Identification of a Novel Neural Circuit for Depressive Symptoms in Chronic Pain

BrainPost, 3 September 2019

People with chronic pain (pain that lasts longer than three months) commonly also present with depressive symptoms. The combination of pain and depression can make it complicated for these patients to receive treatment, as depressive symptoms may result in longer-lasting and more intense pain. There are suggestions that the dysfunction of the brain’s serotonin system is related to both pain and depression. However, we lack a good understanding of how chronic pain may affect the functioning of the serotonin system and how this, in turn, might impact depressive symptoms. Previous evidence suggests that the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) is a likely convergence point between chronic pain and depression. Read more.