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Systems and Circuits Linking Chronic Pain and Circadian Rhythms
Andrew E Warfield1, Jonathan F Prather1, William D Todd1
1Program in Neuroscience, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, United States.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
|July 19, 2021
Summary
Circadian rhythms and chronic pain have interconnected mechanisms. This review explores how the whole circadian system, including genes, immune cells, and glial cells, interacts with pain, considering sex differences for better treatments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Research indicates a bidirectional relationship between circadian function and chronic pain.
- Existing studies often focus narrowly on specific molecules or brain regions, limiting a systems-level understanding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the entire circadian system, from genetic machinery to output circuits.
- To examine how chronic pain (inflammatory and neuropathic) affects and is affected by circadian processes.
- To investigate sex differences in circadian rhythms and chronic pain.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing research on circadian rhythms and chronic pain.
- Analysis of intracellular genetic mechanisms, immune cell involvement, and glial cell activity.
- Examination of animal models and human pathologies.
Main Results:
- Chronic pain is linked to alterations in circadian clock gene expression, immune responses, and glial cell activity.
- The interplay between circadian mediators and pain involves multiple brain nuclei.
- Significant sex differences exist in both circadian rhythms and chronic pain mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- A comprehensive understanding of the circadian system's interaction with chronic pain is crucial.
- Investigating sex-specific mechanisms is vital for developing effective pain therapies.
- Targeting circadian mediators may offer novel therapeutic strategies for chronic pain.
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