CHRONIC NERVE PAIN: Sensory neurons switch roles to transmit pain signals. “In conditions involving chronic nerve pain, just the slightest touch can result in intense pain. How this might occur has long been a mystery. It is known that certain sensory neurons only transmit “pleasant tactile” sensations, such as soft touch, whereas other neuron types are responsible for transmitting pain. The researchers in Sweden discovered that nerve damage can cause the sensory neurons, previously unrelated to pain, to start transmitting pain signals.”