Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) may have an auto-immune component.
Patient-mmunoglobulins (IgG) were tested against depolarisation-induced calcium transients in nociceptive sensory neurons.
When neurons were pre-treated with inflammatory mediators, one such IgG substantially and significantly reduced transients.
Such pretreatment also facilitated depression of the calcium transient by the alpha-1 adrenoceptor agonist phenylephrine.
This could accord with the possibility of an auto-immune reaction against sensory neuron alpha-1 adrenoceptor.