Neuropeptides and their role in nociception and analgesia.

The authors highlight the potential importance of neuropeptides as clinical tools in the study and treatment of pain. Although many questions remain unanswered, it is encouraging that several clinical and experimental advances have shed new light on the neuropharmacology of nociception and have prompted new hope for more effective treatments of such diverse problems as chronic intractable pain, migraine, and drug dependency. Within the next few years, it is anticipated that further work in this area will lead to better basic and clinical understanding of these important clinical problems.