Main Research Themes
Biomechanics is mechanics applied to biology. Biomechanics seeks to understand the mechanics of living systems. Biomechanics helps us to understand the normal function of the organism, to predict changes caused by alterations and to propose methods for diagnosis, surgery and other interventions.
|
Biomechanics has been recognized in orthopedics and the cardiovascular field for decades but the understanding of the mechanics of other organ systems lacks far behind. Only now do we observe an increasing interest in biomechanics of visceral organs. Organ systems such as the gastrointestinal tract and the urogenital system mainly exhibit mechanical functions and therefore must be treated as mechanical systems.
|
|
These visceral organs systems generate forces by their muscle cells and are exposed to forces from the environment. Hence, the mechanical properties of the tissues in the organ and the mechanotransduction mechanisms become important. By studying these systems, using biomechanics experiments and theory, we will be able to
- understand tissue remodeling
- understand symptoms and pain
- develop new diagnostic tools
- design new surgical procedures and interventions
Why Visceral Pain Research?
Abdominal pain is very frequent even in the normal population, and pain relating to the viscera is among the most common symptoms encountered in the clinic. Consequently, characterization of visceral pain is one of the most important parameters in the diagnosis and assessment of organ dysfunction. Research leading to better insight into the pain mechanisms will improve the treatment of the patients.
In clinical work characterization of pain is confounded by many other symptoms caused by the diseases, making the assessment of visceral pain in clinical studies difficult.
|
|
A possible way to overcome this problem is to use experimental models, where the investigator can control the pain stimuli, and the responses can be assessed quantitatively with psychophysical and/or neurophysiological methods.
|
Hence, the ultimate goal of advanced human experimental pain research is to obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in pain transduction, transmission, and perception under normal and pathophysiological conditions.
Depending on the experimental model, different central mechanisms and conditions mimicking pathological pain such as increased sensation to normal physiologic/non-painful and painful stimuli (allodynia and hyperalgesia) can be studied. The methods can be used in the clinic to characterize patients with sensory dysfunction and/or pain in organic and functional diseases, and it is obvious that research leading to better insight into pain mechanisms will ultimately improve the treatment of the patients. |
