The relationship between abnormal glucose metabolism and chronic pain

Chronic pain has a serious impact on the quality of patients' life. Currently, the mechanism of chronic pain has not been fully studied, and the treatments are often ineffective. Abnormal glucose metabolism plays an important role in the occurrence and development of chronic pain. It has been found that the abnormal glucose metabolism in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), visual cortex, occipital cortex, brain stem, hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), thalamus and insula is involved in the primary headache (migraine); In addition, the abnormal glucose metabolism in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ACC, hippocampus, thalamus, primary somatosensory cortices (SI), OFC and cerebellum is involved in the neuropathic pain (NP); the abnormal glucose metabolism in the thalamus and brain stem is also involved in other types of chronic pain. Pain relieving therapies, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), electroacupuncture (EA) and acupuncture treatment can alleviate chronic pain by reversing abnormal glucose metabolism in some of the above brain regions. In conclusion, although further research is needed, the abnormal glucose metabolism and related treatment may be an important direction for the treatment of chronic pain, and relevant mechanisms still need to be further explored.