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Cortical and subcortical modulation of pain
Milena De Felice1, Michael H Ossipov2
1The University of Sheffield, Academic Unit of Oral & Maxillofacial Medicine & Surgery, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK.
Pain Management
|March 18, 2016
Summary
Pain perception involves emotional and cognitive factors beyond simple nociception. Central nervous system pathways modulate pain, influencing how we experience pain and respond to treatments like placebos.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
- Psychology
Background:
- Pain is a complex experience, encompassing sensory, emotional, and cognitive dimensions.
- Nociceptive signals activate intricate central nervous system networks, including cortical regions involved in emotion and cognition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the central nervous system mechanisms underlying the emotional and cognitive components of pain.
- To elucidate how these central pathways influence descending pain modulation.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent advances in neuroimaging techniques.
- Analysis of neural pathways connecting cortical regions, periaqueductal gray, and brainstem nuclei.
Main Results:
- Cortical regions involved in cognitive, emotional, and reward functions are activated by nociceptive inputs.
- These central sites modulate descending pain pathways (serotonergic and noradrenergic) in a bimodal manner.
Conclusions:
- Understanding these complex neural interactions is crucial for explaining the influence of emotion and cognition on pain perception.
- This knowledge can guide the development of more effective pain therapeutics and explain placebo/nocebo effects.
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