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Updated: May 31, 2026
07:09
The Sciatic Nerve Cuffing Model of Neuropathic Pain in Mice
Published on: July 16, 2014
Synaptic plasticity and pain aversion.
Bihua Bie1, David L Brown, Mohamed Naguib
1Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, United States.
European Journal of Pharmacology
|June 25, 2011
Summary
Negative emotions are a key feature of pain. This review explores how brain circuits, glutamatergic synapses, and epigenetic factors influence pain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
- Affective Science
Background:
- Negative affective emotions are integral to the experience of pain.
- The limbic system, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and amygdala, is crucial for processing pain's affective components.
- Glutamatergic transmission significantly impacts the processing of pain's affective aspects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review neurocircuits involved in processing the affective aspects of pain.
- To discuss glutamatergic synaptic plasticity in relevant brain regions.
- To explore epigenetic mechanisms underlying pain-related synaptic plasticity.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical and animal studies.
- Analysis of neurocircuitry in pain processing.
- Examination of synaptic plasticity and epigenetic modifications.
Main Results:
- Long-term changes in glutamatergic synapses contribute to pain-induced aversion behavior.
- Specific brain regions and their neurocircuits are identified for affective pain processing.
- Evidence suggests epigenetic mechanisms modulate pain-related synaptic plasticity.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the interplay between synaptic plasticity and affective pain components is key to advancing pain mechanisms.
- New insights may pave the way for novel pain treatment strategies.
- Targeting neurocircuits and epigenetic factors offers potential therapeutic avenues.
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