Using Bifurcation Theory for Exploring Pain

Abstract

Pain is a common sensation which inescapably arises due to injuries, as well as, various diseases and disorders. However, for the same intensity of disturbance arising due to the forgoing causes, the threshold for pain sensation and perception varies among individuals. Here, we present a computational approach using bifurcation theory to understand how the pain sensation threshold varies and how it can be controlled, the threshold being quantified by the electrical activity of a pain-sensing neuron. To this end, we explored the bifurcations arising from a mathematical model representing the dynamics of this neuron. Our findings indicate that the bifurcation points are sensitive to specific model parameters. This demonstrates that the pain sensation threshold can change as shown in experimental studies found in literature. Further investigation using our bifurcation approach coupled with experimental studies can facilitate rigorous understanding of pain response mechanism and provide strategies to control the pain sensation threshold.