Neuropathic pain represents a heterogeneous group of states resulting from primary damage or disease of the nervous system. Pathophysiological changes that participate in generation and fixation of this specific type of pain have been mostly hypothetical until recently. Clinical and experimental findings from the recent years bring new insights into this problem. Authors present an overview of morphological and pathophysiological changes on different levels of the nervous system, beginning with the respective sensors of the peripheral nervous system and ending with the cortical level of the central nervous system. These reasons further justify considering neuropathic pain an extensive complex disease affecting the whole nervous system. Important role in this area is played by the sympathetic nervous system together with modulatory and reorganization changes in afferent pathways, resulting in hyperstimulation of „pain pathways“. Understanding the morphological and pathophysiological changes participating in generation and fixation of neuropathic pain can be instrumental in targeted pharmacological or surgical therapy and can thus improve the patients prospects of higher quality of life.

        Key words: morphological and pathophysiological changes, spinal ganglion, spinal cord, pain fixation