset infection had greater spinal cord excitability and cortical brain activity than those in the control group, hinting at an altered nociceptive sensitivity. These results shed light on the implications of neonatal infection episodes, antibiotic treatments, inflammatory factors, and microbiome–host interactions in the development of the nociceptive system. They also uncover methodological shortcomings in our evaluation and understanding of pain in neonates.