Mechanical allodynia is a painful symptom evoked by normally harmless stimulation, such as light pressure or friction. It results in patients from tissue damage/inflammation (inflammatory pain) or damage to the nervous system (neuropathic pain). We know that in all of these conditions, hypersensitivity to pain at the site of injury (called primary hyperalgesia) results from sensitization of sensory nociceptors (peripheral sensitization). In contrast, secondary hyperalgesia, i.e. mechanical allodynia that occurs in adjacent normal tissues, results from impaired information processing in the central nervous system (CNS) (central sensitization) . Thus, during mechanical allodynia, innocuous mechanical information is pathologically converted into nociceptive information within the CNS, generating pain. Numerous works, notably by the team, suggest that this “conversion” of touch into pain occurs initially at the level of the neural networks of the spinal and medullary dorsal horn, then extending to the cortical and subcortical regions of the brain.
The general objective of this axis is to understand the mechanisms of mechanical allodynia and to reveal new molecular targets, in order to develop new agents to treat this pain symptom. We address the following questions by combining preclinical and clinical approaches:
Which sensory afferents, among the low-threshold mechanoreceptor (LTMR) family, are involved in the transmission of mechanical information that is converted into pain during allodynia?
Which neurons specifically participate in the neural circuits of the dorsal horn involved in mechanical allodynia of neuropathic or inflammatory origin?
What molecular cascades lead to chronic pain within these circuits?
How does mechanical allodynia spread to uninjured territories?
Journal articles
2025




















2024


























2023
















2022






























2021


























































2020
















































2019




























2018












2017










2016














2015














2014




2013










2012


2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
1999
1998
1996
Conference papers
2024
2023


2022
2021
2020
2019


2018


2017
2016


2015
2014
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2001
1999
Book sections
2017
2013
2008
2007
2005
Master thesis
2019


Poster communications
2025
2024
2023
2022


2021
2020


2019
2018
2017


2015
2014
2013


2012
2011
2008
2007
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
Theses
2016


2014


2012


2011


Preprints, Working Papers, …
2025




2022


2021

