Part I. Quantitative provocation and assessment of cutaneous pain in experimental systems

Skin pain is a distinct somatic modality that is highly relevant in dermatology but remains less systematically characterized than itch or inflammation in preclinical research. This Methods and Techniques article (part I of a 2-part series) synthesizes quantitative approaches to provoke and assess cutaneous pain in experimental systems. We first outline key concepts in cutaneous nociception, including peripheral and central sensitization, neuroimmune and neurocutaneous interactions, and mechanosensitive and thermosensitive ion channels that shape skin pain phenotypes. We then review stimulus-evoked assays in animals (mechanical, thermal, and chemical) alongside nonstimulus-evoked and behavioral readouts. Finally, we summarize how these tools are applied across dermatologic disease models to quantify cutaneous hypersensitivity and ongoing pain. Strengths, limitations, and translational parallels to human quantitative sensory testing are highlighted, setting the stage for part II, which focuses on clinical psychophysical and patient-reported tools for measuring skin pain in dermatology.

Abstract from PubMed