When most animals get injured or have inflammation, they usually experience thermal hyperalgesia. This is when the surrounding tissue gets puffy and sensitive to heat. However, naked mole rats do not experience thermal hyperalgesia. This is thought to be evolutionarily advantageous for the naked mole rats since they live in crowded colonies underground, which can lead to many injuries. If they did get hyperalgesia, they would be in constant pain. The reason naked mole rats don’t experience hyperalgesia is because their TrkA receptors don’t bind to Nerve Growth Factors properly. Scientists are looking to the naked mole rat and its resistance to pain in possibly treating humans with chronic pain. So far, clinical trials involving blocking the receptors have been successful for people!
Source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/mdcf-htn101116.php
-Jenny Huang
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