Common mechanisms of pain and depression: Are antidepressants also analgesics?
Neither pain, nor depression exist as independent phenomena per se, they are highly subjective inner states, formed by our brain and built on the bases of our experiences, cognition and emotions. Chronic pain is associated with changes in brain physiology and anatomy. It has been suggested that the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2014-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00099/full |
| _version_ | 1828496114862522368 |
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| author | Tereza eNekovarova Tereza eNekovarova Anna eYamamotova Karel eVales Ales eStuchlik Jitka eFricova Richard eRokyta |
| author_facet | Tereza eNekovarova Tereza eNekovarova Anna eYamamotova Karel eVales Ales eStuchlik Jitka eFricova Richard eRokyta |
| author_sort | Tereza eNekovarova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Neither pain, nor depression exist as independent phenomena per se, they are highly subjective inner states, formed by our brain and built on the bases of our experiences, cognition and emotions. Chronic pain is associated with changes in brain physiology and anatomy. It has been suggested that the neuronal activity underlying subjective perception of chronic pain may be divergent from the activity associated with acute pain. We will discuss the possible common pathophysiological mechanism of chronic pain and depression with respect to the default mode network of the brain, neuroplasticity and the effect of antidepressants on these two pathological conditions. The default mode network of the brain has an important role in the representation of introspective mental activities and therefore can be considered as a nodal point, common for both chronic pain and depression. Neuroplasticity which involves molecular, cellular and synaptic processes modifying connectivity between neurons and neuronal circuits can also be affected by pathological states such as chronic pain or depression. We suppose that pathogenesis of depression and chronic pain shares common negative neuroplastic changes in the central nervous system. The positive impact of antidepressants would result in a reduction of these pathological cellular/molecular processes and in the amelioration of symptoms, but it may also increase survival times and quality of life of patients with chronic cancer pain. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T12:24:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-590b0761d55b445c833b6f58ce725c51 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5153 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T12:24:16Z |
| publishDate | 2014-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-590b0761d55b445c833b6f58ce725c512022-12-22T01:07:27ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience1662-51532014-03-01810.3389/fnbeh.2014.0009980025Common mechanisms of pain and depression: Are antidepressants also analgesics?Tereza eNekovarova0Tereza eNekovarova1Anna eYamamotova2Karel eVales3Ales eStuchlik4Jitka eFricova5Richard eRokyta6Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicFaculty of Natural Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech RepublicThird Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in PragueInstitute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicInstitute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech RepublicFirst Faculty of Medicine and General University Hospital, Charles University in PragueThird Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in PragueNeither pain, nor depression exist as independent phenomena per se, they are highly subjective inner states, formed by our brain and built on the bases of our experiences, cognition and emotions. Chronic pain is associated with changes in brain physiology and anatomy. It has been suggested that the neuronal activity underlying subjective perception of chronic pain may be divergent from the activity associated with acute pain. We will discuss the possible common pathophysiological mechanism of chronic pain and depression with respect to the default mode network of the brain, neuroplasticity and the effect of antidepressants on these two pathological conditions. The default mode network of the brain has an important role in the representation of introspective mental activities and therefore can be considered as a nodal point, common for both chronic pain and depression. Neuroplasticity which involves molecular, cellular and synaptic processes modifying connectivity between neurons and neuronal circuits can also be affected by pathological states such as chronic pain or depression. We suppose that pathogenesis of depression and chronic pain shares common negative neuroplastic changes in the central nervous system. The positive impact of antidepressants would result in a reduction of these pathological cellular/molecular processes and in the amelioration of symptoms, but it may also increase survival times and quality of life of patients with chronic cancer pain.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00099/fullChronic PainCytokinesDepressionneuroplasticitystressDefault Mode Network |
| spellingShingle | Tereza eNekovarova Tereza eNekovarova Anna eYamamotova Karel eVales Ales eStuchlik Jitka eFricova Richard eRokyta Common mechanisms of pain and depression: Are antidepressants also analgesics? Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience Chronic Pain Cytokines Depression neuroplasticity stress Default Mode Network |
| title | Common mechanisms of pain and depression: Are antidepressants also analgesics? |
| title_full | Common mechanisms of pain and depression: Are antidepressants also analgesics? |
| title_fullStr | Common mechanisms of pain and depression: Are antidepressants also analgesics? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Common mechanisms of pain and depression: Are antidepressants also analgesics? |
| title_short | Common mechanisms of pain and depression: Are antidepressants also analgesics? |
| title_sort | common mechanisms of pain and depression are antidepressants also analgesics |
| topic | Chronic Pain Cytokines Depression neuroplasticity stress Default Mode Network |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00099/full |
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